Cultures of Hackney
Welcome to Cultures of Hackney, where we celebrate the rich diversity and extraordinary creativity of our local communities.
The annual Cultures of Hackney grants programme supports communities to honor local heritage and diversity. We are proud to announce the nine diverse groups who successfully applied for a grant in 2026-27, and will be delivering unique cultural activities throughout the year. You can find a snapshot of these forthcoming projects below.
In addition to grant-funded initiatives, this page also promotes various community-led events that are not funded by the council, as part of our What’s on calendar, or event listings below.
Who and what we are supporting in 2026/27
-
Soul Paint!
by Hoxton Hall
August - September 2026Respiratory patients from St Leonard's Hospital create their own worlds through virtual reality painting.
-
A Portrait of Pilgrim’s Lodge
by SDNA
Dates tbcResidents of Pilgrims Lodge, one of Hackney’s almshouses, create a collective portrait of their home, in collaboration with artist C.A. Halpin.
-
Heritage, Identity & a lot of stitches
by Community Quilting
September 2026 - January 2027Stories from the Four Winds Mahjong Club are stitched into a collective quilt to be displayed at Chinese New Year Celebrations.
-
Walk and Talk
by Arcola Theatre
October 2026 - January 2027Arcola’s Mental Health Company invite Hackney locals to connect and create through the exploration of Hackney’s green spaces.
-
Offshoots: an ESEA Culture & Arts Festival
by East & South East Asian Community Centre
September - October 2026A month-long East and Southeast Asian Culture and Arts Festival celebrating emerging ESEA artists and community talent.
-
Woodberry Down Disco
by Nirmala Kesumadewi Endrojono
September - December 2026An all-ages social disco for residents of Woodberry Down celebrating the idea that dance is for everyone.
-
Theatre of Black Women Reunion
by Unfinished Histories
October -2026 - March 2027A reunion celebrating the Theatre of Black Women, founded in 1982 by Bernardine Evaristo, Paulette Randall and Patricia Hilaire and based in Dalston.
-
Hackney Chinese New Year 2027
Workshops in the Pixiu Dance at Woodberry Down and Pembury Estate aim to conserve this specialist artform, culminating in a performance at Chinese New Year celebrations.
-
Roots, Routes and Resonance
Headway London - Brain Injury Services
October 2026
People living with brain injury explore Black music, rhythm, identity and cultural memory, culminating in a public sharing at Cafe OTO.
On now & coming up
Stay connected with culture
Join the Culture newsletter, highlighting cultural opportunities for everyone in Hackney