Elayne Collective Pop-up at Indra Studios and more...

Immerse yourself in the rich tapestry of art, culture, and innovation that defines Hackney Wick and Fish Island. From theatre productions blurring the lines between reality and fantasy to packing a punch at local boxing classes, there's something for everyone to explore and enjoy in this weeks newsletter. Have a peek and see what takes your fancy…

👚 Join Indra Studios at the Elayne Collective Pop-up for a unique shopping experience on April 27th at 4:00 PM! Discover a curated selection of local artists, designers, and creators showcasing their work in a vibrant pop-up setting. Explore a variety of products including hand crated jewelry, fashion, and more. Don't miss this opportunity to support independent talent and find one-of-a-kind pieces. See you there!

🎭 Head over to The Yard Theatre on Saturday, April 27th, for the opening night of Multiple Casualty Incident, where a group of trainees roleplay as aid worker, refugee, border officer—merging fantasy and reality—until they lose themselves in each other. It’s a dizzying, unsettling and thrilling epic that builds and builds—and yet, it'll still catch you off-guard. You won’t want to miss it!

📍 The artist Sonia E. Barrett invites a group of black women and women of color to braid maps as members of a map-lective at the Urban Room at UCL East London as part of her current exhibition on display until June 15. Together, you will shred and braid the maps of colonised and post colonised, coloniser and post coloniser territories. All participants are named as co-producers of the work. The group will meet on three days from 3-5th May, 2024 from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. and will receive a daily stipend of £150. To register your interest, contact [email protected] with a short blurb about yourself and why you are interested in joining this collective artwork before the deadline of April 26th.

🍕 This May, Unlock, the canal-side pizza restaurant, cocktail bar and art collective space set in Hackney Wick, will welcome its second artist in residence, Sicilian illustrator Jess Ardizzone with her exhibition ‘Balcone Mediterraneo’. Unlock will kick off Jess’s residency on the 7th of May with a Sicilian-inspired evening of art and food. Available for one night only, the set menu will feature Sicilian-inspired dishes that pay homage to the rich heritage of the island. Book your table now!

🥊 Lisa is a former competitive boxer with experience representing London and earning a spot in the England squad. Join her at Omega Works for some high-energy training sessions where we’ll learn the art of boxing, work up a sweat, and most importantly, have fun! Lisa runs sessions all throughout the week suitable for all levels, take a look at the upcoming classes and get involved.

🧑‍🎨 Multidisciplinary artist researchers Ghost and John will be leading the next Bow Skills workshop this Saturday, April 27th. Join them at the Nunnery Gallery for an experimental and playful workshop expanding on the landscapes of our bodies and how we can perform, construct and agitate towards collective liberated ecological futures. 

🫶 Are We Still in Touch? Join Dr. Christina Kapadocha at The LightHouse & Gardens for an enlightening practice exploring the profound benefits of self-directed touch on mental health, wellbeing and creativity in a series of three workshops beginning this Saturday, April 27th.

💃 Révérence Dance Company have joined The Cave in Algha Works, Hackney Wick, where they will be hosting a multitude of classes, workshops, and more! Put your best foot forward at their upcoming Breakdancing for Beginners class tonight, April 25th. Drop them a DM on Instagram or send over an email to book your spot!

🀄️ Ease yourself into the May Bank Holiday weekend with some wholesome, lighthearted fun over at The Bath House on Thursday, May 2nd. Something 2 Chew on is a passion project bringing people together in the spirit of creative playtime to give your mind, body, and soul. Get crafty and make giant game tile sets out of various art materials (all provided). No need to be a Picasso, this event is all about letting your imagination run wild in a no-pressure way! Whether you're a crafting pro, an enthusiast, or just here for the vibes, everyone is welcome to get involved!

🌎 Around The World with Nico – in collaboration with Bacardi –  celebrates the best in music from all corners of the globe, with a range of artists performing in Hackney Bridge’s new bar space Nico’s with views of Hackney Wick and the Olympic Park. Expect best in music from London and beyond every Friday throughout April.

🍷 Join us in Bow's Living Room & Creative Social Space at the Nunnery Cafe next Thursday, May 2nd for their launch event featuring live music, great vibes, and pints for only £4.50. Expect hand selected wines, a new draft beer line, seasonal cocktails and some fabby live tunes for local folks! After the launch, the Nunnery Café will be open every Thursday until 10pm for artists, neighbours, and friends to hang out and enjoy the space.

🎓 University of the Arts London is offering a PhD studentships in Artisan, Agency, Place: Making Local Fashion. The research will sit between the London College of Fashion at UAL East and the collaborative partner organisation Creative Wick, the latter which has had a significant creative impact on the shape of London East’s Cultural Zone at The Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park in Stratford, East London, and the former seeking to educate future generations of creatives. Check out the all studentships on offer and apply before May 20th 2024.

🏆 The Mick Bateman Memorial Award is a new award set up with specific intention to support and encourage emerging artists working in metal. Each award offers: Two years of financial support towards the whole cost of a professional artist studio at Bow Arts. The award is up to a maximum of £2,000 in any one year, and; up to £1,000 (equivalent to 8 days) access to courses and/or workshop time in the London Sculpture Workshop. Applications are welcome from all artists until 12:00pm, Monday 3rd June.

🪟 Lockside Studios is the latest in Eat Work Art’s portfolio of creative spaces, opening next month in the heart of Hackney Wick. It offers a collection of 23 canalside studios boasting vast windows and soaring ceilings, flooding the spaces with natural light. Situated next to the Old Ford Lock and the picturesque canal, Lockside Studios offers views over Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, with Stratford just a stone’s throw away. This prime location aims to provide residents with both tranquility and creative energy. Studio prices start at £850 a month, but to help kickstart the journey of new clients, they are offering free rent until 1st July.

👩‍🌾 Get closer to nature with the Mobile Garden, a ​​community growing space where local residents, schools and community groups can come connect with nature at Hackney Bridge. Interested in getting involved? If you would like to make use of a shared allotment bed, use the garden as an outdoor space to run your own community activities, or become a garden rep, reach out to Adele on [email protected]

🌞 AEG hosted their seventh annual Local Business Fair in Mile End Park last month, giving businesses, community groups and suppliers an opportunity to chat with them about various ways to get involved with In The Neighbourhood community festival and Uber One presents All Points East this summer. Those who were unable to attend but would still like more information, please get in touch at [email protected]

• Peppermint Events are looking for food servers at their brand-new Venue, Riverside East in Queen Elizabeth Park, London. (London Living Wage)