Summer is upon us and it’s time for the annual Open Studios weekend at the largest artists’ studio complex in Europe, Thames-Side Studios. Charlton-based author ANDREW DONKIN reports…
YOU’RE INVITED! OPEN STUDIO WEEKEND AT THAMES-SIDE STUDIOS
Still one of Charlton’s best kept secrets, Thames-Side Studios is home to over 500 artists, carpenters, print makers, jewellery makers, sculptors, leather workers, stained glass workers, landscape designers, photographers, wood workers, book binders, picture framers, clock makers and one graphic novelist. The list is almost as endless as Brexit.
Over the weekend of Saturday 15th and Sunday 16th June from noon to 6pm each day, all sorts of creative types will be throwing open their doors to welcome you into their studios. It’s an opportunity to meet them, talk about what they do, and buy some fantastic pieces of art direct from their creator.
Thames-Side Studios is located next to the river, off from Warspite Road which is the road that runs towards the river from the Woolwich Road roundabout with the McDonald’s on it. The event is really family friendly with loads for kids to see and do.
There’s an exciting programme of events, demonstrations and activities taking place across the whole site including:
Hundreds of artists and creators studios open to the public.
Creative family workshops in the Education Space.
Print demonstrations and workshops in Thames-Side Print Studios
Chance to get your hands dirty with The London Sculpture Workshop.
Circus skills workshops from the fantastic Aircraft Circus Academy (2-6pm.)
Art on display in the Gallery and The Viewing Room.
Free screenings of Ray Richardson’s award-winning film “Our Side of the Water”.
Craft beer from Off-The-Wagon’s mobile beer factory.
Loads of grub options including vegetarian and vegan.
As if all that wasn’t enough (and I’m suggesting to you that it very much is
enough), street artist Rosie Woods will be painting a huge scale mural live during
the weekend.
Charlton House’s Friday Concert Programme, which takes place every Friday from 1pm to 2pm and free for all to attend, welcomes the Royal Academy and Royal College of Music students back to the Old Library, with recitals from the Brompton String Quartet and Academy Harp Department in June.
July sees the return of the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, and Royal Greenwich Brass Brand, a firm favourite for audiences young and old.
There are also a number of special events taking place in July, with an open-air performance in association with Drama Impact of the Shakespeare classic comedy ‘Much Ado About Nothing’ on the 14th July, 2pm and 7pm. Tickets are available at £15.00 per head from the dramaimpact.com website.
More open-air events are planned in July with two very special outdoor screenings in association with the Extraordinary Travelling Film show.
Watch the Oscar winning Bohemian Rhapsody on the big screen under the stars on Friday 19th July at 7.30pm, within the impressive grounds and gardens of Charlton House. A big night is expected so come along and make some noise to the classic hits of Queen.
Hidden Figures screens on the evening of Saturday 20th July, part of a series of events in association with the Moon Festival celebrating the 50th Anniversary of the moon landings, this heart-warming crowd pleaser film celebrates the crucial and often overlooked contribution of a group of women to space history, to critical acclaim and with a stellar cast.
Early bird tickets for both screenings are available until the 16th June after which they will go on general sale. Early bird prices are £9 for adults, £6 for children (3-12) and you can purchase a family ticket (2 adults, 2 children) for £35.
More details and booking information on all the events coming up at Charlton House & Gardens can be found at greenwichheritage.org/whats-on or by calling 020 8856 3951.
The Charlton Champion‘s LARA RUFFLE COLES reviews the baby music classes held at Charlton House
I feel very passionate about music. It brings me great joy, occasionally sadness, but it always provokes an emotional reaction. And as a member of two choirs, I benefit greatly from the social interaction and continuous learning that comes with rehearsing and performing.
Given recent news stories on the state of musical education in Britain, I feel very fortunate to have had an extremely dedicated music teacher at my state secondary school. From the age of eleven I sang in the school choir, had weekly music lessons, and completed my GCSE in music. At university I studied music and ran a rock music society, before joining a choir when I moved back to London. All this stemmed from that teacher, so thank you Mrs Pamela Wright!
For my son, I want to involve him in music from a young age, and with any luck he might want to learn an instrument or join a choir when he is old enough to chose for himself.
Until fairly recently there was a sign advertising Greenwich Music School outside Charlton House, and after a quick Google I was excited to see that they ran baby music classes for expectant parents and those with children.
I was patient enough to wait until my child was actually born before booking a class, but I started taking him to their Family Music class at seven weeks. His level of interaction was (ahem) fairly limited, but it was great to get out of the house, meet other parents and carers, and spend time in Charlton Park after class.
Family Music is for 0 to 4 years and focuses learning through singing. The teacher leads the class through songs and melodies that use different volumes, speeds, and low and high notes. We sing and play using actions, scarves and cuddly toys, have instrument play time with shakers, drums and bells, and the babies and toddlers move around the room to music.
As my son has grown he has been able to participate at a greater level and now the trouble is keeping him still for more than two minutes! Thankfully, the classes are relaxed and welcoming, and even if we don’t have his full attention, he is still in a musical environment – and it isn’t as if he can turn his ears off.
You can also attend Family Music or Songs and Sounds (9 months to 2 years) at Mycenae House. I chose Family Music over Songs and Sounds due to its location, and because I love seeing him interact and learn from children who are significantly older than him. Another plus is that I’ll still be able to take him to Family Music for a good while if I have a second child. Eventually, I want to take him to the older classes offered by the school, so I am crossing my fingers that he likes music!
Greenwich Music School’s co-director Bethan Scolding tells The Charlton Champion why she set up the Early Years Music programme:
We started GMS to share our passion for music with people of all ages through teaching and education of the highest quality. Bringing together our team of specialist tutors and developing our bespoke curriculum, from babies and toddlers to professional musicians, has been fantastic – and it’s been a great privilege to see our first students progress and flourish at all levels.
The school offers a variety of courses for children and adults, and financial support is available. Please contact the school for further details.
For classes not based in Charlton itself, there are a myriad of options to choose from – Google ‘music classes for babies’ at your peril – so I’ve highlighted just a few nearby:
Blackheath Library has free Rhyme Time sessions on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 2pm
The Conservatoire in Blackheath also runs music classes for children and adults
Bach to Baby concerts are held regularly at Mycenae House. The concerts are great fun and the Christmas concert was particularly festive. But if a room of 40 to 50 children sounds terrifying, you might want to look elsewhere…
We’re having an event to mark the launch of Flyover Media on 4 June
Last month, we launched a community interest company, Flyover Media CIC, to take charge of The Charlton Champion and its sister site 853. It’s the first step towards putting these websites on a sustainable footing, and also means we can apply for grants to expand into new projects.
We’re holding an event on Tuesday 4 June upstairs at The White Swan, 22 The Village, SE7 8UD (doors 7pm, starts 8pm) to mark the launch of Flyover and to talk about what we – and you – can do to ensure SE London can still have an independent local media, with a special look at Greenwich and Lewisham. We’ll be outlining some of our plans, and figuring out a path for the future, while we’ll also hopefully have some special guests from the journalism industry.
There’ll also be a bar, so it’ll be good to share ideas over a drink. If you get along early and you’re peckish, there will be food available downstairs.
Charlton House Stables is hosting a play about dementia
Greenwich Carers Centre, at Charlton House Stables, has been in touch about a performance happening on Thursday 23 May…
Don’t Leave Me Now explores the impact of young onset dementia on two very different families. Rachael Dixey cared for her partner with dementia for seven years. Cindy Toulman visited her husband in his care home every day for ten years.
Don’t Leave Me Now was inspired by these two real life stories. With authenticity, insight and humour, playwright, Brian Daniels weaves the strands of these stories together to create a documentary-style production highlighting the emotions, dilemmas and challenges experienced by people affected by dementia.
Don’t Leave Me Now was written by Brian Daniels, Artistic Director of New End Theatre Beyond. The playreadings will be performed by a cast of five professional actors and each performance will be followed by a discussion and audience Q & A with the actors, playwright and Rachael Dixey.
Rachael Dixey’s book, ‘Our Dementia Diary: Irene, Alzheimer’s and Me’ will be on sale and Rachael will be happy to sign copies.
There are two performances, at 3pm and 6.30pm. Greenwich Carers Centre is at The Stables, 76 Hornfair Road, SE7 7BD. Tickets are £5. Book on 020 8102 9654 or email info[at]greenwichcarerscentre.org.
Enjoy a night at the theatre without having to leave the SE7 postcode. The Alexandra Players, Charlton’s amateur theatre group, have been in touch…
Adapted from Christopher Isherwood’s novel Goodbye to Berlin, which is part of The Berlin Stories, I AM A CAMERA looks at Chris – a struggling young writer whose latest novel, concerns the events that occur around him in 1930’s Berlin. Sally Bowles, a singer/actress, who works in a Berlin nightclub, befriends Chris and, despite her transient, bohemian existence, her platonic relationship with him remains steady. Confronting frank subjects such as pregnancy and unwanted racism, it is a tellingly real piece of history and life. The play itself went on to inspire the musical show and film Cabaret which famously starred Liza Minelli.
With our recent last few productions selling out to capacity audiences, we guarantee you won’t want to miss this.
The show – at the Alexandra Hall, Bramshot Avenue – runs from Wednesday 29 May to Saturday 1 June, at 8pm. Tickets are £9 (£8 concs) and are available through the Players’ online box office or by calling 07867 627987.
Big Dig day celebrates the start of the growing season and encourages people to visit their local Capital Growth supported Community Garden.
Maryon Park Community Garden, one of Capital Growth’s flagship gardens is taking part and have a drop-in open day on Saturday 27th April 10.00 am to 4.00 pm. Visitors are invited to see how Maryon Park Community Garden is developing.
The Community Garden provides organic growing plots for local people, a Forest School space for primary schools, a garden meeting room and volunteer opportunities.
On Saturday 27st April visitors can learn more about the Community Garden, enjoy tours and talks about the Garden and the historic Maryon Park, the location of the 1960’s film ‘Blow-Up’.
There will be a plant and woodcraft sale, refreshments and the lunchtime pizza oven.
At 2.00 pm Simon and Verity from COATS will run a free family Outdoor Art Workshop in the Forest School.
“The Big Dig Day is about encouraging people and families to visit their local community garden. Whether you are an experienced gardener or new to gardening or just want to see how your local project is developing you will be welcome,” says community garden chair Tim Anderson.
Maryon Park Community Garden is a not-for-profit voluntary project situated in the former council plant nursery in Maryon Park.
To find out more about the Maryon Park Community Garden, visit its website.
The Charlton Champion 