We’re working with an exciting line-up of national artists who will be taking over the Creative Café for one day each during April to August bringing their own art form to Marks Gate for you to try out! The artists include a poet, garden designer, and a visual artist to name a few! See below for details. All ages are welcome.

Kayo Chingonyi, Book of Marks Gate

Tuesday 14^th April, 10am – 4pm

 Participants will work with poet and writer Kayo Chingonyi to make a book of Marks Gate, a personal archive containing stories, memories, pictures and objects from Marks Gate. Workshop participants should bring with them one object they have found in the local area or some photographs or any object that reminds them of the area.

Errol Reuben Fernandes, BOOM! BLOOM!

Friday 29^th May, 10am – 4pm

Work with artist and garden designer Errol Reuben Fernandes to spread colour throughout Marks Gate estate. We will be making and casting seed bombs that will burst into bloom in the coming weeks and we will be greening-up the grey with some plant based installations. All ages welcome.

Gayle Chong Kwan, ‘TEASCAPES’, 2015

Tuesday 16^th June, 10am – 4pm

A day of creative activities in which the artist explores aspects of Marks Gate’s landscapes through watercolour painting using different types of teas. Combining tasting and smelling sensory sessions with painting using teas, participants will be invited to explore, document and celebrate particular places and landscapes in Marks Gate. All ages welcome.

Verity-Jane Keefe, The Marks Gate Archive

Tuesday 21^st July, 10am – 4pm

As part of the artist’s wider art project The Mobile Museum, Verity-Jane Keefe will be taking over the Creative Cafe for the day. We will be making the beginnings of The Marks Gate Archive. People are invited to bring in any object, found or owned that they think best represents the estate or where they live. These could be a piece of tile, a leaf, a photograph, a piece of wallpaper from your home, rent books, picture frames, wedding ring, a memento and so on. There is no right or wrong object! These will then be photographed in our make shift studio. Verity will be collecting your stories and experiences of living on the estate. All ages welcome.

Rachael House’s Feminist Disco

Tuesday 25^th August, 12-4pm

Putting the ‘disco’ into ‘discourse’

Join Rachael House for music, discussion, drawing and more. Rachael will be playing music she considers feminist on Dansette record players. You are invited to draw a feminist to add to Typical Girls, a Feminist Gallery, enjoy special guest presentations and suck on a feminist boiled sweet. All ages welcome.

To book your place on a ‘Takeover Day’ please talk to a member of the Creative Café team and sign up with your name and contact details.

The Creative Cafe is a project by artist Sadia Ur-Rehman who has set up a pop-up cafe, gallery and creative workshop space with local residents from the Marks Gate Community Centre. The Cafe will be open on Tuesdays and Fridays from April till May at 9.30am – 4.30pm, then on Tuesdays from June till the end of August with a new free creative workshop on  each day. From printmaking to guerrilla gardening to poetry, we’ve got something for everybody!