Following the fantastic reception of our Discover Your High Street Exhibition during The Streets events in November, we have kicked off the new year by touring the exhibition around each of our seven boroughs once more. 

The tour commences again this week with the exhibition popping up until the 23rd January at the Guildhall in Kingston, Central Library and Museum in Redbridge and Leyton Library in Waltham Forrest. 

Do take a look and pick up a heritage trail of the corresponding area! 

Following this, the exhibition will proceed to our four other outer London boroughs.

With just one month to go until The Streets, and the new HLF component: Discover Your High Street takes to the stage of our town centres, we thought we'd look back on the highlights from Summer 2016 to give you a taste of what is to come in November. 

July 2016 saw The Streets return for another series of high street takeovers, presenting a mammoth programme of over 130 performances in the most unusual locations of seven outer-London boroughs. 

Londoners were treated to three weekends of free events in the form of major vocal extravaganzas, with pop-up performances, workshops and parades taking place in train stations, cafés, libraries, shops and open spaces, as well main stages being erected to present a central celebration of music in each area. Click here for the event gallery.

A diverse and exciting range of artists travelled across the capital, from south west to north east, for events with a strong focus on singing that featured international artists alongside community choirs, street performers and local musicians, all utilising the communal space of the high street as their stage.

Keep checking back for more information on the Autumn line up!

We are looking for a Heritage Coordinator to join the team.

They will work on The Streets for 38 days based on 1-2 days between July – December 2016 with some input into the project evaluation between January – March 2017. 

More information and a job description can be found here

Three weekends packed with performances, parades + pop-up events

 
“One of the best things about London is how much is going on around every corner, and in each and every community. Festivals like The Streets are doing excellent work to highlight some of the capital’s local gems. As Mayor, I want to celebrate the fact that our wealth of cultural riches are not just limited to central London. That’s why I’m planning a new London Borough of Culture competition so that each year a different borough is the focus of an ambitious arts and culture programme.”   Sadiq Khan (Mayor of London)
 
This summer The Streets returns to the cafes, bars, high streets and open spaces of seven outer-London boroughs with three weekends packed with performances, workshops, parades and pop-up events in July.
 
The Streets, which is now in its second year, is an ambitious programme showcasing the local streetscapes of outer London, engaging and surprising residents with unexpected performances aiming to revitalise the high street for local communities and businesses.
 
A diverse and exciting range of artists and events are programmed this summer, with a strong focus on singing from a variety of genres, featuring established artists alongside community choirs, street performers and local musicians and hosted by BBC radio presenters Jumoke Fashola and Lopa Kothari.
 
Choir Clock will take place across the boroughs - a performance on the hour every hour - featuring a stunning selection of singers:  House Gospel Choir, Stratford East Singers, London Vocal Project, The Tootsie Rollers, Blossom Street, The Beatbox Collective, Silk Street, London Gay Men Chorus, The Swingles, The Spinettes, alongside local community choirs.
 
Woolwich – Fri 8th & Sat 9th July :  General Gordon Square will be animated with performances and workshops, teaming up with the Royal Greenwich and Blackheath Halls Choir and laughter yoga company Happily Clappily.  Choir Clock will feature Blossom Street, House Gospel Choir and The Spinettes.
 
South Norwood – Sat 9th & Sun 10th July:  local resident Captain Sensible will celebrate the high street alongside a 25-piece choir from the Brit School and Mind Charity, performing many songs (including Happy Talk) in the community-created Sensible Garden.  Acclaimed soprano Amanda Forbes will take opera to the streets with a mix of work by South Norwood composer Samuel Coleridge Taylor, arias from famous operas and songs by Amy Winehouse and other iconic contemporary artists.  This 2-day event will include street stalls, food markets and many local artists and performers.
 
Kingston-upon-Thames – Sat 9th & Sun 10th July:   Choir Clock will pop up around Kingston over both days, hosted by cafes, bars and shops all over town with a grand carnival finale in the Market Place on the Sunday. In collaboration with the annual International Youth Arts Festival (IYAF).

Ilford – Sat 16th & Sun 17th July:  will feature appearances by vintage singing group, The Spinettes, a large Salvation Army choir and an impressive young choir from Fullwood Primary School. 
 
Twickenham – Sat 23rd & Sun 24th July: an evening of al fresco dining (part of Twickenham Festival) will light up Church Street on the Saturday, followed by a day of performances in Diamond Jubilee Gardens, including the incredible Rosie Whitney-Fish and Boundless Dance.  Don’t forget your picnic.

Tooting – Sat 23rd & Sun 24th July –  featuring Choir Clock, House Gospel Choir, Blossom Street, The Great Gustos, young beatbox brothers Maverick + Malachi with a performance from the World  Heartbeat Music Academy, as a result of a residency with House Gospel Choir.  The weekend will culminate in a spectacular street party on Cowick Road. 
 
Leyton – Sat 23rd July – a day of performances and workshops in Coronation Gardens including a food festival, a roller skating area and featuring the House Gospel Choir, Walthamstow Acoustic Massive, the Beat Box Collective, Natural Voices and X7eaven.  
 
Live music and event producer, Serious, has been working with a consortium of boroughs since the launch of The Streets last year – Waltham Forest, Redbridge, Croydon, Wandsworth, Richmond, Greenwich and Kingston-upon-Thames – to reignite the full potential of the high street, aligning cultural activity with commercial priorities.  The aim is to animate local streets, giving residents and visitors the chance to see and take part in something new and exciting, using their communal space as its stage.
Press contact:  Sally Reeves 01223 864710 / 07790 518756 sallyreeves@btinternet.com