Artists’ collective Art in the Docks has launched its new gallery space at Royal Albert Wharf with an inaugural show of 70 local artists, including puppeteer Charlie Tymms and plein air painter Christopher Mike. The gallery opened its doors on Saturday with a day of festivities from Bow Arts and Notting Hill Genesis that gave visitors a chance to view behind the scenes of creatives’ studios and attend workshops and activities hosted by the artists themselves.
Gallery space and activities at Royal Albert Wharf
The art collective is the latest addition to this exciting neighbourhood and an important part of housing association Notting Hill Genesis and arts education charity Bow Arts’ joint efforts to regenerate this part of the Royal Docks and establish a new creative hub in East London. Food and drink at the launch event were provided by celebrity chef Cyrus Todiwala’s Café Spice Namaste, soon to be launching at the docks, and vegan eatery The Well Bean Café Co’s Chocolate Factory, now open at Royal Albert Wharf.
Art in the Docks is a diverse group of artists formed during lockdown out of a desire to collaborate and share their work with each other. Many members of the collective take inspiration from their surroundings at the Royal Docks – puppeteer Tymms recently launched her latest creation, a lifelike T-Rex, at Royal Albert Wharf, while painter Mike draws directly on local history and East London’s industrial landscapes for his creations. Rather than creating a commercial gallery, the artists aim to keep the space as a place for the local community to engage with and learn about art. The show is free to the public and open until 22 August at the Hamme Building in Royal Albert Wharf, from Monday to Sunday 10am-6pm.
Art in the Docks
The gallery is set within Notting Hill Genesis’ stunning development of one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments at Royal Albert Wharf that is attracting buyers from all over London. The award-winning waterfront district has homes available to buy through Shared Ownership and private sale – including with Help to Buy.
Royal Albert Wharf gallery
Christopher Mike, co-founder of the Art in the Docks collective, said:
“As a direct result of the terrific support we have received from Notting Hill Genesis, the Art in the Docks gallery and workspace finally opened on Saturday 24th. One of our fundamental goals is to make art and culture easily accessible to people living in a part of London where engagement levels are generally low. The reaction that we received from the general public on Saturday validates our strategy in ways that we could not have imagined were possible. Thank you to NHG and Bow Arts for turning this vision into reality.”
Joss Taylor, Head of Enterprise and Placemaking at Bow Arts, commented:
“There’s so much incredible history in this area, so it’s brilliant to see that illustrated in different ways by these talented local artists, and for residents to see the docks through their lenses. Creativity, art and collaboration are such important components in creating a thriving community, and we can’t wait to see what the future holds for Royal Albert Wharf.”
James Munson, Head of Marketing at Notting Hill Genesis Sales, said:
“It’s brilliant to have the gallery space open and, with eateries like Café Spice Namaste and the Well Bean Café, Royal Albert Wharf is fast becoming a must-visit spot on the weekends as well as a popular choice for home buyers. Our team had a great time with residents and business owners at the launch event and the reaction to the development and show homes was fantastic. The sense of community and creativity in the Royal Docks is a big part of why so many home-hunters are choosing Royal Albert Wharf as a place to live, grow and explore what London has to offer.”
To stay up to date on future events, please visit the Royal Albert Wharf and Bow Arts websites.