Air Quality Stripes to feature in London festival

Launching across London in June 2026, the What's the Matter festival will bring together more than 20 organisations from healthcare, research, the arts and local communities to make the invisible impacts of air pollution more visible and understandable. EPCC is supporting the festival through its involvement in the Air Quality Stripes project, which I co-created.

The Air Quality Stripes show 170 years of air pollution data in over 100 different cities around the world. Concentrations are shown as coloured bands, or "stripes", inspired by the well-known climate stripes concept, revealing how pollution levels have changed over time.

The famous climate stripes images were actually inspired by a baby blanket, so it seemed fitting to turn the Air Quality Stripes into handcrafted scarves. Using a mix of knitting and crochet, volunteers from EPCC have been sharing their crafting skills, and not just to create pieces, but also to teach others how to craft. The result: 170 years of air pollution data from 20 different cities, all represented in yarn.

We Weave Air

The crafting and the Air Quality Stripes will feature as part of We Weave Air, a public exhibition taking place on Clean Air Day (18 June) at Tower Hamlets Town Hall.

It’s been a real EPCC team effort, with Applications Consultant and (unofficial) EPCC photographer Sébastien Lemaire taking high-quality photographs to help showcase the project. Crafting was done by a team of volunteers at EPCC, led by Lucy Norris, Kathleen Glass and Clair Barrass. 

Alongside Air Quality Stripes, the exhibition includes projects such as Stories of Breath, Crochet the Air and a series of digital artworks exploring the human impacts of polluted air.

The festival aims to shift public conversations about air pollution beyond environmental policy alone, highlighting its effects on respiratory illness, cardiovascular health, fatigue and broader wellbeing. Events will take place in hospitals, schools, community venues and public spaces across London, with workshops, installations and interactive activities designed to reach people most affected by poor air quality.

"What's the Matter is a living trial of what a national awareness campaign around air quality and health could look like — bringing together art, healthcare, communities and policymakers to explore collective solutions grounded in a healthier future for people, cities and the planet." Marina Walker, Director of What's the Matter CIC.

Read more

The We Weave Air exhibition takes place from 10am–4pm on 18 June 2026 at Tower Hamlets Town Hall, London, as part of the wider What's the Matter festival programme.

More information about the festival is available on the What's the Matter website.