Bow Arts

Announcing the return of the East London Art Prize for a third edition! Bow Arts @bowarts is calling east London artists across all mediums to enter the open call. The prize celebrates and promotes the incredible talent and diversity of art made in the cultural hive of east London. Each cycle, the Prize supports a cohort of 12 artists, through exhibiting their work in our shortlist show at the Nunnery Gallery, career development support with a £1,000 grant for mentoring and training, and various paid opportunities through the prize’s event programme. From this cohort two further Prizes are awarded. The exhibition prize offers a cash prize of £15,000 and a solo exhibition at the Nunnery Gallery in east London. The residency prize offers a year’s studio space with Bow Arts. The judges for the East London Arts Prize are Brendan Cormier @brendanpcormier (V&A East); Marine Tanguy @marinetanguyart (Mtart Agency @mtartagency ); Alex Needham @alexneedham74 , (Guardian); Michelle Williams Gamaker @m.williams.gamaker , artist. Our partners supporting the East London Art Prize are British Council, Dulux, East Bank, The Line, London College of Fashion UAL, London Legacy Development Corporation, Own Art, UCL East, V&A East and Whitechapel Gallery. Deadline: Sunday 16th August Open to any artist living in the boroughs of Barking & Dagenham, Bexley, City of London, Greenwich, Hackney, Havering, Islington, Lambeth, Lewisham, Newham, Redbridge, Southwark, Tower Hamlets & Waltham Forest. For terms and conditions and how to apply, and for updates, news, and information on the prize, follow the link in the bio @nunnerygallery . We are grateful to Minerva and Prue MacLeod for their support of the East London Art Prize. @duluxuk @thelinelondon @london.legacy @vameast @lcfculture @whitechapelgallery @britisharts @own.art @bowarts @nunnerygallery #eastlondonartprize #eastlondonartist #southeastlondonartist #bowarts #artistopportunity #artprize #artopps #opencall

Boost your knowledge with #BowSkills. Learn about independent publishing, using listening and sound meditation as a research method for artistic creations, get insights on pricing your artworks and bid writing & arts fundraising, and join a walk exploring arts & architecture in east London. 💡THU 30 APR - Workshop: publishing 101 in the arts with Jeffrey Choy @jeffreychoy.art 💡WED 13 MAY - Workshop: listening and sound meditation as a research method for artistic creations with Dr. Hoi Shan Anson Mak @aah.sun 💡THU 28 MAY - Workshop: pricing your artworks with Art & People @artandpppl 💡THU 11 JUN - Workshop: bid writing and arts fundraising with Daniel Regan – an Arts Council England special! (Thamesmead) danielreganphotography 💡SAT 27 JUN - Walk: exploring arts & architecture in east London with Kuda Mushangi @kuda.mushangi Find out more via the link in our bio. Image by Dennis Ngan. #ArtistCPD #ArtistSupport #ArtistWorkshop #Publishing101 #SoundMeditation #Bidwriting #ArtsFundraising #ArtworkPricing #WalkingTour #Architecture #EastLondon

Teacher CPD announcement We’re excited to launch our new Public Teacher CPD programme! Bow Arts’ latest season of CPD sessions is designed for educators looking for fresh, creative, arts-based approaches for the classroom and beyond. Alongside being affordable and relevant, these sessions are a great chance to step away from the classroom, connect with fellow teachers and artists, share ideas and pick up new techniques to inspire your lessons and refresh your teaching toolkit. This season includes exclusive private views at the Nunnery Gallery, opportunities to develop papermaking and bookbinding skills, workshops focused on building resilience and how to include Islamic art and culture in the school curriculum. Interested? 🤔 Book your place now — spaces are limited! 🔗See link in bio

We're making a community artwork! Neighbours and visitors are welcome at the @lakeside_centre to help us create the Thamesmead Tapestry. Bring an object that means something personal to you, and turn it into an appliqué patch for a unique hanging tapestry with artist Marcus Orlandi @marcus.orlandi . The final piece will go on display as part of a living room-style exhibition in June, to be announced as part of @londonfestivalofarchitecture . 🗓️ Upcoming Workshop Dates Thursday 21st May, 5:00pm to 7:00pm Friday 22nd May, 2-4pm Tuesday 26th May, 5:00pm to 7:00pm 📍 Lakeside Centre, SE2 9AN 🎟️ Free 🔗Find out more & RSVP via link in bio Photo: Marcus Orlandi #LFA2026 @nlalondon #CommunityArts #Thamesmead

Coming up in June at the @lakeside_centre in Thamesmead, we have a week of events to welcome our neighbours and visitors from further afield into the building. From JD Swann's popular Wildlife Wanders, to workshops with @marcus.orlandi and danielreganphotography - plus a new exhibition debuting the Thamesmead Tapestry, we're excited to welcome you to the Lakeside Centre. Follow the link in our bio to RSVP, or book your place. #LFA2026 #Thamesmead #LakesideCentre #Bexley

Our spring/summer Teacher CPD programme is in full bloom. Next up is artist educator Julie Vermeille’s @julievermeille Limitless Leaves practical workshop. Come along for a relaxed, hands-on evening and pick up simple bookbinding techniques you can use straight away with materials you probably already have in your classroom. You’ll make your own sketchbook using Japanese bookbinding methods and explore the many cross-curricular ways concertina books can support learning and creativity. 📚 Here’s what past teacher participants have said about our CPD sessions: 💬“Can’t wait to do this in class!” 💬“Very useful and fun - I can implement this in future lessons.” 📅 Monday 18 May, 6–7:30pm 📍 Bow Arts, 181–183 Bow Road, E3 2SJ 💷 £8 - booking recommended 🎨🧋All materials are included, plus refreshments - and of course, a warm Bow Arts welcome. ☝️click link in bio and book now to guarantee you place #TeacherCPD #BookbindingWorkshop #ArtEducation #CreativeLearning #SketchbookMaking #JapaneseBookbinding #CrossCurricular #TeacherTraining #BowArts #HandsOnLearning

We’re proud to be part of Backyard Biennial: East, a free, 8-week festival in collaboration with @whitechapelgallery and 40+ local partners across East London (15 July - 6 September 2026). Join us for an exciting programme of exhibitions, performances, workshops and more, celebrating the histories, communities and creative practices that shape the East End. We are collaborating with East London Art Prize shortlisted artists Laisul Hoque @laisulhoque , Kuda Mushangi @kuda.mushangi and Lydia Newman @ladedum for exciting events including exhibitions, workshops, performances and walking tours! As part of the ‘East of the Aldgate Pump’ exhibition, Laisul will present ‘An Ode to All the Flavours’ (2024), an expanded storytelling and interactive installation inspired by his earliest memory of his father sharing his favourite childhood snack. On Sat 25 & Sun 26 July, Lydia will host two participatory workshops 'Tangle/Untangle' (2026) in collaboration with Jae Gibbs @our_living_tree as space-holder, using sand-filled tights as a shared material to create collective entanglement and explore how bodies carry, share and negotiate inherited and socially learned pressures. On Thurs 13 August, as part of Whitechapel Lates, Lydia will present ‘Sand Suit 4.0’ (2026), an embodied storytelling performance developed in dialogue with the workshops and her ongoing series ‘In the Wake of Ruin’. On Sat 15 August, Kuda will lead a walking tour of the Whitechapel area to explore how art has been integrated and woven into the history and architecture of Whitechapel and East London. Key sites will include House of Annetta, Whitechapel Gallery and Arnold Circus. These events are curated by Sandra Lam @lamwanyisandra in collaboration with the Whitechapel Gallery team. Read more via the link in our bio. Image 1: Lydia Newman. Photo by Jane Lam @lapchingphotos Image 2: Kuda Mushangi. Photo by Sandra Lam Image 3: Laisul Hoque. Photo by Rob Harris. #BackyardBiennial #EastEnd

Bow Arts are seeking a highly organised and proactive person to join our team, overseeing office operations and leading on HR, governance, IT and administration, while supporting senior leadership and ensuring effective systems across the organisation. Application Closing Date: Midnight, Sunday 7th June 2026 Interview Date: Wednesday 17th June 2026 Find out more via the link in our bio. #Hiring #ArtsJobs #OperationsManager

💭Are you and artist looking for support on your ACE application? Join visual artist and arts fundraising expert Daniel Regan (@danielreganphotography ) in this Arts Council England (ACE) project grants special, as they demystify the four investment principles, break down the application structure, and provide practical insights into how to build out a successful ACE bid! 🗓️Thursday 11th June, 6 - 8pm 📍Lakeside Centre, Bazalgette Way, SE2 9AN 🎟️£7 Standard, £5 Concession - tix on Bow Arts' website #BowSkills #ACEfunding #Artsfunding

Visit the Gallery Shop inside Bow Arts’ @nunnery_cafe for a selection of unique, handmade items for sale made by Bow Arts artists. Browse a range of prints, jewellery, sculptures, books, postcards, clothing and more! Pictured, A3 Riso Prints made by artist Sofia Niazi @sofia_niazi . Sofia had a Café Exhibition at the Nunnery Café in 2025- early 2026. ‘Dunya (Garden Table Rug)’ (left), ‘Say It, See It’ (right) #GalleryShop #BowRoad #ArtistSupport #RisographPrint

🧵Bow families: tying your own protection threads for luck with Alison Lam Join @alisonlam_art as we make our own protection bracelets with threads, wool and ribbons. The Dragon Boat Festival traditions include tying threads for good luck and taking respite from the summer heat. Open to children and families of all ages – all materials provided. Image credit: Alison Lam 🗓️ Sunday 31 May, 11:00am - 1:00pm 📍Bow Arts Trust Courtyard Room, 183 Bow Road, London, E3 2SJ 🎟️FREE (drop in – all are welcome!)

We’re celebrating young people’s creativity this month with an exhibition of inspiring artwork from schools across Tower Hamlets at Poplar Union @poplarunion - curated by artist Liane Harris. Through our Poplar Schools Consortium, artist educators have been creating work with students from Lansbury Lawrence, Malmesbury @malmesburyprimarye3 , Mayflower, St Saviour’s @saviourspoplar , St Paul with St Luke, Wellington & Woolmore Primary Schools. Pop in for a look - you’ll find a bright mix of drawing, design, printmaking, architectural sketches, sculpture and murals. 🖼️Exhibition info 🔠 Thu 7 – Thu 28 May, 10am–4pm 📍Poplar Union, 2 Cotall Street, London E14 6TL 🎫 FREE And there’s more… We’re also hosting a special one-off Bow Families at Poplar Union workshop. Making Playful Paper Puppets - make your own moving puppet with artist Phoebe Kaniewska @phoebe_kaniewska . Will you create a mini-me, a robot, a fairy… or a moon puppet? 🎨Workshop info 📅 Sat 23 May, 9.30am–11am 📍 Poplar Union, 2 Cotall Street, London E14 6TL 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦Children and families of all ages (all materials provided) 🎫FREE ☝️Link in bio for more and to book your FREE workshop tickets 📸Artwork by Poplar Consortium School #PoplarUnion #TowerHamletsArt #YoungArtists #CreativeSchools #LondonArtExhibition #SchoolArt #ArtWorkshops #FamilyActivities #ArtEducation #CommunityArt