History uncovered, memories shared

The process of putting together The Wick: 15 Years of Culture, Community & Change, our forthcoming coffee table book uncovering the turbulent recent history of the neighbourhood through the newspaper, is proving a fascinating task.

We’ve been unearthing photos from pre-Olympics regeneration, early local art projects, the infamous Hackney Wicked festivals, the transformation of the warehouses (and the bits that still survive), while revisiting many of the stories and unique personalities that have shaped this area over the last decade and a half.

Check the video below for a progress update as we visit the locally-based printing press where the books will soon be rolling off the production line, and do remember to pre-order any copies you want right away if you’ve not done so yet, so that we know the demand for our ultra limited edition run.

We’ll be announcing a special invite-only launch party soon, where you’ll be able to pick up the very first copies of the hardback in person if you’ve placed your pre-order, and why not buy a few more for friends and family this Christmas? It’s the perfect gift for Hackney Wick lovers worldwide.

Proceeds from book sales will help ensure The Wick can continue covering local culture into the future, so do consider becoming a Friend or Patron for additional perks. 🙏🏼

Find out more and pre-order your copies of The Wick book now.

🍵 There’s a Black History Month celebration with a performance by LMA Here East students today, Wed 29th Oct, from 3.30pm at the Clarnico Club at Eastwick & Sweetwater, organised by SEND Coffee and The Trampery on the Gantry.

👃🏼Visions Programme 1, led by artist Rosie Gibbens, draws on her interest in the absurd, seeing Bow Arts Nunnery Gallery become be a smorgasbord of recorded performing bodies. See them pushing against their limits, becoming technologically augmented, morphing into the more-than-human or embracing the bizarre, until Nov 9th.

🏢 Head to Newington Green’s Atom Gallery for the launch of Places & Spaces, a new two‑person exhibition by Hackney-based artists Jo Peel and Maxine Gregson, with a private view on Fri 7th Nov. Running Friday 7 November – Saturday 29th November 2025, the show brings recent and selected works from both artists into conversation, pairing Peel’s hand-drawn cityscapes with Gregson’s surreal, nostalgic‑futurist scenes. Runs to 29th Nov.

🖼️ The latest artist in residence at Two More Years is Phulmaya Bhusal is an emerging artist whose work explores themes of family, childhood and identity through expressive colour and mark-making. Her practice is influenced by solo-travel, a cross-cultural upbringing, and everyday human connection. Runs to 11th Nov.

🪨 Felsenmeer is a multi-disciplinary new exhibition at Hypha Studios Sugar House Island that explores the landscape of a slate quarry in North Wales through sculpture, photography, performance and sound recordings. Runs to 15th Nov.

👩🏼‍🎨 Artist Isabela Córdoba Torres’ debut show in London, Sensory Activation, offers a compelling exploration of emotion, movement and abstraction through watercolour - a new body of work that blurs the boundaries between visual art and performance, on show at Unlock until 10th Nov.

📽️ Two screenings to choose from tonight, Wed 29th Oct, as the New Black Film Collective are back at Sugar House Island with the cult classic Sinners, followed by a panel discussion. Meanwhile, UCL East Community Cinema is showing the 70s anthropological investigation of outer space, Solaris at 1 Pool St.

⚽ The fast-paced, six-a-side Baller League, which is shaking up traditional football, is back for a second season of at the Copper Box Arena every Monday until 29th Dec. Returning managers Gary Lineker, John Terry and Tobi from Sidemen are joined by new teams led by Idris Elba and Chloe Kelly. Each intense game lasts just 30 minutes, so are packed with intensity, especially in the final three minutes where the rules go wild.

🪘Congolese guitar and Gambian kora meld with live UK club electronics as afro electronic pioneers Afriquoi and rising Tanzanian stars The Zawose Queens meet for one night only at Colour Factory, Thurs 30th Oct.

🍹 You’ll find £5 Aperol Spritzes every Friday right now at The Leyton Star, meanwhile the Oh My Dog! crew are settling in to providing epic Sunday lunches and roasts at Hackney Wick sister boozer The Lord Napier Star.

🧟 There’s a free Halloween Disco at Two More Years with the best disco tracks brought to you by Gerrado, Tisco Night écouteZ, Sound Called Challis and headliner Hot Cross Fun, on Sat 1st Nov.

🔊 Grab a ticket to Toussaint to Move Free, the celebration of reggae’s radical roots, told through music and dance at Sadler’s Wells East on Fri 7th Nov and you can enjoy the latest in their series of East Lates parties, where the One Love Orchestra will play live reggae, jazz and dub on venue’s pubic Dance Floor through until midnight.

🧑🏼‍🏭 The Mayor of London's Good Work Standard is running Business Growth Breakfast for a group of like-minded East London employers at London City Hall for a morning of networking and learning for employers of all sizes and in all sectors on Thurs 6th Nov.

🏦 The next Hackney Wick Town Hall meetup takes place on Mon 10th Nov at Trowbridge Gardens with a focus on practical collaboration and delivering some of the new ideas emerging from previous Town Halls.

🎁 The Trampery Fish Island Village has opened Christmas event space hire for teams end of year planning sessions or celebrations - including free tea and coffee and festive workshops, such as wreath-making, candle-making, or card crafting - in their tech-equipped, bright and spacious rooms of various sizes.

🛥️ The award-winning 2 AA Rosette restaurant aboard a historic Dutch barge and towpath garden, Barge East, is seeking an experienced General Manager with strong kitchen operations knowledge. The ideal candidate will bring proven leadership in food-led or AA Rosette-standard venues, exceptional organisational and financial skills, and a genuine passion for hospitality, people, and produce. Full time, £52k–£60k + performance bonus. Find out more & apply [email protected] by 12th Nov.

🗺️ Fancy learning how to be a Hackney Tour Guide? The Hackney Society’s guiding course will introduce you to the borough’s astonishing and often hidden history and provide you with the presentation techniques for effective and safe management of a tour group. Apply by 31st Oct for courses starting in Jan 2026.

This week’s update on progress of The Wick book saw us visit Park Communications, a short hop away in Beckton, who will be producing the hardback for us. Check this progress video from our tour of their presses, where all manner of cool books, magazines and journals were flying off the production line. Print is very much alive here…

Pre-order your copies of the book without delay before the print deadline at: thewickbook.com