There’s an all night art party coming to Walthamstow

Stock up on coffee, Pro Plus or whisky (or all three if you like), London’s annual Art Night is coming to Walthamstow on June 22. Coinciding with Waltham Forest’s year as the Mayor’s London Borough of Culture, this is the first time the all-nighter arts fest has set up shop at the end of the Victoria line.

The Walthamstow-based programme will run in tandem with a series of events in King’s Cross, enabling art lovers to hop on the 24-hour tube connecting the two. Participating artists were asked to draw inspiration from 90s boy band E17 and their poptastic hit ‘It’s Alright’, along with the themes ‘hope’, ‘love’ and ‘the future’. Who doesn’t want a dose of that sunny optimism, eh? 

Here are five things to see in the ’Stow:

Alice Theobald, 'I’ve said yes now, that’s it' (2014) Performance; Documentation, Chisenhale Gallery, London. Photo Mark Blower

Alice Theobald at The Mall

Inspired by ‘Queer Eye’, Alice Theobald’s video installation with live music gets to grips with buyer’s remorse. A feeling many people have had after a trip to Walthamstow’s The Mall.

Joe Namy, 'Automobile, Abu Dhabi' (2019), variable channel sound performance for cars w_super modified stereo systems. Photo Radfan Alqirsh

Joe Namy in a Walthamstow Car Park 

Making use of one of the more unusual public spaces, Joe Namy’s sound installation is created and performed using locals’ cars and stereo systems.

Julie Cunningham, 'm_y' (2018) Dancers Hannah Burfield, Sara.

Julie Cunningham at a local school  

Contemporary choreographer Julie Cunningham swaps the likes of Sadler’s Wells to perform a new work exploring the queer body at a Waltham Forest school.

Zadie Xa, ‘Child of Magohalmi and the Echos of Creation’ (2019) HD video, film still

Zadie Xa at Walthamstow Library

Spoken word, dance and live music combine in Zadie Xa’s multimedia theatrical installation. Walthamstow’s centrally-located library will be morphing into a subaquatic environment for this one.

Emma Talbot, ’Suspended In Natural Space-Time’ (2019) Watercolour on Khadi paper, 30cm x 42cm. Photo Emma Talbot

Emma Talbot at William Morris Gallery  

Nothing artsy in Walthamstow is worth its salt without a nod to local hero William Morris. Head to the gallery bearing his name to see some gorgeous silk paintings by Emma Talbot inspired by Madge Gill.  

Art Night 2019 is on from 5pm on June 22. To see the full programme and the accompanying open schedule, click here.

Get planning some more art days out with our guide to London's best art galleries here.