Blocktober 2020

Online, throughout October.

(Updated 16-09-2020.)

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

You can enter the art challenge now, and Chunkytext, our very own teletext service, is also refreshed 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 - from 6pm to 8pm.
• General teletext discussion.
• Teasers for our big weekend.
• Monstober, our teletext art challenge.

Saturday 24th October:

• 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 6:30pm.
• 2pm to 3pm - Chris Bell will join us for news from the teletext recovery scene, Digitiser anecdotes, and whatever else you care to ask him about.
• 3pm to 4pm - Steve Horsley will join us for a live teletext drawing demonstration, a chat about his work in other mediums, and other diversions as the muse strikes.
• 4pm to 4:30pm - we will take a break. Light music provided.
• 4:30pm to 6:30pm - we will showcase all your teletext submissions, then conclude with a collaborative drawing attempt, which is usually disastrous and entertaining in equal measure.
• 6:30pm - the polls open for our art challenge.


• 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.


• Misc. Tech. Block - from 2pm to ???
• Personal hardware and software projects, as niche as you like.
• Which don't even have to be related to teletext.
• Applicants welcome.

Saturday 31st October:

• Anything but "spooktacular" - from 6pm to 8pm.
• 6pm - the polls for our art challenge close.
• 6pm to 7pm - teletext to scare even the most foolhardy trick-or-treater?
• 7pm to 8pm - the winner of our art challenge is announced, followed by another collaborative drawing mess.

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!

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