The Big Draw at Britannia Village Hall

Join us for a creative celebration of bees, blooms, and community! In this hands-on Bee Friendly Big Draw workshop, you’ll explore the beauty and biodiversity of our local herbaceous borders through drawing. Led by artists from Art in the Docks, these relaxed, inclusive sessions invite everyone — from seasoned sketchers to complete beginners — to take inspiration from nature and discover the patterns, colours, and forms that help pollinators thrive.

Free to join, suitable for all ages, and all materials and equipment will be provided.

Location

Britannia Village Hall

65 Evelyn Street

London, E16 1TU

Unwind and Create

Join us as we launch a new series of our highly popular and sociable community arts programme.

These sessions are open to everyone, from complete beginners to accomplished artists. We encourage people to share ideas and to help each other. People can work on their own projects or join in a guided session on techniques lead by artist John Lord.

All you need is your imagination and a willingness to try new ideas in the company of likeminded people.  

📍 Art in the Docks, 25 Shackleton Wy, London E16 2XJ

📧 Please get in touch and email info@artinthedocks.com if you have any questions.

⏰ Workshops run fortnightly on Saturday afternoons, 1pm-3pm.

These workshops are funded by the Notting Hill Genesis Love While You Live Fund.

We thank them for their continued support in making these workshops possible.

Bee Friendly: Herbaceous Border Drawing Workshops

Join us for a creative celebration of bees, blooms, and community! In this hands-on Bee Friendly Big Draw workshop, you’ll explore the beauty and biodiversity of our local herbaceous borders through drawing. Led by artists from Art in the Docks, these relaxed, inclusive sessions invite everyone — from seasoned sketchers to complete beginners — to take inspiration from nature and discover the patterns, colours, and forms that help pollinators thrive.

Free to join, suitable for all ages, and all materials and equipment will be provided.

Learn more about the Big Draw 2025 Festival here.

These workshops are funded by the Notting Hill Genesis Love While You Live Fund.

We thank them for their continued support in making these workshops possible.

Spooky Crafts

Join us for a morning of creative fun in our friendly and relaxed kids club!

Participants will make a variety of spooky creatures and crafts out of paper plates. They will get to design and decorate their own creations as they wish and express their indivuality.

Free to join, suitable for all ages, and all materials and equipment will be provided.

These workshops are funded by the Notting Hill Genesis Love While You Live Fund.

We thank them for their continued support in making these workshops possible.

Unwind and Create

Join us as we launch a new series of our highly popular and sociable community arts programme.

These sessions are open to everyone, from complete beginners to accomplished artists. We encourage people to share ideas and to help each other. People can work on their own projects or join in a guided session on techniques lead by artist John Lord.

All you need is your imagination and a willingness to try new ideas in the company of likeminded people.  

📍 Art in the Docks, 25 Shackleton Wy, London E16 2XJ

📧 Please get in touch and email info@artinthedocks.com if you have any questions.

⏰ Workshops run fortnightly on Saturday afternoons, 1pm-3pm.

These workshops are funded by the Notting Hill Genesis Love While You Live Fund.

We thank them for their continued support in making these workshops possible.

Autumn Leaf Art Workshop

Children will be encouraged to use their imagination and gain confidence in a nurturing environment, hosted by a professional artist.

Join us for a gentle and grounding workshop where we'll slow down and honour the quiet turn of the season.

This workshop guides children in observational drawing using autumn leaves as their subjects and explore the magic of leaf rubbing to reveal intricate natural designs.

Free to join, suitable for all ages, and all materials and equipment will be provided.

These workshops are funded by the Notting Hill Genesis Love While You Live Fund.

We thank them for their continued support in making these workshops possible.

Become part of a living history with free creative workshops for all ages, performances and the opening of our art exhibition, culminating in 3 community parades across the docks!

The Royal Docks has always been a place of arrivals and departures. Ships from across the globe once found harbour here, bringing cargo, commerce, and people to London’s eastern edge. As midnight struck on December 31st, 1965, the air filled with a symphony of ship horns, church bells, and the celebratory sounds of dockland families—a community united in tradition, standing at the threshold of change. No one could have predicted that within a generation, these docks would fall silent, their purpose abandoned as containerisation revolutionized maritime trade.

‘Bells and Whistles’ will recapture this pivotal moment in the Royal Docks’ history—not simply as an exercise in nostalgia, but as a bridge between generations and communities. We stand now at another threshold: sixty years later, the Royal Docks area has transformed once again. New residents from across the globe have made this place their home, pursuing the same dreams of prosperity that once led previous generations to depart.

These parallel stories of arrival and departure, hope and resilience, form the heart of our community.

Join Art in the Docks in heritage-oriented community arts workshops at three different Royal Docks locations on Saturday October 4th . Read more about the inspiration behind the Bells and Whistles project here.

The workshops will be followed by simultaneous community parades.

The venues and timings are as follows:

·      Britannia Village and Silvertown - Britannia Village Hall.  ‘Parade Ready’ creative workshops from 12:00 midday. Parade forms up at 1430

·      Custom House - Compressor House. ‘Parade Ready’ creative workshops from 12:00 midday. Parade forms up at 1430

·      Beckton and Gallions Reach - Royal Albert Wharf. ‘Parade Ready’ creative workshops from 12:00 midday. Parade forms up at 1430

Exhibition

Over the past few weeks, local residents have been learning about the maritime traditions of the Royal Docks, and now their creative responses are brought together in this special community exhibition. The show features a vibrant collection of artworks, all inspired by archival photos and personal stories. Join us to celebrate our shared heritage and experience the living history of the docks through the eyes of its community.

Bring your creative energy, crafty fingers and friends and family to reimagine the Royal Docks neighbourhoods, green spaces, water ways and community centres.

Using the architect-designed 3D Royal Docks Model as a central backdrop, we are inviting residents and visitors of all ages – from 0 to 100 years old, to work together, as a community to build a cardboard city of the Royal Docks in the Compressor House events space.

Participants will be invited to join both guided and free-flow workshops. Schools will also be invited as part of a pilot school programme.

The final collaborative city will be displayed for the public to view over the weekend. The resulting ideas will be captured and distilled into a ‘learning resource’ to inspire local developers, partners and communities to spark ideas and reimagine what the Royal Docks could be.

Location

Compressor House,

Dockside Road,

London, E16 2QU

Drop in session, no booking required!

Delivered in partnership with the Royal Docks team.

Find out more about the Royal Docks Originals Programme here.

Bring your creative energy, crafty fingers and friends and family to reimagine the Royal Docks neighbourhoods, green spaces, water ways and community centres.

Using the architect-designed 3D Royal Docks Model as a central backdrop, we are inviting residents and visitors of all ages – from 0 to 100 years old, to work together, as a community to build a cardboard city of the Royal Docks in the Compressor House events space.

Participants will be invited to join both guided and free-flow workshops. Schools will also be invited as part of a pilot school programme.

The final collaborative city will be displayed for the public to view over the weekend. The resulting ideas will be captured and distilled into a ‘learning resource’ to inspire local developers, partners and communities to spark ideas and reimagine what the Royal Docks could be.

Location

Compressor House,

Dockside Road,

London, E16 2QU

Drop in session, no booking required!

Delivered in partnership with the Royal Docks team.

Find out more about the Royal Docks Originals Programme here.

Our bi-weekly drawing and painting sessions are back this weekend!

We will build on a very successful year which included highlights like our Group exhibition in the gallery space earlier this summer, two field trips and gallery visits, and our learners independently applying and exhibiting their work at Tower Gallery Plaistow.

This term, we'll use these successes as a springboard for further artistic exploration and skill-building in a supportive environment.

Join us for some more Creative Health & Wellbeing at Art in the Docks!

These workshops are funded by the Notting Hill Genesis Love While You Live Fund.

We thank them for their continued support in making these workshops possible.

Come and join us, no booking required!

Join us for a morning of creative fun in our friendly and relaxed kids club!

Children will be encouraged to use their imagination and gain confidence in a nurturing environment, hosted by a professional artist.

In this playful and hands-on workshop, children will explore the art of collage using paper, fabric, and mixed materials. Participants will cut, tear, and arrange different textures and colours to create their own imaginative artworks. The session encourages self-expression, storytelling, and experimentation while introducing children to composition and design in a fun, accessible way.

Free to join, suitable for all ages, and all materials and equipment will be provided.

These workshops are funded by the Notting Hill Genesis Love While You Live Fund.

We thank them for their continued support in making these workshops possible.

Bells and Whistles: A look into the Archives

Bells and Whistles Event The Royal Docks has always been a place of arrivals and departures. Once alive with the sound of ship horns, church bells, and dockland families gathered at the water’s edge, it now thrives as a home for new communities from across the world. Sixty years on from the night the docks fell silent, we invite you to explore this story through conversation and making.

Join us on Saturday 20th September for a printing, drawing, painting workshop where you’ll be invited to respond to archival photographs and oral histories from the Royal Docks’ past. Together, we’ll reflect on how the area has changed—its rhythms, its people, its purpose—and imagine the connections between then and now.

This is not only a chance to make art, but to share stories, memories, and visions for the future of the Royal Docks. The works you produce in the session will be invited to be shown in a group exhibition at the Gallery on Saturday 4th October.

These workshops are funded by the Notting Hill Genesis Love While You Live Fund.

We thank them for their continued support in making these workshops possible.

Come and join us, no booking required!

Join us for a morning of creative fun in our friendly and relaxed kids club!

Children will be encouraged to use their imagination and gain confidence in a nurturing environment, hosted by a professional artist.

Free to join, suitable for all ages, and all materials and equipment will be provided.

These workshops are funded by the Notting Hill Genesis Love While You Live Fund.

We thank them for their continued support in making these workshops possible.

In spirit of our Bee-Friendly series, Join us for a relaxing and creative Saturday workshop where you’ll learn the art of crafting stunningly realistic flowers from crepe paper!

You’ll choose from one of three pollinator-friendly plants or flowers to create, while exploring why these specific shapes, colors, and structures are so vital to bees and other pollinators. It's a fun lesson in botany disguised as a craft party!

📍 Art in the Docks, 25 Shackleton Wy, London E16 2XJ

📧 Please get in touch and email info@artinthedocks.com if you have any questions.

⏰ Saturday, 13th September 1-3PM

This workshop is supported by The National Lottery Community Fund

and the Mayor of London, as part of the Mayor’s Community Weekend

2025.

The Mayor’s Community Weekend is a partnership between The National Lottery

Community Fund – the largest community funder in the UK – and the Mayor of

London. It aims to unite people and highlight what can happen when people come

together to celebrate the vibrant culture, communities and diversity that makes

London so special.

Come and join us, no booking required!

Join us for a morning of creative fun in our friendly and relaxed kids club!

Children will be encouraged to use their imagination and gain confidence in a nurturing environment, hosted by a professional artist.

Free to join, suitable for all ages, and all materials and equipment will be provided.

These workshops are funded by the Notting Hill Genesis Love While You Live Fund.

We thank them for their continued support in making these workshops possible.

We’re making a third community coat!

Art in the Docks is creating a new Community Coat, and this time it’s inspired by the world of bees. Just like a hive, the coat will come alive through many hands, ideas, and stitches, each adding to the whole.

We’re inviting everyone - makers, beginners, families, and friends - to take part in this collaborative artwork from sustainable sources . Together, we’ll celebrate the spirit of bees: their teamwork, resilience, and role in keeping our world thriving.

Through workshops and homeworking contributions, your creativity will help transform the coat into a vibrant symbol of community connection. When it’s finished, the coat will be worn and shared at future gatherings, buzzing with colour, texture, and stories from all who took part.

These workshops are funded by the Notting Hill Genesis Love While You Live Fund.

We thank them for their continued support in making these workshops possible.

Clay Self-Portrait Workshop

Join us for a morning of creative fun in our friendly and relaxed kids club!

Children will be encouraged to use their imagination and gain confidence in a nurturing environment, hosted by a professional artist.

Ever really looked at your own face? In this hands-on workshop, we’ll explore the fascinating landscape of our features and learn to sculpt them in three dimensions.

We’ll start with the big questions: Where do features go? Children will learn about the simple rule that eyes sit halfway down the head and how to measure the space between them.

Then, the real fun begins as we get tactile with clay! We’ll explore the sculptor's magic of pushing some parts in and building other parts up—carving out the eyes to give them depth and pulling out the nose and lips to make them stand proud. Children will craft lips from two tiny coils, shaping the top like a subtle ‘M’ and the bottom like a soft ‘U’.

Finally, we’ll crown our creations with hair, not as a solid block, but as something that grows. Children will learn to establish a hairline and then add character with strands, coils, or by pressing in playful textures.

This workshop is less about perfection and more about perception, expression, and the joy of creating a self-portrait you can hold in your hands.

Free to join, suitable for all ages, and all materials and equipment will be provided.

These workshops are funded by the Notting Hill Genesis Love While You Live Fund.

We thank them for their continued support in making these workshops possible.

We’re making a third community coat!

Art in the Docks is creating a new Community Coat, and this time it’s inspired by the world of bees. Just like a hive, the coat will come alive through many hands, ideas, and stitches, each adding to the whole.

We’re inviting everyone - makers, beginners, families, and friends - to take part in this collaborative artwork from sustainable sources . Together, we’ll celebrate the spirit of bees: their teamwork, resilience, and role in keeping our world thriving.

Through workshops and homeworking contributions, your creativity will help transform the coat into a vibrant symbol of community connection. When it’s finished, the coat will be worn and shared at future gatherings, buzzing with colour, texture, and stories from all who took part.

These workshops are funded by the Notting Hill Genesis Love While You Live Fund.

We thank them for their continued support in making these workshops possible.

Portrait Painting on Clear Plastic

Join us for a morning of creative fun in our friendly and relaxed kids club!

Children will be encouraged to use their imagination and gain confidence in a nurturing environment, hosted by a professional artist.

In this weekends activity, children will create unique portraits by drawing the outline of a friend or family member onto acetate sheets. The model holds the plastic sheet, making for a fun and collaborative experience. They'll then paint their portraits with bold acrylic colors.

Free to join, suitable for all ages, and all materials and equipment will be provided.

These workshops are funded by the Notting Hill Genesis Love While You Live Fund.

We thank them for their continued support in making these workshops possible.

As London prepares for Notting Hill Carnival 2025, turn yesterday’s clothes into tomorrow’s parade-ready masterpieces

In this fun family-oriented workshop in London’s historic Royal Docks children and adults can bring along old clothes: shirts, trousers, dresses, scarves, handbags and hats, and transform them into colourful, one-of-a-kind carnival costumes.

Kids and parents will work side-by-side with a mix of fabric paints, sequins, ribbons, feathers to create something spectacular.

All tuition and materials provided. Just bring yourself and your unlimited imagination.

📍 The Good Hotel, Royal Victoria Dock, Western Gateway, London E16 1FA

📧 Please get in touch and email info@artinthedocks.com if you have any questions.

🎟️ Free - drop in session

This session is brought to you by The Royal Docks Trust.

We thank them for their support in making this workshop possible.

Make it personal, make it handmade 💖 Create your own collage cards with us! 🖌️ Join us this Saturday and make a collage style greeting card, for any occasion!

Suitable for all ages, and all materials will be provided.

📍Art in the Docks, 25 Shackleton Way, London, E16 2XJ

⏰ Saturday, 23rd August 13:00 - 15:00

📧 Please get in touch and email info@artinthedocks.com if you have any questions.

🎟️ Free - book your space via the below link

This session is brought to you by Notting Hill Genesis Love Where you Live fund.

We thank them for their continued support in making these workshops possible.

Get Carnival Ready - Headdress making

Join us for a morning of creative fun in our friendly and relaxed kids club!

Calling all young creators! Get into the carnival spirit at our Notting Hill Carnival themed head dress making workshop.

We supply the plain headbands, a variety of feathers, coloured markers, and a treasure trove of sparkling gems. You'll design, glue, and bedazzle your way to a unique and dazzling headdress that’s totally your own.

But the magic doesn’t stop here! Your amazing creation is your ticket to more fun. We invite all young designers and families to wear their new headdresses to our main event: Upcycle and Shine at the Good Hotel.

Free to join, suitable for all ages, and all materials and equipment will be provided.

These workshops are funded by the Notting Hill Genesis Love While You Live Fund.

We thank them for their continued support in making these workshops possible.

In this fun artist led workshop, children and families will collect safe found objects (leaves, flowers, stones, feathers, etc.), and match them to a colour palette - learning about shades, tones, and nature’s variety while practicing observation skills.

Free, and open to everyone of all ages. All materials and guidance provided!

📍Britannia Village Green, London E16 1UA

📧 Please get in touch and email info@artinthedocks.com if you have any questions.

🎟️ Free - drop in session

This session is brought to you by The Royal Docks Trust.

We thank them for their support in making this workshop possible.

Join footwear designer and maker Hernan Guardamagna in this playful workshop to design and ‘build’ different types of shoes utilising recycled found materials.

Participants will be challenged to create artwork in the shape of shoes using diverse materials such as cardboard, plastics, food packaging, fabrics and anything interesting found in a recycling bin. Materials will be provided but you are welcome to bring your own!! The goal of the workshop is to raise awareness about the importance of recycling, repurposing and upcycling, so any discarded material will be more than welcome.

Hernan will share some inspiring shoe-inspired artwork as the kickstart to brainstorming and he will support participants with construction methods.

If you feel tempted by the idea of recreating your favourite sneaker or shoe with found materials, bring it to the workshop! It would be helpful to use it as a reference and copy its shape and proportions. This could be the perfect opportunity to have fun, let your imagination run free and make crazy shoes!

📍 Art in the Docks, 25 Shackleton Wy, London E16 2XJ

📧 Please get in touch and email info@artinthedocks.com if you have any questions.

These workshops are funded by the Notting Hill Genesis Love While You Live Fund.

We thank them for their continued support in making these workshops possible.

Mask Making Workshop

Join us for a morning of creative fun in our friendly and relaxed kids club!

Children will be encouraged to use their imagination and gain confidence in a nurturing environment, hosted by a professional artist.

Free to join, suitable for all ages, and all materials and equipment will be provided.

These workshops are funded by the Notting Hill Genesis Love While You Live Fund.

We thank them for their continued support in making these workshops possible.

👖 Sashiko Denim Repair

Explore the traditional Japanese Sashiko technique to repair and personalize your denim.

Join us for Sewing Bee, a bi-weekly series of beginner-friendly sewing workshops that are part of our wider Creative Health and Wellbeing programme. These relaxed, hands-on sessions are perfect for anyone looking to learn the basics of sewing while enjoying the calming, creative benefits of making something with your own hands.

Held every other week, each 2-hour session focuses on a different skill or project, building your confidence with the sewing machine, exploring hand-stitching techniques, and even dabbling in upcycling and experimental design. Whether you're completely new to sewing or just looking to brush up on the basics, you're welcome to join at any point in the series.

If you would like to bring an unfinished project to work on or start something new in these sessions, please feel free to!

All tuition and equipment provided (use of machines on a shared basis).

Come and get involved. Suitable for people of all ages (under 18’s will need to be accompanied).

These workshops are funded by the Notting Hill Genesis Love While You Live Fund.

We thank them for their continued support in making these workshops possible.

Create Sun-catchers from Wax Paper

Join us for a morning of creative fun in our friendly and relaxed kids club!

Children will be encouraged to use their imagination and gain confidence in a nurturing environment, hosted by a professional artist. This week will be focused on creating suncatchers: children will be able to learn about the art of patterns and stained glass, and will experiment with how light interacts with various colours and design using wax paper!

Free to join, suitable for all ages, and all materials and equipment will be provided.

These workshops are funded by the Notting Hill Genesis Love While You Live Fund.

We thank them for their continued support in making these workshops possible.

Unwind and Create

Join us as we launch a new series of our highly popular and sociable community arts programme.

These sessions are open to everyone, from complete beginners to accomplished artists. We encourage people to share ideas and to help each other. People can work on their own, or join in with the ‘theme of the week’. This week, we will concentrate on Drawing and Painting: Working with Colour.

All you need is your imagination and a willingness to try new ideas in the company of likeminded people.  

📍 Art in the Docks, 25 Shackleton Wy, London E16 2XJ

📧 Please get in touch and email matilda@artinthedocks.com if you have any questions.

⏰ Workshops run fortnightly on Saturday afternoons, 1pm-3pm.

These workshops are funded by the Notting Hill Genesis Love While You Live Fund.

We thank them for their continued support in making these workshops possible.