Thackray Lates: Sunburn – The Science of Skin

Thu, 24 July 2025 6pm-10pm

Dust off your wildest Hawaiian shirt, grab a deckchair, and soak up the summer’s most skin-tingling experience 

After five consecutive sell-outs, Thackray Lates are back! And for one night only, we’re peeling back the science behind the body’s largest organ: skin.

Expect myth-busting talks, craft workshops, and live music. From tattooing to tanning, skincare to scar tissue – you’d be a flake to miss it.

The café will serve hot food, snacks and soft drinks, with a pop-up bar provided by Kirkstall Brewery.

And whatever you do, don’t forget the sun cream.

Here are some of the folks getting involved 👇


Thackray Lates is our series of adult-only evening events, exploring unusual topics and untold stories through talks, medical experiments, workshops and performances.

Feel the Burn: The History of Suntanning in Britain

Ever heard of strawberries, cucumbers, or cow bile as sunscreen?

Dr Charlotte Mathieson takes us on a fascinating (and sometimes daft) journey through Britain’s tanning history – from Victorian times to the mid-20th century.

Left on Red: The Rise and Fall of the Sunbed

Consider tanning culture and technologies in a new light, as Dr Fabiola Creed explores the history of tanning lotions, tablets and injections, as well as tanning ‘medical’ advice and addiction (‘tanorexia’).

The Healing Power of Tattoos

How did a tattoo artist become a key player in NHS patient care?

With over 15 years of experience, Tanya Buxton has made history as the first tattoo artist employed by the NHS, specialising in scar camouflage and 3D areola-nipple tattoos for breast cancer patients.

Enjoy a live demo and a fresh take on getting inked.

Life Drawing Class 

Join artist Boris Cruse (North Lights Arts Centre, Chapel Allerton) for drop-in life drawing class – warts and all. 

Herbal Skincare Lab 

Horticulturist and community gardener Matilya Njau shows you how to craft natural skin balms and creams. And yes, you can take home a sample!

Beauty and The Bleach

Skin-lightening cosmetics are a multi-billion-dollar industry that often equates beauty with whiter or lighter skin.
Dr Mobeen Hussain (University of York) explores colourism, consumption and the changing faces of the skin industry.

Skincare 101

Scientist and award-winning skincare formulator Cheryl Woodman reveals what actually works when it comes to clear, calm, healthy skin.

Type of event: Lates