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Arts & Events Team

Tower Hamlets Council Arts and Events team aims to provide a service that is accessible to all those who live, work or study in Tower Hamlets. We promote the use of arts as a leisure activity, as a source of employment and training, and as a tool for social cohesion and inclusion.

The council's Arts & Events team is based at the Brady Arts Centre. It provides a performance space, specialist arts facilities, rooms for meetings and seminars, houses a number of community projects, runs a wide range of classes and co-ordinates the on-site exhibition space. Also available is the resource bank of equipment for hire to community organisations and voluntary groups.

The Arts & Events Team also manage the Kobi Nazrul Centre, which is dedicated to Bengali Arts and Culture and, since reopening in 2001, has developed an innovative workshop and performance programme.

Find out more about our work and the services we provide using the menu links on the left; and below are some useful guidance notes and downloads to help plan your own arts & events in the borough.

Coronavirus update: April 2020

Applications for use of Parks & Open spaces – temporary hold on applications being accepted:

Given the current situation with COVID-19, we are not taking applications for use of our parks and open spaces at present. We will continue to monitor government advice and will continue to review our position in line with developments.

In the meantime, event organisers are welcome to log their interest with us but please note we will not be able to hold and/or allocate event dates for later in the year or next year at this stage.

To register your interest please provide the following information by email to festivalsandevents@towerhamlets.gov.uk:

Event name:

Event Organiser and contact details:

Brief outline of event:

Preferred dates (if known):

Number of people likely to attend:

Size of space required:

We will log all registered interest and get back to event organisers as soon as we have further updates regarding our revised process for applications.

We thank you for your patience and understanding.

Applications for Road Closures

If you need to apply for a Temporary Traffic Order (TTO) to close a road for your event please complete the application form here

VE Day 75, Big Lunch & Great Get Together

The Official VE Day 75 celebrations have now been cancelled. Organisations wishing to hold their own events as part of this have been offered the alternative commemorative weekend of 15 and 16 August 2020 to celebrate both VE Day and VJ Day together, both momentous points in our history.

The Big Lunch which was scheduled for 6 and 7 June and the Great Get Together which was due to take place on 19 to 21 June 2020 are also on hold until later in the year.

Information for those who had been planning an event:

Any organisation wishing to hold a VE Day 75 event or street party celebration for the Big Lunch and Great Get Together will need to cancel or postpone their event.

For those planning to hold their event on council managed land or roads, please contact the Festivals and Events team at festivalsandevents@towerhamlets.gov.ukto discuss your plans and to see if an alternative date can be provided.

Please note that the Festivals and Events team require a minimum of eight weeks to process applications and the council’s Highways team needs at least six weeks to process applications for road closures.

For event organisers arranging celebrations in venues or roads not managed by the council, please seek advice from the landlord about your current proposed event dates and any rescheduling of your event.