RSC Chemistry Week
Celebrate chemistry, connect communities and showcase creativity during our annual scientific spectacular.
Chemistry Week is our annual celebration of all things chemistry – and we want you to be part of it: The 2026 edition of Chemistry Week runs from 9-15 November.
There are so many ways to get involved in chemistry and just as many reasons to do so. Chemistry is behind the medicines that save lives, the clean water we drink, the materials we use every day and the technologies shaping a more sustainable future. From antibiotics and vaccines to greener plastics, renewable energy and solutions to climate change, chemistry helps solve some of society's biggest challenges.
Outreach enables people to see that for themselves and can be the catalyst that inspires someone to make a career in science a dream they can chase. So many enthusiastic volunteers, organisations and community groups spreading the joy of hands-on science and bringing chemistry to life for others. We want to shine a spotlight on that crucial work, recognising those who give their time and expertise to engage communities with chemistry, and inspiring others to do the same.
Chemistry Week is an opportunity to be a part of a wider movement celebrating chemistry and its impact on society. This year's theme is ‘Chemistry Taking Action’, so join in your way – run an experiment, host a demo, share a project you've already finished, or just come and be inspired.
On this page
Chemistry and community in action: case studies
Hands-on experiences can have a life-changing effect on those who interact with them. One of the key aspects of Chemistry Week is honouring the efforts of those organising these
Learn more about a variety of projects run by members of the chemistry community in this series of case studies. The projects featured in this series have been supported through the Outreach Fund, a Royal Society of Chemistry funding programme that helps bring chemistry to new audiences across the UK and beyond.
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Your chemistry toolkit: resources, tips and ideas
You don’t need a fancy lab and endless resources to get others interested in chemistry. Everyday items and a bit of passion are all you need – we can provide the sprinkling of inspiration you need to get started.
Think of this as your starting point for ideas, plus a directory of the RSC's education resources.
Get inspired
We have a stack of ready-made resources that can help you find something that suits your interests. We have:
- The Outreach Hub: Our home for outreach activities and resources. Not sure where to begin? Start here.
- A Future in Chemistry: Careers resources that show learners where chemistry could take them.
- Teach Chemistry: Free to join, this hub is packed with lesson resources and assets for professional development.
- From Kitchen to Classroom: These videos use food to feed the imaginations and curiosity of younger learners.
- Popping good chemistry: A ready-made resource that will have learners and teachers bubbling with excitement.
- Primary science investigations: Lots of small experiments with detailed explanations, all curriculum relevant. Find more on our Steps into Science website.
Get hands-on
Looking for easy-to-organise practical activities that showcase science and bring some excitement? Here are 10 experiments to get you started – check out these guides and see which ones fit the level of materials at your disposal.
- Turn potato starch into plastic in this curriculum-linked activity and help others learn all about sustainability.
- Turn a lemon into a battery and explore simple electrolytic cells and reactivity through kitchen currents.
- Explore how to purify water using a simple experiment suitable for all ages.
- Examine the life of water using a suite of experiments getting hands on with H2O.
- Practice chromatography by testing how black a black pen really is.
- Learn about treating oil spills and understand the science behind a natural catastrophe.
- Investigate the frozen world and discover what it can tell us about our atmosphere.
- Understand the process of encapsulation, how it delivers probiotics to the gut, and how you can create coatings around liquids.
- Experiment with green plastics and the chemistry behind them in the lab.
- Demonstrate the chemistry behind rechargeable batteries using a lead-acid accumulator cell.
- Teach sustainable water management through this curriculum-inspired experiment.
Have you tried one of these? If so, we would love to hear about it through the form at the bottom of the page.
Got an idea? Apply for RSC funding
Our Outreach Fund offers grants from £500 right up to £10,000 to turn public engagement plans into reality. Whether it’s launching something brand new or growing a project that's already working, we want to support innovative and exciting outreach projects.
Visit our Outreach Fund page to find out more about these grants.
Share your story and inspire others
Register your interest
We love to hear about the creativity and passion of people across the chemistry community.
If you would like your outreach project to be featured on our pages, please register your interest using the form below. As part of this process, we will ask you to provide a brief overview of your project and its key achievements.
All expressions of interest will be reviewed, and selected projects may be invited to submit a full case study for consideration. Featured case studies will be chosen based on criteria such as relevance, diversity of approaches and the potential to inspire others across the chemistry community.
Related pages
Outreach Fund
Supporting members, individuals and organisations to enable them to run chemistry-based engagement activities.
Become an Outreach Partner
Your outreach will have national reach and real impact, without committing significant resources or impacting your operations.
Past projects supported by the Outreach Fund
Read about successful projects that have received outreach funding