Summer Festival 2012 in words & pictures

As the sounds of our Summer Festival 2012 drift away (and in the case of some of the pink Midsummer Street Party balloons, all the way to a Dutch beach), we wanted to share some of our favourite moments with you, courtesy of our Festival Photographer, James Berry and the host of reviewers who have written about us over the last month.

If you have any images or reviews of your own you’d like to share with us, get in touch, and meanwhile enjoy reminiscing with us below… (You can also find reviews of Summer Festival concerts on our new website!)

Sounds of Spitalfields with Super Critical Mass

Sound of Spitalfields in Old Spitalfields Market

Ton Koopman in concert with the Amsterdam Baroque Orchestra

The Sixteen in Christ Church Spitalfields

Harry Christophers conducting The Sixteen

Matthew Barley: Amongst Friends

Gabrieli Consort & Players: The Fairy Queen

Soprano Helen-Jane Howells in Gabrieli Consort & Players: The Fairy Queen

Musical Rumpus: A Fairy Queen in the Forest

Musical Rumpus: A Fairy Queen in the Forest

Anne Garner in Talvin Singh: Tabla Rasa

Talvin Singh: Tabla Rasa

Laka D & Women sing East

Performing Cage at Neighbourhood Schools: Chaos & Creation

Chance operations at Neighbourhood Schools: Chaos & Creation

Gamelan Lila City in the Masonic Temple for Undiscovered Spitalfields

Sankorfa Ensemble in Dennis Severs’ House for Undiscovered Spitalfields

Matthew Barley: The Protecting Veil

Performing in Spire at St Botolph without Aldgate

New Esperance Morris Dancers – Midsummer Street Party

Spitalfields City Farm – Midsummer Street Party

On the Main Stage – Midsummer Street Party

Hidden Gems with East London Dance at Christ Church Spitalfields

Storytelling Yurt with Idea Store – Midsummer Street Party

Compère Paul Martin at Midsummer Street Party

Hidden Gems with East London Dance at Bishopsgate Institute

Rhythms of the City – Midsummer Street Party

Street Dance the Maypole with East London Dance

Fire

Fire with The Opera Group

Staff Pick: Christmas Market

With the Winter Festival starting in under 24 hours(!), our Development Administrator, Camille De Groote, shares why she thinks our opening event is not to be missed.

We are now well into December and as we all know, in London, I feel even more than anywhere else, there is absolutely no chance of escaping the Christmas madness that takes over the city – reindeer petting, fun (and slightly dangerous) ice skating, crazy shopping sprees, and much, much more …  For some, it’s a bit too much. For others (like me and I know at least one of my dear colleagues), it’s the best time of the year! So I will go around quite a few Christmas markets, but the one I look forward to the most, is our very own in Spitalfields!

Spitalfields Music’s Christmas Market will feature a gospel choir, a string quartet, a brass band and a magical puppetry group, and excerpts from the acclaimed Homeless Oratorio so it is fair to say that it is going to be one of a kind! Taking place in Crispin Place (part of Spitalfields Market), the market is free for all to enjoy. We will be raising funds for Crisis, a national charity for single homeless people, based just around the corner from Spitalfields, which does incredible work in the local community.

I am particularly looking forward to the performance by the Crisis puppetry group. I recently joined them for a rehearsal and I was mesmerised by the striking life-like characters of the puppets (which are handmade at Crisis!) and the touching acting of the puppeteers.

Come and join us for the festive launch of the festival. I promise, the groups performing will leave you with plenty of warmth to get you through the cold days!

The Christmas Market is from 12-4pm tomorrow, Saturday 10 December, in St Crispin’s Place, Spitalfields E1 Market.

P.S. don’t miss the Water Poet’s Christmas Fayre on Folgate Street after the Christmas Market closes!

My Favourite Place: Kate

This week we welcome back a regular feature to our blog – our Favourite Places posts! Programme Director of Festivals, Kate Wyatt tells us where she heads for in E1.

I have several places I like to go to depending on what I’m looking for: for food, it’s LEON, because it’s fast, it’s healthy and there is so much to choose from on the menu, not to mention the decor… For a cheeky after-work cocktail,  I love Callooh Callay on Rivington Street (near Shoreditch Church) – it’s not just the superb cocktails, it’s the Alice in Wonderland-esque feel as you walk through the wardrobe door. For a bit of an adventure follow your nose up through Truman’s Brewery, up Brick Lane and along Cheshire Street, there is always something interesting going on and many places to pop into.

Kate Wyatt
Programme Director: Festivals

Addresses:
LEON
3 Crispin Place
Spitalfields
E1 6DW

Callooh Callay
65 Rivington Street
London
EC2A 3QQ

Truman’s Brewery
Brick Lane
London
E1 6NH

Tube and mainline:
Liverpool Street, Aldgate East, Shoreditch High Street
Buses: Bishopsgate 8, 26, 35, 42, 47, 48, 78, 149, 242, 344, 388

My Favourite Place: Caroline

We asked our staff to come up with their favourite places in the Spitalfields area  and why they would recommend them to others.  Over the coming weeks we’ll be posting their selections – you’ll be surprised at where they chose! This week it’s the favourite place of Caroline Went, Learning & Participation Intern:

The taut, shiny square canvas pinned by its corners and a haunt for sitting and eating, serves as the focal point of Bishops Square at lunchtime. The canopy catches your eye especially when the sun is shining and the glass buildings surrounding it match its shine with their glassy facades – a striking space! However, within the square, but slightly more modest, is my preferred spot – Ali Grant’s “A Pear and a Fig” sculpture. You can munch away, perched on the granite wall and enjoy the comings and goings of the world and his wife whilst enjoying this still life. The pear with its leaf precariously close to falling off and the wonderful folds of the bronze tablecloth sometimes puddled with rainwater – a perfect lunch and 2 of your 5-a-day!

Address:
Bishops Square, Spitalfields E1
Spitalfields
London
E1 6DW
Tube and mainline: Liverpool Street
Buses: Bishopsgate 8, 26, 35, 42, 47, 48, 78, 149, 242, 344, 388