An audio-tour of the South Bank site as it looked at the Festival of Britain of 1951. Led by Alan Powers and Elain Harwood, of the Twentieth Century Society, and accompanied by Nick Rampley, former Vice-Principal at Morley College, and Euchar Gravina, Artistic Director at Waterloo Festival.       Festivalcast, the Waterloo Festival’s […]

  The London Group (TLG) is teaming up again with Waterloo Festival over two exhibitions at this year’s edition, later in June. We both have a shared past: the Festival of Britain 1951, for which St John’s served as the ‘Festival Church’ and several artists from the TLG contributed. David Redfern, Archivist at TLG, explores […]

  Beth McHattie is Communications Consultant for St John’s Waterloo and Waterloo Festival, as well as an Associate Director at Flotilla Media and a Trustee at the Churches Conservation Trust. In a previous life, she was Deputy Director of Communications at Historic England.           My LGBT artist is the author, Sylvia […]

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  This podcast episode, presented by Flux Soup covers the lives of six important figures who lived in the Waterloo area and who were fanatical about botanicals. The programme links to a walk taking in open spaces around Waterloo and information about our six figures.       Festivalcast, the Waterloo Festival’s podcast series, is […]

  With Coin Street Community Builders‘ Over 50s Art Group, we were planning a very ambitious art-installation in the Churchyard of St John’s. The severity of this pandemic encouraged us to change our approach. Through this series, we present the artists involved and their work. Up next is Silvia Ankerson.       I studied […]

  Recorded remotely between May and June 2020, this episode explores historic figures in Waterloo through new monolouges written by Lorraine Spenceley.       You can read the monologues, published over the last two months as part of Waterloo Festival 2020, here:       Emma Cons: performed by Zoë Teverson   Lilian Baylis: […]

  Waterloo Festival thrives on creative partnerships, on bringing artists and musicians to collaborate with and showcase their wonderful work to our communities in Waterloo, Lambeth and – thanks to the marvels of the internet – elsewhere. In this series, we meet some of our creative partners for 2020.       This week we […]

  by Shanon Shah           Monument of Uganda Martyrs and their oppressors, walking towards Namugongo, erected in Munyonyo on the spot from were the journey on 26th May 1886 started.       Today, 3 June 2020, marks Ugandan Martyr’s Day – traditionally a festive affair in Namugongo, but scaled down […]

  We hear from one of our creative neighbours, the Southbank Centre.           At the Southbank Centre, we believe that arts and creativity have a vital role to play in responding to the needs of our communities, from helping the socially isolated to feel more connected to others, to supporting those […]

  While creative venues and businesses are closed around Waterloo, we want to bring you their work through our digital festival. We continue this week, meeting IKLECTIK.       IKLECTIK is a non-profit art space founded in 2014 based at The Old Paradise Yard, next to the Archbishop’s park.       Our programme […]

  Waterloo Festival thrives on creative partnerships, on bringing professionals from the world of arts and music to collaborate with and showcase their wonderful work to our communities in Waterloo, Lambeth and – thanks to the marvels of the internet – elsewhere.       This time, we hear from Morley College London about their […]

  Jhonny Alexander Salas works as a Help Desk team leader at Coin Street Community Builders. He has recently completed a BSc Environmental Management degree at Birkbeck University of London.               I’ve been passioned about wildlife and nature conservation since my early years growing up in Venezuela’s countryside. I […]

              On the 3rd of May 1951 the Festival of Britain was opened by King George VI at the footsteps of St Paul’s Cathedral. This was one of the last major public events attended by the Royal couple.       The Royal Festival Hall, the Dome of Discovery […]

  Festivalcast on Morley Radio       As the UK and other countries contemplate easing coronavirus-related movement restrictions, important questions remain about how exactly society can recover justly and sustainably.           How do we take care of our health, well-being and livelihoods in response to the twin crises of the […]

  by Shanon Shah           In the second part of this interview, Stephen Kafeero explains how his spiritual conversion led him from his childhood Catholicism to a rejuvenated balance of worship at Okusinza and Liberty Christian Fellowship in Camberwell. Along the way, he and Shanon Shah celebrate the ways in which […]

  While our concert halls, theatres, galleries and museums sit empty, dedicated teams take centre stage to make sure venues are ready for our return. Kieron Lillis, Facilities Manager at the National Theatre, explains the challenge facing this important Waterloo-based organisation.           You packed your laptop, cleared out the communal fridge, […]

  “To stand before an empty wall as in a trance… to let shapes cloudily emerge, to draw scenes and figures, to let light and dark rush out of the surface, to make them move outward or recede into the depths, this was bliss.”   Hans Feibusch on mural painting       Europe Day […]

  Throughout Waterloo Festival 2020, we’ve been platforming artists who either live in or are connected to Waterloo. To finish off this series, Rachel Wegh, a photographer, filmmaker, writer and lyricist living in Waterloo since 1998.           Rachel is a photographer, filmmaker, writer and lyricist living in Waterloo since 1998. She […]

  Waterloo Festival thrives on creative partnerships, on bringing artists and musicians to collaborate with and showcase their wonderful work to our communities in Waterloo, Lambeth and – thanks to the marvels of the internet – elsewhere. In this series, we meet some of our creative partners for 2020. First up is Flux Soup.   […]

  Following World Environment Day, we’re now exploring the Churchyard at St John’s Waterloo, a historic green oasis in the heart of London. Jonathan Trustram from the Churchyard of St John’s, writes about herbs, and their (historic and sometimes murderous) connections to our local area.       I went to Kew one summer’s day […]

  Coin Street have been funded by Illuminated River Foundation’s Community Fund to develop and deliver art workshops for young people aged 9+ for the local community. At Waterloo Festival, we are thrilled to be offering a weekly platform from which to showcase and share the work more widely!       Eleanor Watson wrote […]

  Luckily for us, plants keep growing.       Whilst the garden team has been on and off furlough, the churchyard survives to bloom another day. Viv and her team of volunteers, armed with secateurs and wheelbarrows, are back at last in their favourite place, keeping the churchyard looking lovely.       Thanks […]

  Ernest Read Symphony Orchestra   Conductor: Christopher Stark   Leader: John Crawford   Sunday, 20th June 2021       Concerto in F Minor for Bass Tuba and Orchestra   Ralph Vaughan Williams       Ernest Read Symphony Orchestra   Conductor: Christopher Stark   Soloist: Grady Hassan   Leader: John Crawford     […]