Top of the brass for 30 years The Grand Union Orchestra have been making and performing cross-cultural music for more than 30 years. For more information about the ensemble visit... www.grandunion.org.uk Wheelie good Performances on two wheels will also take place at StreetFest 2015 Out & About News in brief Creative events A LEADING cartoonist and illustrator kicks off a programme of creative events this week as part of Community Literature Festival 2015. Tim Sanders, whose work has featured in national publications, is hosting four workshops this month titled Drawing Your Stories. The free weekly classes – open to all abilities – take place at Idea Store Whitechapel, 321 Whitechapel Road, E1. The first is on Tuesday, April 7 in Lab 3 from 6.30-8.30pm. Subsequent sessions are being held on April 14 (2-4.30pm), April 21 (2-4.30pm), and April 28 (6.30- 8.30pm). To book a place at the events, hosted by Shanghati Literary Society, email shanghati@ yahoo.co.uk or call 07914 119282. Developing careers APPLICATIONS have opened for an annual training scheme that helps to develop the careers of freelancers working in film and television. Four Corners, a charity based at 121 Roman Road, Bethnal Green, is this year offering 20 paid work placements through its Digital Film Micro Lab. The scheme – funded by Trust for London – aims to promote better-paid, sustainable employment for film and TV freelancers. People wishing to apply need to be based in London, have some prior industry experience and have worked as a registered freelancer or in a company for a year or more. Email info@fourcorners film.co.uk by the deadline of Monday, May 11. Performers sought MUSICIANS and workshop leaders are being sought for a music festival in Tower Hamlets this summer. This year in London there are two EXTRA festivals and one is on Saturday, July 11 in Mile End Park. OBG EXTRA’s London team are currently recruiting performers and workshop leaders. For more information, contact artistic programmer Amy Tsang at london@superact.org.uk Grand Union Orchestra set to make some noise BY JAMES MARTIN LIVE music and academia are about t o come together across east London for an ambitious project looking at the changing face of British culture and society. The Isle is Full of Noises, led by the Grand Union Orchestra, opens on Sunday, April 12 with a launch night at Rich Mix. Special guests will join the orchestra for an eclectic performance with a global influence — instruments will include gu zheng (Chinese harp), Turkish saz, steel pan and African drums. Following the opening event, which starts at 7.30pm (tickets £12/£8), performances are being held across the borough. On April 18 (7.30pm, £6/£3), Sweet Airs That Give Delight sees the Grand Union World Choir play the grade I listed church St John on Bethnal Green, in Cambridge Heath Road. The following evening the Grand Union Youth Orchestra will join guests to play Brady Arts Centre in Hanbury Street, E1 (7.30pm, £6/£3). According to organisers, the over-arching theme of The Isle is Full of Noises is to probe how artists, other individuals and organisations can engage migrant and migrant-descended communities in artistic projects. Queen Mary University of London, which has teamed up with the Grand Union Orchestra, is supporting the project through a closing weekend’s programme of discussions, workshops and performances. The Mile End-based university’s Centre for the Study of Migration hosts an open forum on April 25. Speakers are expected to touch on recent research that showed that the richest, least ethnically diverse percentage of the population (eight per cent) accounted for 44 per cent of attendees at live music; and address the broader decline in participation of schoolchildren in music. Booking is required to attend this free event, which runs from 10.30am until 6pm – email mail@grand union.org.uk The event also includes a presentation of the orchestra’s Undream’d Shores, which enjoyed a run at Hackney Empire last autumn. On Sunday, April 26, a final day titled Open Workshop will be hosted (10am-7pm) featuring a musician-led drop-in workshop. This will be followed by a celebratory performance (from 7pm) from artists involved in the festival. The Isle is Full of Noises runs from April 12-26. To see the full programme, visit www.grandunion.org.uk Under The Sun Live music will help to raise money CLUB 93 Feet East is holding a live music fund -raiser – East London Music Night – this Thursday, April 9. Two rooms of the Brick Lane music venue are set to welcome local bands and DJs during the evening. Included on the bill are altrock band Headlong and pop blues trio Jamie Crawford. Under The Sun, Morning Lane and DJ Mag Saytek also play. Tickets cost £5 and funds will go to Spitalfields Crypt Trust, a homelessness and addictions charity which is this year marking its 50th anniversary. Gig organiser Martina Danielova said of the trust: “I had no idea it was their 50th birthday this year so it’s an extra special event and the first of its kind for SCT. “The bands and DJs have just been fantastically supportive and we’re all working hard to make it a great night out.” To join in the conversation about SCT follow the hashtag #SCT50 on Twitter or visit www.sct.org.uk To buy t i c k e t s , v i s i t www.93feeteast.co.uk The music starts at 7.30pm and 93 Feet East is at The Old Truman Brewery, 150 Brick Lane, E1. StreetFest comes to Tobacco Dock AS we enjoy the Easter break, thoughts will soon be turning to the next bank holiday weekend. And next month there’s yet another option for boroughdwellers after the news Street- Fest is dropping anchor at Wapping’s Tobacco Dock. The annual arts and culture festival has moved from Hackney and organisers say the eighth year will be its biggest yet, with more than 6,000 people expected to attend. Some of the musical talent confirmed for the main stage are Street art will feature in StreetFest 2015 Photo by Jasmin Bell headlining DJ Kutmah, Isiah Dreads and Elijah & Skilliam. East London spoken word artist James Massiah also takes the stage, as do collectives including So Fresh, So Clean. The Unsigned London Stage also returns this year to help unearth new talent, while more than 50 graffiti and street artists will be on hand as part of the festival’s live art performances. Meanwhile the dance stage will welcome the return of hiphop group b.supreme as comperes. Crew battles will take place during the day, before DJs Jam Fu and DJ Snuff man the decks at night. In addition to arts events, urban sports, fashion, tattooing and street food will feature. StreetFest 2015 runs from 1- 11pm on Sunday, May 3 at 50 Porters Walk, Wapping, E1W. Tickets, at £15, can be bought from www.streetfest.net Headlong will perform 6 – 12 APRIL 2015 N E W S F R OM TOWER HAMLETS COUNCIL AND YOUR COMMUNITY 21
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