Sarita Rodriguez arrives at ArtSect Gallery

We have been overwhelmed with support and feedback from our first newsletter as The Wick sent out last week. To remind you, every Thursday lunchtime, everything we usually email you from Creative Wick and the CIG will simply come under one newsletter banner: The Wick.

You’ll still find - and be able to submit - details of events, offers, new openings and everything else that keeps HW&FI and the wider Olympic Park area so dynamic, plus there’s a dedicated CIG section at the bottom of each email.

Please continue to share your feedback on the new format with us, which will continue to develop over the weeks and months ahead!

♻️ Straight out of the textile landfills of the Atacama desert, Sarita Rodriguez, created by Paula Contreras Sánchez and Erick Labra, arrives at ArtSect Gallery to open the discussion on the impacts the fashion industry has on the global south. The parody to a luxury fashion story composed with different elements such as sculptures, avant garde dress made by Y.A.N.G and a fashion film, will take place from the 17th - 18th April, and then from the 22nd - 24th April.

📍As part of the ReRooted Programme at Trowbridge Gardens Gallery, Ray Attfield will host Inside Outside - a discussion about civilisation and nature tonight, Thursday 18th April, 6pm-7.30pm,

👗 Sprawling throughout the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park Multi-Storey Car Park (next to HERE EAST) The Great London Flea will be London's largest indoor flea market, hosting over 100 top traders of vintage home decor and peddlers of preloved bargains on Sun 28th April. Expect a wide selection of unique finds, furniture, unexpected oddities and much more.

👕 Loanhood is hosting another free Hackney Clothes Swap day at Hackney Bridge on Sun 28th April, giving you the chance to revamp your wardrobe sustainably by swapping your pre-love garments

👚 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!

🧑‍🎨 Bow Arts is starting a Nunnery Gallery Youth Programme – 1813 social and want to hear from you! Come along to their first young people’s social to meet other local creatives and have your say in what you want this space to look and feel like – featuring a DIY zine making workshop and free food and drink! Free and open to anyone aged between 18-24 (ish), living in Tower Hamlets or Newham – no previous art experience needed! Thur 25th April 6-9pm

💃 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 classes this week including an Improv and Composition class tomorrow, a Stretch class on Sat 20th April, and Breakdancing for Beginners next Thursday, April 25th. Drop them a DM on Instagram or send over an email to book your spot!

🪴Another Provision host a free talk entitled Food Growing Cultures in and around the Olympic Park, including speakers ranging from local community activists to UCL food experts, local growing groups and allotment gardeners. It’s at UCL East - Marshgate on Sun 28th April 2-5pm, followed by a free community meal made from surplus food.

🪩 The GR1N cultists make their much awaited return to Colour Factory this Saturday, April 20th. Expect hyperpop, hard dance and ritual as they welcome the likes of MUN SING, BABII and TWST. Tickets are moving fast! Join them before it's too late...

👀 Electrolife BC: Seeing is Believing is an immersive exhibition intersecting music and subculture, happening Fri April 19th, 12-11pm at ArtSect Gallery. The exhibition will progress from ‘seeing’, with the focus on the visual artists during the day, to ‘believing’ at night, where the music, live performances, and experiential environment will allow you to experience the same vision the artists intend to share. You won’t want to miss this one, secure tickets here.

💇‍♀️ Join Indra Studios at 2 Casings Way, E3 2TH, this Saturday, April 20th for the launch event of The Hair Secret Men. Expect Live entertainment, DJ sets, free trims, and food from 7pm til 10pm.

🎓 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.

👩‍🌾 The Our Parklife Mobile Garden has upped sticks from its original Chobham Manor site to open a new home on the canalside at Hackney Bridge, and they are keen for more locals to come along and get involved. They are specifically looking for garden reps to open the site for the community, allotment users to share some of the beds and local organisations of all sorts who’d benefit from using the space to run their activities. Apply now.

🌞 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]

• Copper Street Cafe are reopening soon with the return of Caliendos Gelato and are currently looking for staff. (London Living Wage)