June event highlights

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Tower Hamlets has a vibrant arts scene, and a host of online family and community activities. We hope you find something to enjoy.

For more online events taking place in Tower Hamlets this month, visit our What’s on Guide for arts and entertainment listings.

What's on in Tower Hamlets      >


Wishful Thinking

Wishful Thinking - a new exhibition at The Brady Arts Centre

Wish you were here? Throughout lockdown, we’ve all been dreaming about escapes and this new exhibition at The Brady Arts Centre is all about travel. Be transported, by engaging artworks in postcard sized formats, to locations far and wide, both real and ideal.

The works evoke a sense of adventure through depictions of activities denied to us in the real world. Relax, take a journey, and let your imagination wonder.

This is a wellbeing project which focuses on something we can all look forward to including freedom to travel. All works have been created by Art 4u2, a local group of artists who meet to paint, draw and sketch all over Tower Hamlets.


Roman Road Stories returns to the high street

Roman Road Stories - Four Corners' exhibition celebrating the high street is back !

This June, see Roman Road transformed into a public photography exhibition! 

In 2020, Four Corners ran an open call for photographs documenting community and culture on Roman Road, East London. 

Local photographers sent in an array of images, from lively snapshots to thoughtful portraits, prints taken long ago as well as recent impressions of lockdown.

Roman Road businesses were invited to select their favourite photographs to display in their shop windows. Shown together, they will create an outdoor exhibition along the road. 

Collect a map from Four Corners and take to the streets to explore this exhibition of street photography, celebrating the people and places that make Roman Road the vibrant place it is today. 

Don’t forget to pop into Four Corners’ Gallery to see some old, some new and some imaginary photographs of Roman Road.


Bangladesh@50 -  Insights 71

Bangladesh 50 Insights 71 - Brick Lane Circle

Image: Reading Evening Post, 16 December 1971 courtesy of British Newspaper Archive 

As part of our celebrations of Bangladesh@50, we have commissioned three organisations to provide unique insights into 1971. This covers the nine month duration of the Liberation War of Bangladesh. The results include local testimonies, essays and media coverage of events to provide an overview of this important era.

This month we are focusing on Brick Lane Circle, who look at the coverage of the Bangladesh Liberation War in British newspapers between March and December 1971. 


Home, Sweet (Squat) Home: Housing struggles in 1970s Tower Hamlets

Kois Miah

Image: Kois Miah

Tower Hamlets Local History Library & Archives continue their Bangladesh 50 events. 

Denied adequate housing by local councils and facing the rise of racist violence from the National Front, in the 1970s hundreds of Bengali families squatted properties in Tower Hamlets.

Featuring Shabna Begum (QMUL) and conversations with Husnara Matin and Helal Abbas who were squatters from the time, the session will establish and explore the significance of this form of activism to Bengali homemaking in the East End. Book your free ticket


The Spotlight summer half term programme

Spotlight half term programme

Know anyone age 11-19 looking to get creative this half term? The Spotlight Summer Half Term Programme is out and available to book online now!

Spotlight have a great week of workshops for all young people to enjoy:

  • The industry-leading music programme Grime Pays with Ruff Sqwad Arts Foundation.
  • One Youth Dance Choreography Project with a special guest workshop from the English National Ballet.
  • A week of 2-hour creative tasters with young leaders from Art Clubbers in the SYNC Sessions.
  • Young Minds Agency workshops, designing a media campaign for youth mental health services in the borough.
  •   Plus, much more and its all free!

 Wapping Docklands Market at Brussels Wharf

The new Wapping Docklands Market is now open every Saturday from 10am - 4pm at Brussels Wharf.

Alongside the healthy stock of fresh produce, there will also be live artists and ceramicists accompanied by a vibrant mix of street food. 

The market is run by Zeroo who are providing sustainable facilities in a bid to eliminate plastic waste from the market.  Find out more on their Instagram and Facebook. 


Great Get Together Tower Hamlets Dads’ Play Day

Jo Cox Great Get Together LBTH Dads’ Play Day

As part of the nation’s Jo Cox Great Get Together celebrations and in partnership with the Tower Hamlets Parental Engagement Team, Tower Hamlets Dads’ Network bring you a day of creative family activity and fun to mark Father’s Day 2021.

This is a special day for children and parents to enjoy together, and you are invited to Rich Mix to hear more about family activities in Tower Hamlets. This is great reminder that, as Jo Cox said, ‘We are far more united and have far more in common than that which divides us’.

Join us for creative arts and crafts, hands-on healthy eating activities, decorating pots for planting up, refreshments and chat.  Book online.


UK Asian Film Festival 2021 (18)

UK Asian Film Festival is back for its 23rd anniversary edition

UK Asian Film Festival is back at Rich Mix for its 23rd anniversary edition.

UK Asian Film Festival, historically known as Tongues on Fire and then London Asian Film Festival, is synonymous with championing South Asian feminist films and supporting pioneering artists and auteurs.

Once again UK Asian Film Festival brings us a stellar line-up of films, including: Manny, Toofaan Mail, Professor Shonku and El Dorado, Nirvana Inn, Kanya, Period, Fire of Teak, Flame of Chinar, Not Today, The Great Indian Kitchen and Granada Nights. The films in this edition centre on UK Asian Film Festival’s theme, ‘Ray of Hope’.


Moon on a Stick present: Baby Bear

Poplar Union and Moon on a Stick present: Baby Bear

Poplar Union host performances of Baby Bear,  a story of courage and curiosity, exploring nature and wildlife in an uplifting, beautiful and comical theatre production for babies and their families.

Baby Bear is happy in her cosy cave and doesn’t want to venture into the scary world outside. But she is too curious about the sights, sounds and smells outside to stay indoors.

Tempted by the creatures that wander into her home, Baby Bear learns the beauty of nature and how returning home is even better after an adventure.

Combining stunning visuals, an exploration of the senses and a mesmerising soundtrack, Baby Bear is a playful, interactive puppetry adventure for babies, toddlers and their families.


Half Moon On Demand

Half Moon on Demand

Half Moon Theatre's new On Demand service is offering families the chance to watch a selection of theatre productions for young people whenever you want, and as many times as you like, for 48 hours, at a cost of £7. Shows available are Dust, for ages 4-9, and What Once Was Ours, for ages 13+. Find out more and put your sofa in the front row.


Embroidery for wellbeing at The Create Place

Embroidery for Wellbeing at The Create Place

This workshop is a perfect space to nurture your imagination. Week by week, you'll learn the discipline required for this gentle art, and appreciate the grounding qualities of stitching whilst learning a variety of techniques that will help you progress with your project. In this workshop we mix embroidery, mending and art methods with wellbeing knowledge and exercises as a way to practice self-care, appreciate the peace of slow making and learn calming skills.  We highly recommend you bring your own sewing kit and scraps, however we can sell you a kit. Compulsory booking. Beginner friendly.


Artist Yinka Ilori designs Canary Wharf's basketball court

Iconic British artist Yinka Ilori designs Canary Wharf's first basketball court

World renowned artist Yinka Ilori has transformed Bank Street Park in Canary Wharf, with a colourful and captivating basketball court. Unique to the estate, the space has now launched with a mesmerising display of colours and striking patterns, and is free to the public.

The basketball court is the first of its kind to open at Canary Wharf and has been specifically designed for the 3x3 style of play, where three on each side compete using just one basketball hoop.

The creative works of Yinka add to Canary Wharf’s collection of public art that now features over 75 permanent works by over 50 world-renowned artists and crafts people. The showcase is one of the UK’s largest collections of public art and is all free to enjoy.


Earth Celebrations at Tower Hamlets Cemetery Park

Earth Celebrations at the Cemetery Park

Earth celebrations are part of a shared heritage across the world. For millennia, people across the globe celebrated the passing of the year and its turning points, marking the seasons and cycles of the earth. It is only in the very recent past that we have lost this connection.

Earth celebrations are part of a living tradition. Understanding the seasons and working in harmony with them is essential to survival. They help us to find out more about ourselves, our intrinsic connection to the earth and that our lives are interwoven with the earth’s.

To celebrate the earth’s yearly cycle, is to take part in ancient traditions, connecting to the earth’s passing seasons, enabling us to feel connected.


Idea Store online membership

Idea Store Online Membership

You can now register to Idea Store and access THOUSANDS of eBooks and audiobooks for FREE without leaving your home! Access our large collection of magazines, comics and newspapers from around the world.


Tower Hamlets Council coronavirus updates

We continue to work with Public Health England, the NHS and a wide range of partners to ensure we're doing everything we can, in line with the government advice, and urging our residents to do the same. Please regularly check www.towerhamlets.gov.uk/coronavirus for the latest advice and subscribe to updates.


Are you organising events?

If you are organising arts or cultural events, either online or at your venue in Tower Hamlets, please submit listings to our What’s On pages.

Use #TowerHamletsTogether to highlight your event and enter wider conversations about activities and support available to the local community.

Twitter @THevents

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Gally Space Brady Art Centre

Tower Hamlets Arts and EventsTeam

Brady Arts Centre, 192 - 196 Hanbury Street, E1 5HU

020 7364 7921 | artsandevents@towerhamlets.gov.uk | www.towerhamlets.gov.uk/arts


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