Hackney Wick Festival
Hackney Wick Festival was a community festival that evolved from an arts-led event created and produced by SPACE in 2008 and 2009.
The Festival brought together artists and local people, schools, community groups and businesses during a time of momentous changes to the area.
A variety of artists’ projects combined with self organised events to provide a varied and home grown grown programme that included artists’ open studios, talks, rock climbing, a tea dance, a boxing show, a school fete, barbeques, cream teas, a boulder, suitcase gardens and an historic walk led by Eton Manor Boys Club old boy Wiggy Wilson. (Terry ‘Tosher’ Bell’s report on Walkabout Around Hackney Wick here.)
Artists’ commissions and projects included:
The Wick Curiosity Shop public works, GazeboTV The People Speak, The Buxhall Bee Lucy Harrison,WINDscale Rob Smith, Avant Gardening Lisa Cheung and Polly Brannon, Protest Camp Mischief Makers, Art of Common Space Haring Woods, Up The Manor! Michelle Johansen.
Partners: Core Arts, Gainsborough School, Eastway Community Association, Trowbridge Pensioners Club, Malaika Boxing Club, Leabank Square Residents Association, Hackney Archives, The Hackney Society, St Mary of Eton, Trowbridge Adult Centre, Immediate Theatre, Albion Kids Show, Hackney Playbus, Hackney Marshes Users Group, Haring Woods.
Funders: Arts Council, England, London Borough of Hackney, Family Mosaic, The Buzzacott Trust, The Simons Charity and the Hackney Parochial Charities.
Hackney Wick Festival was one of the first events in 2008 to be granted the London 2012 Inspire Mark for excellence and was part of the Cultural Olympiad.
Successful organisation of the Festival continues to flourish in the hands of Hackney Wick residents www.
