In this series of interactive and creative writing workshops, local author and heritage consultant, Farzana Hakim, aims to help the residents of Newham, especially those with links to East Ham and Manor Park, find their voices through storytelling.

Clay Connections is a series of mindful pottery painting workshops designed to bring people together and combat isolation, organised by Ife Okwudili as one of Culture Within Newham’s Micro-Commissions.

The Rainbow Community Garden are creating an interactive audio trail based around their Festival of Stories. The stories will be available online and to listen to through QR codes.

The Newham Poetry Prize is a newly established competition for those who live, study or work in Newham. Encouraging aspiring and seasoned writers alike to submit a single authored poem that references the borough. 

Custom House Bookshop is hosting four events over the Easter Holidays in Central Park, East Ham. Art in the Park is one of Culture Within Newham’s Micro-Commissions.

Skills Share, ESOL Conversation Café, is an 8-week program where talented locals can showcase their skills—from henna design to music—while practicing English in a friendly, social setting.

Newham residents are welcome to join the creative writing group at The Well, funded as part of Culture Within Newham’s Micro-Commissioning programme. Two sessions plus a celebration event will be led by local writer Luan Goldie.

Meet the projects chosen by our Community Voices Panel to develop Micro-Commissions for Newham. Events begin in March 2025.

Meet the members of our local community who have decided to produce events with support from Culture Within Newham.

Meet the four artists commissioned by Culture Within Newham as part of the East London Creative Communities project to develop new public artworks for our local areas

The Sound Hive is an interactive sound and light installation inspired by nature, which was designed by Ricebox Studio in collaboration with primary school-aged children from Newham.

Take a stroll through Newham and learn about the wonderful women who helped to shape our local community. 

Glow Home is a collection of neon sculpted lights hanging inside the windows of Beckton Globe Library. Each sculpted light is inspired by the local community, with the choice of shapes representing belonging and home.

Plaistow Remixed is 30-metre long mural on the fence around Tunmarsh School. This collaborative piece from Tunmarsh students and Matt Ponting celebrates the local area.

PictureEast is a free weekend of films and cultural events celebrating the borough’s diverse communities of all ages, providing a platform for local artists and filmmakers.

Homelands is an intergenerational, reminiscence storytelling project on the theme of migration run by Jazanne Arts. The project brings together older people aged 60+ and primary school children and will end with an interactive exhibition.

Activate! is a dynamic theatre initiative aimed at inspiring young people to engage with the political process, developed by Applecart Arts in collaboration with the University of East London and Newham’s Youth Empowerment Service.

Nature Builders is an urban forest school based in Forest Gate. The sessions help children to learn about “green culture” through exploring local nature, British wildlife and their habitats, why we need them and how we can help them survive.

An introduction to comedy... These weekly workshops offer young people aged 11-16 the chance to explore different styles of comedy, and discover not only what makes you laugh, but how you can make others laugh too.

Newham Poetry Group is hosting 10 poetry sessions where 18-25 year-olds are invited to dive into poetry, creative writing, spoken word, and storytelling.