There’s plenty of optimism in the air around HW&FI right now, despite the overarching feeling of global chaos. 😬

The Greater London Authority have announced the expansion of the local Creative Enterprise Zone and lots more funding for all the Zones across the capital (see below), while here at The Wick, we’re launching our network of small businesses with the first in a series of editorial profiles.

Read today’s profile all about Hour Studio, the new hair salon and coffee lounge that’s now open in a beautifully decorated unit at Main Yard (main pic above), which is also where you can pick-up your online orders of The Wick Book.

The partnership demonstrates our new approach to growing mutually supportive relationships within the local ecosystem, where businesses get a meaningful package of media support from The Wick across the year for a basic subscription.

You can find out more via the new upgrades page, where readers are invited to back what we do as premium subscribers too, with more benefits of upgrading to be announced soon…

The aim is to keep The Wick free for everyone while building upon our existing local networks as we continue to explore local loyalty, rewards and shared prosperity. Email us at [email protected] if you’d like to chat about how we can help your own ventures.

🗣️ Words Matter / UCL East Marshgate is the ongoing exhibition confronting the legacy of eugenics at UCL. It does so by showcasing the works of twelve artists, each with a practice in spoken word, performance or writing, including a free photography workshop for young adults this Sat 24th Jan, on Black Superheroes with photographer Danny Bailey, and a live performance plus a Q&A with creative disability group CRIPtic Arts, Posthuman, next Thurs 29th Jan.

💃 The Wedding / Wed 21st – Sat 24th Jan / Sadler’s Wells East / Physical theatre company Gecko bring a special reimagined version of their beloved production for MimeLondon. An immersive exploration of the contracts we sign with our lives, featuring a diverse international cast.

🪞Reflections 1 / until 2nd Feb / Victory Park, East Village / Artist Russ Jones’ mirrored cube invites moments of self expression and optimism, as each side of his public artwork encourages a different response, from writing what you love about yourself to answering the playful question “Is this art?”, leaving a doodle an an ever-growing tangle of words and thoughts. Stop by to add your mark or simply take a moment to, er, reflect.

🎨 Sod’s Law One / Thurs 29th Jan / The Bath House / The exhibition is a group showcase of artists exploring completely different mediums from sculptures and sketches, to photographs and set installations all on the theme of Sod's Law. There'll also be seven diverse live music sets from experimental ambient to industrial shoe gaze and indie art.

🛼 Skate & Chill / Sun 25th Jan / School 21 (Indoor Sports Hall) / Sees local community enthusiasts Skate Cabal, (who we’ve featured previously in The Wick in this interview), run their first group skate of the year.

👗 Renée Community Eco Material Kilo Sale + Textile Swap / Sat 31th Jan / Trowbridge Gardens / Launch of a new regular monthly event where you can meet fellow makers, swap materials, and stock up on inspiration to keep creativity circulating. You find unique eco textiles, leather, paper, mixed samples (tiles, wood, felt, etc.) at unbeatable kilo-sale prices, with 10% off when you bring textile items to swap.

🥗 You’ve gotta love a sustainable, affordable way to eat that supports local farmers, too. Growing Communities Veg Scheme offers a weekly bag of organic, seasonal veg for you to pick up right in the heart of Hackney Wick (at Grow in Main Yard), or from 30 other collection points around Hackney, Haringey and Tower Hamlets. The Wick readers can get 10% off all orders until the end of Feb simply by adding the code NEWYEAR2026 to your basket, too.

The Wick was down in Deptford last week at the impressive Acme Propeller Factory affordable creative workspace where it was announced that the Mayor’s 12 Creative Enterprise Zones are to get an extra £2.2 million in funding.

The goal is to increase permanent affordable creative workspace in the capital by nearly 80,000 sqm by 2028, helping artists put down roots and build their businesses in local areas including Hackney Wick.

It was also announced that the HWFI CEZ is being extended into the Lower Lea Valley, demonstrating further support for creatives based in our dynamic part of East London.

Full interview with Deputy Mayor for Culture & the Creative Industries, Justine Simons (pictured with her copy of The Wick, above), Acme’s David Panton and long-time Acme-based sculptor, Mark Firth, in the next print edition.

More info on London’s Creative Enterprise Zones

🌍Orii Jam NRG Takeover / Mon 26th Jan / Colour Factory / Drummer and electronic music producer, Chiminyo, brings a stacked line-up of jazz/electronic cross-over musicians to the weekly jam for a one-off night of the finest cross-continental collaboration.

🕺 DIY Fridays / Fri 23rd Jan / Two More Years / Prepare for stripped-back, driving house and deep minimal sounds from the DIY crew to keep you locked in until the early hours.

🎶 Mingulitka All Night Long / Fri 23rd Jan / Grow / As part of the ongoing 'Join in Jan' series, entry is free to help save you £'s while keeping the neighborhood's spirit high, as Mingulitka takes over for an all-night powerhouse fusion of broken beat and electro.

🥃 Burns Night Celebration / Mon 26th Jan / Barge East / Jump aboard the historic barge for this ‘off peak’ discount night in celebration of Robert Burns over a special four-course supper paired with a dram of whisky. You’ll toast the haggis, read interactive poetry and enjoy a live band keeping spirits suitably high.

🔥 The Community Sauna Baths are looking for an Operations Manager to work across their growing network of sites, with perks including as many free sauna sessions as you like. Apply by 26th Jan.

🤝 The Community Anchor Network (CAN) is hiring a manager to lead a new 12 month National Lottery-funded project. The role involves building relationships with 120–150 local organisations based in and around the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park to strengthen community power. Interested candidates email [email protected] to express interest. Closing date Jan 23rd.

🗓️ UCL East are recruiting an Events Assistant to support the development and delivery of the next one-day Trellis symposium, taking place in April 2026. You’ll be working one day a week for three months, making it a great opportunity for someone looking to gain their first skills and experience in admin and events coordination. Apply by Wed 28 Jan.

🎭 As construction continues apace on their brand new home, The Yard Theatre are looking for a Development Manager to join the team and help them navigate the most exciting time in their history. Applications by Wed Jan 28th.

📡 Hackney’s new Local Area Activation Fund  is offering grants of £1,500 and £5,000 for local high street initiatives, so if you’ve got a quirky project or a collaborative event idea that supports the local economy with grassroots energy and sustainable growth, apply by 25^th Jan.

🚮 The North London Community Fund (NLCF) is now open, with a £1million funding commitment to support projects that prevent waste to make a real difference in local communities. If your network supports residents in Hackney and you’ve got a great idea for a waste prevention project, grants of up to £20,000 are available for 2026–27. Applications by 16th Feb.

💁🏻‍♀️ Loughborough University London are offering Micro Internships that place their students with local businesses in March and April, and Collaborative Dissertation opportunities where students are matched with the topic of your choice to study throughout 2026.

👋🏻 The University of Staffordshire has launched a new fully-funded Microplacement Scheme, offering local organisations an opportunity to bring students onto their staff for 120-hours of funded activity across a wide range of potential projects - pretty much anything that supports them in building and applying their skills. Limited to 31 placements so apply now.

🧘🏼 Grow London Local Coffee Friday, Fri 6th Feb is chance to meet GLL’s Business Support Managers (and book a free consultation), meet new potential business partners, or connect with old ones who share similar goals and challenges, all over free coffee and pastries at Fish Island’s lovely community studio space, Social Yoga.