Peckham is the most exciting place to be in London – over 300 years of urban evolution have made it the vibrant cultural epicentre that it is today. Unlike many parts of the capital, Peckham hasn’t lost its intrinsic grit and creative intensity. Its culture is made as much by the weave salons and three-for-a-pound plantain market stalls as it is by the rooftop bars and world-renowned art scene.
Created in 2016, Peckham Festival is a hyper-local event with a single aim of celebrating creative and cultural Peckham: from promoting artists, makers, creators, and community groups to helping to expand the public’s awareness of and access to culture in all its forms: from workshops, art, music, written & spoken word, performance, health and wellbeing via the numerous community groups active in the area.
We’ve helped bring cultural activity to underused public and private spaces from Railway arches to bars, whilst giving creative spaces and people the chance to showcase their work to a larger, more local audience.
The 2017 festival supported over 200 events in 4 days and brought together in excess of 15,000 people to discover a host of local talent the the creative cultural and community: from local performers on a live music stage alongside notable acts such as Kinetika Bloco and Bradley Zero, being introduced to established collectives Gal-Dem, BBZ and Born n Bread and being part of the (re)created Peckham Carnival: an open air event space with culminated with a parade up Rye Lane and into Copeland Park led by The Movement Factory and carnival MAS band DD Projects. In the meantime venues such as Theatre Peckham hosted special events such as a 3-day circus workshop with the incredible Extraordinary Bodies circus company in collaboration with the students of Highshore School and students of St Thomas the Apostle took over the Bussey rooftop with drama performances, and music.
We are ably supported by 80 incredible volunteers who give up their time to support the festival: from stewarding, to supporting workshops, stage management, artist liaison and photography, film, journalism and social media.
At the heart of the festival is the community, and it is through collaborations with long established groups and passionate local community champions that Peckham Festival is able to spread the word and encourage inclusion, so if it’s people that make Peckham, then we have asked some of SE15’s cultural icons to join our newly established festival committee: Nicholas Okwulu of Pempeople, Jason Cameron aka Jay Jay Revlon, 6th generation Peckhamite and artist Katrina Russell-Adams, Founder of the Movement Factory Leanne Pero, local Dj and producer Nick Vergara will join co-directors Jordana Leighton and Ian Graham.
This group will help shape the 2018 festival and bring exciting, innovative and fresh new groups and individuals with them in September to further solidify Peckham Festival in the local cultural calendar.
Now in its second full year, Peckham Festival has taken the bold step to become a Community Interest Company (CIC) and continues to be 100% not for profit and free to the public.
But whilst community enthusiasm for this event know no bounds, the lack of available funding from the local authority and private sponsorship from the business community limits its reach.
At the time of going to Press local stalwarts Copeland Park (home of the Bussey Building), London’s most beloved local cinema Peckhamplex and Peckham Estate agent Gareth James have all pledged support along with Cultureshock Media and the Peckham Peculiar. Peckham Festival is poised to launch a crowdfunding campaign to raise the funds to enable their work to continue.
As this compelling place continues to evolve, Peckham Festival is a rare opportunity to celebrate the area and what it has become and, more importantly, where it’s going.
Join us!
The third annual festival will take place between 14-16 September 2018
You can find more information at https://www.peckhamfestival.org/
Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/peckhamfestival/
Twitter – https://twitter.com/PeckhamFestivalhttps://twitter.com/PeckhamFestival
Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/PeckhamFestival/
Crowdfunder Campaign – https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/peckham-festival-2018