In celebration of this multicultural end of London, Spoonfed tells you about London’s EAST Festival; what’s on and where, events and how you can participate.
The eastern quarter of the cultural melting pot that is London will be celebrating all that it stands for with the EAST Festival. EAST Festival London is a six-day-long celebration hosting a colourful array of music, arts, cultural experiences, tours, talks, walks, and sporting events. EAST, supported by the Mayor of London, will be held at various locations across east London including the Whitechapel Gallery, the Barbican, St Ethelburga’s Centre and Spitalfields Market.
Far from Walford’s screaming residents and bloodstained streets this festival promises to be a more accurate portrayal and recognition of its rainbow of ethnicities, cultures, creative dynamism, and splendours that attract both Londoners and tourists alike. The EAST Festival 2010 will be focusing on the themes; Asian Sub Continent, architecture, and minimalism.
Special guests and contributors include the cricketer Monty Panesar, Pinky Lilani OBE, and music from the Portico Quartet and London Symphony Orchestra. Song EAST will also be bringing a range of free live music gigs to Londoners across the east.
To make sure this platter of cultural dippings is experienced to the full, Spoonfed has chosen a couple of highlights from this year’s EAST Festival.
An Indian Introduction
The Do Something Different Weekend from 6 - 7 March at the Barbican will be held in conjunction with the festival, and features theatre, music, dance, film, visual arts and literature events for adults and children alike. You can partake in many drop-in activities from yoga classes and Rajisthani folk dancing lessons to crafting Indian-style lanterns and Asian cookery classes. Some of the events are free, others are ticketed. For more information please see http://www.barbican.org.uk/different/home
Best for : family fun
A feast for the eyes and ears takes the form of the dazzling Manganiyar Seduction on 5, 6 and 7 March at the Barbican at 8pm. Made up of musicians of the Rajasthan desert, the orchestra is directed by Roysten Abel in a climactic spectacle of song, rhythm and choreography.
Best for : anyone up for a surprisingly uplifting experience
The photography exhibition Where Three Dreams Cross showcasing 150 years of photographs from India, Pakistan and Bangladesh perfectly blends with the EAST festival’s Indian theme.
Best for: those looking for a visually inspirational outing
Why not read Chris’s review on Where Three Dreams Cross.
St Ethelburga’s will be home to the Delhi Dharbar: a rich variety of song, dance, music, and storytelling performances on behalf of the EAST festival from 5 to 7 March. Vijay Raiput, one of the subcontinent’s most famous classical vocalists and the maestro of khayal, will be accompanied by the tabla player Shahbaz Hussain. Other guests include Santoor player Harjinderpal Singh, cooking classes by Pinky Lilani OBE, storytelling by Seema Anand, sitar player Baluji Shrivastav, and lectures.
Best for : A true introduction into northern India’s culture and music.
Tongues on Fire : London Asian Film Festival held at Rich Mix from 5 – 14 March will be showing features, shorts, and documentaries from more independent and art house Asian directors rather than Bollywood. Films, Chak De! and Iqbal will be showed in conjunction with the Delhi Commonwealth Games 2010.
Best for : World Cinema aficionados and fans of Slumdog Millionaire
A Salute to Sport
Seeing as Commonwealth Day falls on the 8 March during the EAST Festival, and Delhi will be hosting the Commonwealth Games in October, AND east London will be hosting the 2012 Olympics, this next event celebrates these rather coincidental connections. On 5 and 6 March Bishops Square in Spitalfields Market will play host to a range of sporting activities such as bicycle polo, Carrom, and Kabardi, amongst others which you can either participate in or simply observe. For the full spectacle, get to this event’s opening ceremony on 5 March at 12.30pm.
Best for : Anyone with a competitive streak
An Architectural Affair
Rather than traipse around on foot, the architectural tour will be in the saddle of a bicycle. The cycle tour from Spitalfields to London Fields will be led by Blue Badge tourist guide Anne Mark. No need to worry if you’re rubbish, this is an easy ride for both beginners and the more experienced. On 6 March from 10am you’ll be guided through the City, Hoxton, Shoreditch, Dalston and Broadway Market. There’ll be regular stops en route to appreciate “the architecture that reflects social and technological development and the changing fortunes of London’s multicultural populations” from social housing to listed churches. Please contact 07961 359 358 or anne@marksman.co.uk to book, prices are from £8 per person.
Best for : not the average sightseer.
Art historian David Cruickshank will be offering a series of talks, walks, and debates in relation to the architectural development of east London’s buildings over the past 300 years.
Ron Arad’s Restless exhibition of architecturally inspired pieces is boldly on show at the Barbican specially created around the EAST festival.
Read Georgia's review of Ron Arad - Restless.
Minimalist Music
The chance to sit in on a series of concerts and workshops by the American composer John Adams collaborating with the London Symphony Orchestra will be a delightful musical medley of a treat.
The official website of EAST Festival, London, www.findeast.co.uk
For those quite happy with central London, Spoonfed has even obliged you with a couple of other events to whet your Asian taste buds -
Head down to the Saatchi Gallery to view a striking collection of contemporary Indian art.
Or for more of an evening outing there is the powerful play Disconnect at the Royal Court about how India’s bright young things find themselves working in the faceless world of call centres .
Click here for more Indian events in London
Click here for more events in architecture
Click here for more things to do in London
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