Students from UCL Anthropology came together on 9 June for AnthroShow 2026, the annual student-led showcase celebrates the breadth and diversity of undergraduate anthropological research through presentations, exhibitions and community engagement.

Held at UCL Anthropology’s home in Bloomsbury, the event was organised by a team of first- and second-year students and gave graduating students an opportunity to share their dissertation projects with peers, staff, family and the wider community.

The programme opened with a welcome from Head of Department Caroline Garaway, before moving into a series of final-year dissertation presentations. Research topics reflected the wide-ranging interests of UCL Anthropology students, spanning artificial intelligence, healthcare infrastructure, memory and heritage.

“AnthroShow has become a wonderful opportunity to celebrate the creativity, intellectual curiosity and hard work of our students,” said Caroline Garaway. “It brings people together across year groups and beyond the department, showcasing the depth and relevance of anthropology in understanding the world around us.”

Projects explored themes including how algorithms reshape knowledge classification, the social implications of large language models, community responses to ecological crises, the politics of hospital infrastructure, heritage and memory in Singapore, Buddhist self-cultivation practices and the formation of belonging within diasporic communities.

Alongside the presentations, visitors viewed an Anthropolitan photography exhibition showcasing student work featured in the department’s student publication, which was launched during the event. Additional exhibits included Enchanting Materials, by Nina Robinson and Rina Salameh, exploring how everyday objects acquire meaning through colour, material transformation and cultural significance.

The event also featured a Community Garden Planting Workshop, where attendees joined staff and students in developing the department’s courtyard garden and contributing to a shared green space.

By bringing together academic research, creative practice and community participation, AnthroShow continues to provide a platform for students to share original work and foster connections across cohorts.

AnthroShow 2026 was organised by a student committee comprising: Alessandro Patel, Darcie Dudding, Elena Mokhzani, Gurneet Jheeta, Heather McBride, Jinn Yin Wang, Kirk Andrew Horn, Paul Otim and Will Taylor, alongside UCL Anthropology Curator Delphine Mercier.

Images: Will Taylor