Our chief reporter Neandra Etienne on events that reflect culture, history and heritage in Newham
Newham Heritage Month 2024 The theme Places and Spaces will explore the buildings and streets, parks and squares that were and are significant to Newham’s communities.
Grants are available of up to £5,000 for individuals and £8,000 for constituted groups and organisations.
Newham Heritage Month, funded by The National Lottery Heritage Fund, is organised by Newham Council.
The deadline to submit applications is 10am on Monday 8 January 2024
https://www.newhamheritagemonth.org
V&A East has announced their first exhibition The Music Is Black: A British Story. Curated by Jacqueline Springer, it will open at V&A East Museum, East Bank in 2025.
The exhibition, in collaboration with the BBC, Sadlers Wells East, UAL’s London College of Fashion and UCL East, will celebrate 125 years of Black music in Britain.
There will be a series of special activities, events, displays and live performances.
The Music Is Black: A British Story will also spotlight the creativity and impact of East London on Black British music including Newham’s D Double E, Kano and Ghetts (formerly Ghetto).
Mayor of Newham, Rokhsana Fiaz and Councillor Dr Rohit Kumar Dasgupta kick started Newham’s Borough of Culture Bid 2025 during a launch event hosted by local actor Ashley Joseph at Queens Market (27 Nov 2023).
The Borough of Culture Bid launch event was an opportunity for Newham creatives to showcase their talent through dance, drumming and live music.
Residents enjoyed diverse food options from the Market of Culture. There was also the chance to see Newham’s initial co-produced ideas for the bid programme year and meet some of the creative talents in Newham that have helped shape the bid.
Rokhsana Fiaz said: “Unifying our cultural ambitions for past, current and future Newham, to recognise and celebrate our diversity of culture and creative expression, I am very excited to have launched our bid to become the London Borough of Culture 2025.
“Newham has a longstanding commitment to celebrating culture, spearheaded by local organisations like Rosetta Arts, East London Dance, 3 Mills Studio, The Line and many more who work collaboratively with us on many programs to ultimately enable greater creative expression which is a key component of our community wealth building agenda to drive growth in the Borough.”
You can watch Newham’s Borough of Culture Bid 2025 on the Newham Council’s YouTube channel: www.youtube.com/@LBNewham
Please contact weareculture@newham.gov.uk with any further questions or ideas.
www.newham.gov.uk/ homepage/237/join-our-newham-bid-to-become-the-next-borough-of-culture
Nine London boroughs have applied to become the 2025 and 2027 London Borough of Culture.
Applications for London Borough of Culture 2025 and 2027 (and Cultural Impact Awards) closed on 30 November 2023.
Shortlisted applicants are invited to interview with an external panel of experts in February 2024. The winners will be announced in March 2024.
Mayor of London Sadiq Khan will award each successful borough £1.3m to put towards hosting culture and community events locally.
Croydon is currently the Borough of Culture until March 2024 www.london.gov.uk/programmes-strategies/ arts-and-culture/current-culture-projects/ london-borough-culture/become-london-borough-culture
A mural at Carpenters Estate as been unveiled. The Community designed mural, unveiled on 3 November, is a representation of cultural diversity of the residents living on and around the Carpenters Estate.
Local residents took part in four workshops delivered by artist Rose Hill and Co-Creative Connection between July and August. There was also a dedicated workshop with Carpenters Primary School.
The mural has an anti-graffiti design and can be moved when the area is regenerated.
Instagram: @thedovetail_
The biggest celebration of Drag Culture returns to ExCeL London
The full cast of Series 5 RuPaul’s Drag Race UK will be opening RuPaul’s DragCon UK with the specially programmed After Hours Party.
RuPaul’s Drag Race judge Michelle Visage and over 100 Drag queens from across the Drag Race franchise will be in attendance.
RuPaul’s DragCon UK is brought by World of Wonder, the media agency behind the Drag Race global phenomenon, who have been shining a light on marginalised voices since the ‘90s.
RuPaul’s Drag Con UK 2024 returns to ExCeL London on 13 and 14 January
New year, new notes
Newham Music will open their new venue in January with a programme of music activities for children, young people, families and the wider community.
Visit www.newham-music.org.uk for updates
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