If you go out around here at night, Hackney Wick’s nightlife is clearly in rude health. Which might make it seem odd we’re talking about the need to ‘save’ it this week.

But, as anyone who knows the wobbly tightrope that afterhours venues must walk to stay in business will appreciate, the battle for survival is constant.

With hundreds of brand new multi-storey developments of residential homes rising in the neighbourhood at the moment, there’s every chance that these pressures will only grow.

However, with the Mayor’s office actively backing London’s nightlife, and the Wick seen as one of the major hubs of this cultural activity in the capital, we’re keen to make sure the story is different this time around.

Starting this week, we’re running an ongoing series of features, interviews and updates to demonstrate how a blueprint for better 24-hour neighbourhoods might be pioneered here.

With the pro-nightlife political agenda stronger than ever, and the genuine consensus that Hackney Wick must not morph into another soulless Docklands of windswept residential towers and little else, there’s a unique opportunity ahead.

Read the full feature, The Nexus of The Night which also appears in the current print edition of The Wick, then look out more about the ongoing campaign via this newsletter and at thisisthewick.com

With thoughtful debate and an informed approach to the needs of all, there’s no reason why we can’t achieve a balance that supports a thriving nightlife culture and creates a fantastic place to live for those who choose to move to such a dynamic - and yes, sometimes beautifully noisy - neighbourhood.

👁️ Now watch Colour Factory founder Nathanael Williams explain exactly why "If you move to Hackney Wick, please don't complain about the sound" in the latest video clip by our likeminded friends over at Vibrant Nights…

✏️Tonight, Wed 17th Jun, marks the opening of a month long exhibition for London-based artist Rainer Stolle at Two More Years, exploring the human figure through drawing. Rooted in a life-drawing practice developed over two decades, the works capture movement, energy and presence, while reflecting on the evolving relationship between traditional artistic expression and new technologies.

☀️Hackney Herbal are celebrating the Summer Solstice on Sat 20th Jun with an open afternoon at Trowbridge Gardens - running free drop-in crafts and gardening workshops 3-4.30pm, and then at 5-5.30pm all gather around the fire for a collective solstice ritual together. There will be herbal drinks, home made cakes and plants to buy on the day. The event is free and open to everyone - don’t forget to bring your own mugs!

🍷Mingle with fellow wine and cheese lovers as NAINAI Wine Society and Brie Yourself host A Night of Chinese Wines at the fromagerie, Wyke Rd on Fri 19th Jun - an informal guided tasting as part of a regular series. Drop in anytime from 6pm for an evening celebrating the rich flavours and unique traditions of wines cultivated in China. Tickets include sample pours of one red, one white, and one rose, which can be paired alongside curated cheese plates from Brie Yourself.

🖼️BowFest: Open Studios is taking place this Fri 19th and Sat 20th June as Bow Arts open up their courtyard. On the Fri there’ll be a live jazz band, DJ, drinks and locally made food. Sat will see a makers market and a family friendly art workshop. The Nunnery Gallery will also be exhibiting the Bow Open, the annual showcase of work by Bow Arts studio holders and artist educators.  

🌱Join Hackney Council as they plant a new rain garden tomorrow Thurs 18th Jun to celebrate Clean Air Day at Prince Edward Rd. Running from 3.30-6.30pm, you can also bring your bike along for some free checks with Dr Bike and even try out a cargo bike.

🎨 This is the final weekend to catch artist Valeska Hykel’s solo exhibition Summer Warp of Woven Tongues at BSMT Gallery in Dalston. Marking the onset of the solstice season, the work is inspired by the trippy energy of midsummer and old school folk traditions. Hykel paints directly onto a mesh screen to let the colours bleed and blend together naturally, creating something between painting and screen-printing.

🪡On Mon 22nd Jun Kundakala will be holding a Repair Workshop, supported by Hackney Council. Bring along a garment and learn how to mend it in a 2-hour workshop, teaching button-sewing, darning, patching and plenty more.

🖍️Barge East host their monthly Sketch and Sip Social Club Workshop on Tues 23rd Jun in the Gardens by the boat. A botanical-inspired sketching evening led by a professional artist from Cozy Corner with all materials included.

🌶️ After nearly a decade of serving Malaysian hospitality up north in Newcastle, Chilli Padi has officially opened its brand new restaurant right opposite the London Stadium at Stratford Cross, 3 Aquatics Walk.

⚽ Catch tonight’s World Cup opener England v Croatia at multiple Wick venues such as the Napier, No.90 and Colour Factory, or there’s the giant outdoor fan experience in the garden at Hackney Bridge. But for a culinary sneak peek, head to the not-yet-open Uncle Hon’s BBQ, in the former Silo in the White Building, where England matches will be shown alongside a one-off menu themed around the cuisine of the opposition.

🎭 Last chance to catch! Review: Quarter in Autumn at Arcola Theatre in Dalston (runs to Sat 20th Jun)

🎭 Review: The Harder They Coma at Stratford East (runs to Sat 4th Jul)

Check out more local culture reviews every week on thisisthewick.com

🎸Fabwick will be showcasing live music this week in Queen’s Yard with The Spotlight Lounge. Tonight, Wed 17th Jun, will feature Kamila, a Ukrainian contemporary singer now based in London and studying at the Brit School. Then tomorrow, Thurs 18th Jun, rock band NOBL ROT switch it up with some indie sleaze and melodic guitar.

🎤SpitNights: Poets vs Singers is back at Number 90 this Thurs 15th Jun. The recurring night pits spoken word artists against rising local singers, all backed by a live improv band. Get involved!

🎷At Grow this Fri 19th Jun is Sweetnighter Summer Party featuring Brazilian collective Onda Bacana and SweetNightJoe. It’s a celebration of music and connection through the love of vinyl - an open dancefloor for global grooves: disco, jazz, funk, soul, and beyond, all played strictly on wax.

🔊The In-Bloom: Hackney Wick Day Party is on Sat 20th Jun at Vittoria Wharf Studio, bringing tech-house energy to the canalside. Lineup features rising underground selectors Adamou, Brandon Tourle and CTRL driving an upbeat, all-day dancefloor on Fish Island.

🌈Join The Cookout Boys at Colour Factory on Sat 20th Jun for The Cookout Presents: OUTside. This night celebrates a lineup of queer Black DJs who will be spinning non-stop Afrobeats, Amapiano, Dancehall, and RnB - welcoming "the baddies, bad boys, they-thems, and everyone in between."

♻️ After five successful years, the original Refill Therapy store on Wallis Road is officially closed while the team work hard behind the scenes to secure a new permanent home (which looks like it’s going to be near Hackney Bridge). In the meantime, you can still grab your zero-waste essentials over at their East Village shop (6 Victory Parade, E20 1FS), which is now open seven days a week.

📞 Fish Island Village Craft Market is back on Sun 28th Jun, popping up just over the water at HWK, and currently has an open call for all artists, makers or local businesses who’d like to trade on the day. The market will be open from 10am - 6pm, so if you’re interested in taking part, email Abi on [email protected]

📢 Hackney Council has just launched the second round of the Local Area Activation fund, with £1-£4k grants are available to Hackney-based business collectives, associations or partnerships that want to support the economy in their local area. Events can include trails, pop-ups, and discount schemes that galvanise the local community, creating better connections between residents and businesses. Applications by Sun 21st Jun.

🖼️ Entries are now open for the 9th John Ruskin Prize, a multidisciplinary art prize open to all artists, designers and craftspeople, of all nationalities, aged 18 and over. Run by The big Draw, and supported by the Trinity Buoy Wharf Trust, this year’s theme invites you to question the role of the maker today - what does it mean to create with an awareness of consequence, while also posing the challenge: must art serve a purpose beyond itself? Selected works will be exhibited at Trinity Buoy Wharf in 2027, and four winners will receive prizes totalling £9,500. Apply before 17th Nov.

👩🏼‍🎓 UCL School of Management has 6 full scholarships available for applicants from East London who want to pursue a postgraduate programme, including the MSc Creativity, Innovation and Leadership. Applicants need to be resident of East London since 2020 and have a household income of less than £42k. The full-time course starts in Sept 2026 and is at their Canary Wharf campus. Apply by 26th June.

🛩️ London City Airport Community Fund has open funding application for projects that build stronger, greener communities or create pathways into employment. Get funding for up to £3000. Deadline 26th June.

📕 The Wick Book is a limited edition 160-page hardback historic record, looking at 15 years of culture, community and change in the neighbourhood through the pages of The Wick. We’re now down to the last 100 copies.

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