Blocktober 2020

Online, throughout October.

(Updated 24-10-2020.)

After the success of the last Block Party, we need another teletext fix this year.

The art challenge is now closed to new entries - vote now!

Chunkytext, our very own teletext service, remains open and ready for your general submissions. We will be reviewing all the new additions throughout Blocktober, so please include your details in the description field.

Join us on Discord and Twitch throughout October, when Dan and Alistair will reprise their hosting and technical duties to bring you the following streams:

Saturday 3rd October:

• Blocktober Begins - an archived recording, featuring:
• Artwork submissions so far.
• Musings on forthcoming events.
• The premiere of Medieval Manuscript Fighter Turbo Alpha X.
• The creation of a strange colloborative drawing.

• Teletext R Live - from 10am to midday.
• Dan will be hosting a live version of his podcast, or something like that.
• Expect interviews, regular co-host Carl, and technical failures.


• The Afternoon Block - from 2pm to 4pm.
• Chris Bell will join us for news from the teletext recovery scene.
• Also, Digitiser anecdotes. Lots of them.


• Pages from Chunkytext - from 4:30pm to 6:30pm.
• 4:30pm - a showcase featuring all your teletext submissions.
• 5:30pm - the polls open for our art challenge, then join us in another collaborative drawing mess.


• Teletext After Dark - from 8pm to 10pm.



• Join us for the experimental and controversial aspects of broadcast teletext, plus our own immaturity.
• Chris Bell will return to share his naughtiest Digitiser discoveries. Don't tell the sub-editors!
• The Real Turner Prize will be awarded for outstanding services to subversion.

Sunday 25th October:

• Teletext Recovery & Restoration - from 10am to midday.
• Learn how this ephemeral medium was preserved on tape, by accident.
• Learn how to clean up the worst accidents of imperfect preservation.


• Broadcast Intrusion - from 2pm to 4pm.
• Personal hardware and software projects, as niche as you like.
• Which don't even have to be related to teletext.
• Apply now, or Alistair and myself will talk for two hours.

Saturday 31st October:

• Spookulele - from 6pm to 8pm.



• 6pm - teletext to scare even the most foolhardy trick-or-treater.
• 7pm - the art polls close, the winner is annouced, then yes, one final collaborative drawing.


• We're then off to watch Mr Biffo's Halloween spesh. Which we hope will start at 8pm, and not, for example, 6pm.

Schedules aside, Blocktober is a jam session for all teletext fans - newcomers and veterans alike (ukuleles optional.) You can join in as the mood strikes, but if you would like to be a scheduled participant, or have any suggestions for more events, then please get in touch. Thanks!

Email: comments at arbitraryfiles.com