Elevate, Skate and Gyrate

School summer holidays used to threaten long, directionless weeks spent hanging around aimlessly at the local park for many Londoners.

Fortunately, that’s not the case today, particularly if your local park happens to be the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park 😉

Sadler’s Wells East celebrates its first summer open at East Bank with the inaugural YFX 2025 Festival, where young dancers from all over the UK will converge this weekend Fri 25th - Sun 27th Jul for special shows, workshops and talks and free dancing in the foyer on the open The Dance Floor space.

There are also a few remaining tickets for tonight’s (Wed 23rd Jul) Making Moves, a showcase of eight nationally selected school and youth groups performing in the main space.

The current print edition of The Wick also highlights how the QEOP holds masses of opportunities for local young people, including the chance to contribute to the future of the park offered by the Elevate Youth Board, as told by board member Emmanuel Lawal:

We’ve also posted the story behind those skaters you may well have seen zipping past, as told in our interview with the founder of Skate Cabal (and another Elevate member), James Kaguima:

Plenty of inspiration to go see or to read more about, as the summer holidays kick off.

Why not share this newsletter with a local young person right now?

🎙️ A special evening of poetry and protest presented by k.d.zwierz, a Polish/Italian poet working in the Middle East supporting victims of geo-political violence, The Dead Speak, will give voice to those deprived of a chance to be heard. Through poetry and choreography, the horrors of genocide and injustices of silenced protest will be explored. Free, but advance booking required. Fri 25th Jul at Felsted Arts in The Trampery Fish Island Village.

🎨 Northern born, London-based artist Téah Morgana explores femininity, spiritual connection, and the quiet power of transformation in the new show currently on at Two More Years until 13th Aug. Her watercolour, oil, acrylic, and ink pieces are rooted in nature, cultural influence, and intuitive play.

The Big Market is back at Riverside East this Sat 26th Jul with over 40 small businesses and traders selling plants, ceramics, breads and pastries, candles, vintage and preloved finds and everything in between, with coffee, breakfast, and street food from 9am.

🍔 It’s the East Village Annual Summer Fete in Victory Park on Sat 26th Jul, with loads of food stalls from Urban Food Fest, live music from different bands all day, a petting zoo and activities for kids and sports activities on the green for all ages.

🧶 Get Living’s cultural and circular economy fashion hub, The Lab E20 is hosting a series of special events to coincide with the Summer Fete on Sat 26th Jul including a live music showcase, a floral jewellery workshop and another for crochet, knitting and knotting. Book free tickets here.

The July edition of Hackney Wick Town Hall is going to focus on the question of developing a high street for Hackney Wick; where is it located, and what should it feel like?
Next Tuesday evening, 29th Jul, everyone local - whether you’re a creative, business owner, community organiser or just someone who cares - is invited to a session for mapping ideas, sharing updates from last time, and building working groups to move things forward. It’s all happening at The Loop, so bring your voice to contribute to this important and exciting discussion on the future of the neighbourhood.

🌞 There are 100 free Hugo Spritzes going from 6pm tonight, Wed 23rd Jul, up on the roof at The Lord Napier, as part of their ongoing midweek promo celebrations, or head to sister boozer The Leyton Star for their Indie Bingo Emo Special this Fri 25th Jul.

🎤 International singer and speaker Starling is performing an exclusive show which also includes a Q&A on the secret to self-belief and there’ll be cake, too. Starling’s ‘Queen Summer’ Launch Party is at The Lab E20 this Thurs 23rd Jul.  

🎶 Last Nubian’s live band Ships of the Pharaohs headline one of Grow’s biggest gigs of the year this Fri 25th Jul, delivering a hypnotic fusion of jazz, soul, bossa nova and house. You’ll also hear DJ Haseeb Iqbal opening and closing the night.

🌍 From Lagos to London, join Group Therapy is a night of deep house, afro-electronic rhythms, and percussive grooves curated by some of the most exciting DJs shaping the scene across Africa and beyond, at Colour Factory on Sat 26th Jul.

🍻 Expect two days of beer, music and canalside shenanigans Fri 25th-Sat 26th Jul as Crate Brewery celebrates 13 years in the game with the Crate Weekender. You’ll find Plus One on Friday, and a Crate Alumni Terrace Party all Sat afternoon into evening with Ryan Evans, Alex Eze and Live Laugh Layla, followed by chef Gabi will be spinning in the Taproom until late.

💡 If you’re a Hackney resident with an idea you’d like to deliver to celebrate Black History Season later this year, the Council have small grants of up to £2k available. Apply by 11th Aug.

🦺 Applications are open for the COLLABORATE: SAFER SPACES Commission, offering the opportunity for four diverse-led teams to receive support and up to £50k each in flexible funding to develop collaborative ideas around the theme of ‘Safer Spaces’, as part of the final round of Westfield East Bank Creative Futures Fund, supported by Westfield Stratford City and co-funded by Foundation for Future London. The commission will provide the time and space to develop, test and embed collaborative work alongside partners, with wraparound co-designed support across each stage of programme development. Apply by 18th Aug.

🎤 Hear from East London Art Prize shortlisted artist Kuda Mushangi on what it is like working as an artist and architect in East London, and find out all about the opportunities and programmes the Good Growth Hub has on offer for up and coming local artists and young people at the free Talk and social: Good Growth Hub late with Kuda Mushangi and Vyonne Mirara, being held at their Hackney Bridge hub on Thurs 31st Jul.

🎓 The Inspiring Success Scholarship at Loughborough University London covers 100% of tuition fees on a masters programme, including career guidance and support, to unemployed or under-employed graduates from East London at their London campus at Here East. Residents of Hackney, Newham, Tower Hamlets, or Waltham Forest who are willing to actively contribute to the local community are invited to apply for the programme by 31st July.

🩰 Studio Wayne McGregor is looking for a Development Manager to help hit income targets, develop relationships with stakeholders and support the Studio’s artistic vision and engagement work. Apply by 4th Aug.

Today, we’re introducing a new regular video section in The Wick. Each week, we’ll feature something good to watch, with local relevance. That might be an interview, a historic news reel, an unexpected guided walk or some stunning visual art from a local creative.

Kicking things off is this interview with CIG regular Woody Anderson, who tells the story behind bringing the World Press Photo Exhibition to Here East, as told to their podcast, Visionary.

If you’ve got a video you’d like us to consider including in this new slot, do get in touch: [email protected]