A Season of Creativity & Connection for Newham

Culture Within Newham decorative symbols

Overview

Culture Within Newham have commissioned a ‘Summer of Wellbeing’ to take place across Newham from June-September 2024.The Summer of Wellbeing is a series of free events aimed at bringing creative wellbeing to everyone in Newham.

We are excited to announce our commissioned events are:

Summer Beginner Ukulele Lessons by Misty Dampier | Book here
Self-Care Day Retreats by Veronika Gasiunaite and Momtaz Begum-Hossain with Well Bean Co Cafe | Book here
Speaker Box Street Party and Double Dutch Workshop by Melissa Caprini and Jump LDN
Plashet Park Circus Fun Day in partnership with Applecart Arts | Learn more

We will be announcing more events for the Summer of Wellbeing over the next few weeks. Keep an eye on our social media and website for updates.

Projects Commissioned for the Summer of Wellbeing

Location: Forest Gate Community Garden
Dates: June 16, 2024 – September 1, 2024
Time: 10:30am – 12pm
This class organised and run by Misty Dampier is designed to introduce the absolute beginner the basics of ukulele (parts of ukulele, how to hold the ukulele, posture, etc), basic chords and chord transitions.
Participants will practice these skills through repetition and with popular songs through to increase proficiency. As the class progresses, it will become a ukulele song circle and sing-along group.
Experienced players are invited as a refresher course, and for those unable to physically take part they are welcome to come and enjoy the sing-a-long experience or just enjoy live music in a wonderful and welcome setting.
If you have a love of music, you are welcome. At the end of the classes we’ll hold a final concert with refreshments and invite friends and family to join us.
Book now.
Location: Plashet Park
Culture Within Newham in partnership with Applecart Arts are hosting Plashet Park Circus Fun Day this summer.
At this free family-friendly event, you’ll have the opportunity to take part in circus arts workshops and experience roving performances from circus performers.
Free, just turn up.
Location: The Well Bean Cafe, Royal Docks
This project is a collaboration between Royal Docks residents Veronika Gasiunaite and Momtaz Begum-Hossain, who are certified Happiness Facilitators and wellbeing practitioners, and local venue partner Well Bean Co Café founded by Charlie Claydon.
Self-Care Day Retreats will be three one-day mini wellness retreats, held on three Saturdays, over the summer. Each retreat will follow a similar format but will have a different theme. The themes are: Happiness, Healing and Self-Love.
At each retreat, there will be sessions on mindful meditation, yoga, art and colour therapy, movement, plus an in-depth session that explores the theme.
Learn more about the project here.
Summer of Wellbeing: Self-Care Day Retreat Part 1 - HAPPINESS
FREE to attend | BOOK NOW
Sat 6 July
10am-4pm

Summer of Wellbeing: Self-Care Day Retreat Part 2 - SELF-LOVE
FREE to attend | BOOK NOW
Sat 3 August
10am-4pm
Summer of Wellbeing: Self-Care Day Retreat Part 3 - HEALING
FREE to attend | BOOK NOW
Sat 7 September
10am-4pm
Speaker Box Street Party is a social dance community that runs multicultural events on the street where everyone can express their feelings of happiness, love and passion through music and dance.
The project will involve hosting a Speaker Box Street Party in a local neighborhood, where participants can enjoy music, dance, food, and activities including a Double Dutch jumprope workshop hosted by Jump LDN.
Dates to be confirmed.

“Finding ways to care for our personal and community wellbeing is more important than ever.”

— Culture Within Newham

Why run a Summer of Wellbeing?

In our post-Covid world, with the cost-of-living crisis, conflict happening across the globe and one-in-five Newham residents reporting feeling lonely often (Office National Statistics), finding ways to care for our personal and community wellbeing is more important than ever.

Culture Within Newham’s Community Voices Panel – made up of 18 residents from across Newham – included ‘wellbeing’ within their manifesto as an area that was important to focus on within Newham. They acknowledged that ‘the impact of arts can literally change lives’.

Becoming Part of the Season

We held an open call for groups or individuals to apply for up to £5,000 to deliver a creative, cultural or artistic project that has a focus on ‘wellbeing’. For us, wellbeing can be about health, but also more broadly about community joy, post-Covid healing, mindfulness, quality of life and happiness.

Learn more about the application process on our Opportunities page.