Curlicue

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Saturday 20th March 2027, Larkin Hall

Loose lines,long tables,good talks.

Curlicue is coming.

An audience watching a speaker on a small stage under a hand-painted banner
People drawing with pencils on big sheets of paper at a long wooden table
A table of pastries, coffee cups and jugs of lemonade
Three musicians playing acoustic instruments in a brick hall
Six friends laughing around a table covered in sketchbooks
  • Sponsored by
  • Pennib
  • Gouache & Sons
  • Tangram Type
  • Ferrule Press
  • Nubbin Paper
  • Loop and Lathe
  • Sponsored by
  • Pennib
  • Gouache & Sons
  • Tangram Type
  • Ferrule Press
  • Nubbin Paper
  • Loop and Lathe

Sponsors, speakers and posts on this page are invented.

The one-day fair forpeople who draw first

It is a conference, but with long tables, a pencil at every seat and no laptops in the room. Ten short talks about how good work starts as a scribble, and lots of time to talk in between.

Our 2027SpeakerLineup

Five people who make things slowly and well. Every talk has a pencil in it. More names to come.

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All speakers are invented.

Keynote
Ottoline Marsh, a fictional sign painter with silver hair and round glasses, holding a paintbrush

Sign painter

Paints every shop sign in her town by hand. Will open the day with the story of one very large letter S.

Ottoline Marsh

Type
Bram Kessel, a fictional type designer in a mustard cardigan with a pencil behind his ear

Type designer

Has drawn one alphabet for six years and is nearly happy with the G. Bring questions about the G.

Bram Kessel

Motion
Ines Valdry, a fictional animator in a red headscarf holding a small flipbook

Animator

Moves every frame by hand, one at a time. Will show why a small wobble makes a drawing feel alive.

Ines Valdry

Systems
Hollis Wren, a fictional design lead in round glasses holding a wooden ruler

Design lead

Keeps a ruler and a rubber duck on the desk. Talks about the rules that are worth breaking.

Hollis Wren

Craft
Perpetua Lund, a fictional printmaker with curly hair in a canvas apron

Printmaker

Will show how a mistake in the ink turned into the best part of the poster.

Perpetua Lund

What to expect

  • Short talksTen talks, twenty minutes each, pencils provided.
    An audience watching a speaker on a small stage under a hand-painted banner
  • Drawing gamesDraw with your other hand. Draw with your eyes closed. Lose gracefully.
    People drawing with pencils on big sheets of paper at a long wooden table
  • Food and drinkA long lunch, a tea trolley and lemonade by the jug.
    A table of pastries, coffee cups and jugs of lemonade
  • Live musicA small band, played softly enough to talk over.
    Three musicians playing acoustic instruments in a brick hall
  • Good companyLong tables, name stickers and friendly strangers.
    Six friends laughing around a table covered in sketchbooks

An event run bythe community,for the community

Curlicue is a non-profit day run by volunteers. We lead with kindness, curiosity and plenty of tea.

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All organisers are invented.

  • Marlow Quince, a fictional host with a moustache and a name badge

    Marlow QuinceHost

  • Dessa Orrin, a fictional stage manager in a denim jacket holding a microphone

    Dessa OrrinStage

  • Kit Alderney, a fictional caterer in a striped apron

    Kit AlderneyFood

  • Nell Tavish, a fictional print volunteer with long braids holding a roll of paper

    Nell TavishPrint

  • Rowan Pell, a fictional music organiser with a guitar strap on his shoulder

    Rowan PellMusic

  • Juno Fairweather, a fictional door volunteer in a yellow raincoat holding a clipboard

    Juno FairweatherDoors

Curlicue Love

Wren Halloran@wren_makes

Best conference lunch I have ever had. I drew on the tablecloth and nobody minded.

5:25 PM, 21 Mar 2026Invented post
Toby Okoro@tobyinks

Came for the talks, stayed because someone handed me a pencil and a bag of crisps.

4:38 PM, 21 Mar 2026Invented post
Marguerite Bell@margbell

I was nervous about going alone. Sat at a long table and left with four new friends.

2:21 PM, 21 Mar 2026Invented post
Idris Vane@idris_draws

Ines made a wobbly circle look alive and I have not stopped thinking about it.

1:07 PM, 21 Mar 2026Invented post
Sunniva Holt@sunniva_h

No laptops. No slides with forty bullet points. A whole day of people showing how they think.

9:52 AM, 22 Mar 2026Invented post

Invented posts from an invented crowd. Drag a card away, or use the button.

Frequently Asked Questions

The hall entrance with bunting and a queue of people with tote bags

Tickets are priced as low as the day allows. A few seats are kept free for students and for anyone between jobs. Just ask.

Larkin Hall is two minutes from the tram stop, with bike parking round the back. Look for the building with the bunting.

Yes. A long lunch, a tea trolley all afternoon and a drink token when you arrive.

A pencil if you have a favourite. We supply paper, pens and everything else. No laptop needed, and none will be missed.

A gentle one. The long tables stay open until eight, with tea, cake and a very slow game of consequences.

Get your ticket for the warmest one-day event of the year

It is the kind of day we wanted to go to, so we made it. No stiff lanyards, no slides with forty bullet points, just good people and good pencils.

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This is a concept page. Nothing is on sale.

See you there!

Leave your name and we will tell you when the doors open.

This form sends nothing. Curlicue is a concept, so there is no list and no ticket.

  • Bram Kessel, a fictional type designer in a mustard cardigan with a pencil behind his ear
  • Kit Alderney, a fictional caterer in a striped apron
  • Marlow Quince, a fictional host with a moustache and a name badge
  • Ottoline Marsh, a fictional sign painter with silver hair and round glasses, holding a paintbrush
  • Juno Fairweather, a fictional door volunteer in a yellow raincoat holding a clipboard
  • A fictional volunteer with curly hair and a tote bag
  • Perpetua Lund, a fictional printmaker with curly hair in a canvas apron
  • Rowan Pell, a fictional music organiser with a guitar strap on his shoulder
  • Hollis Wren, a fictional design lead in round glasses holding a wooden ruler
  • Dessa Orrin, a fictional stage manager in a denim jacket holding a microphone

Curlicue is a concept brand. An invented event in an invented town. Designed and built by Danielius Studio.

Last year in six pictures

  • An audience watching a speaker on a small stage under a hand-painted banner
  • People drawing with pencils on big sheets of paper at a long wooden table
  • A table of pastries, coffee cups and jugs of lemonade
  • Three musicians playing acoustic instruments in a brick hall
  • Six friends laughing around a table covered in sketchbooks
  • The hall entrance with bunting and a queue of people with tote bags