For one weekend the Foundling Museum stepped back in time to become an eighteenth-century festival, presided over by children from two local schools, and local care-experienced young people, in this project by Yinka Shonibare CBE, RA.

Dressed in period costumes, the young people were in charge of everything from selling tickets and acting as tour guides, to recreating popular fairground entertainments for visitors, assisted by students from RADA. They also performed as teachers for lessons based on those taught to the original foundling children in the 18th century: singing, needlework, catechism and writing. Their pupils were leading figures from London’s cultural community.

Foundling Back to Front Weekend was conceived and directed by Yinka Shonibare MBE as his Foundling Fellowship project.

Learn more about this unique project