After ‘Art, School, Society’, ‘Radical community arts centres in 1970s and 1980s Hackney: what legacy?’ is the second in a series of debates, which deals with topics situated at the core of Open School East’s research and development. This second debate aims to explore late 20th century experiments with arts and communities in East London, and the position of contemporary communal spaces within this lineage.

This event brings together writers, researchers and organisers who were involved in setting up radical community arts centres in the 1970s and 1980s, or have been revisiting the histories of such places as Centerprise (Dalston), Cultural Partnerships (De Beauvoir Town) and Chats Palace (Homerton). The speakers will talk about the origins of these spaces, key moments and challenges in their history, as well as present oral and visual research gathered in recent months. Other speakers currently involved with radical collective spaces will introduce their activities, modes of organisation and address the struggles to sustain such spaces. The presentations will be followed by an open discussion.

Participants: Graham Downes (Cultural Partnerships), Asya Gefter (photography practitioner and researcher) and Pete Young (founder of PhotoChats darkroom at Chats Palace), Amit S. Rai (writer, researcher, organiser), Rosa Vilbr (oral historian), Ken Worpole (writer).

Free, no booking required.

Listen to the recording here: