Bow Arts

Bow Arts We nurture London’s diverse creativity & talent - creating opportunities to work & enjoy the arts Opening hours: Tues to Sun, 10am-5pm.

Bow Arts was established in 1995 as an artist studio provider and is the home of the public and free contemporary art space, the Nunnery Gallery. Established by Marcel Baettig and with the support of Marc Schimmel, Bow Arts moved into its now renowned Bow Road premises, formed of two adjoining buildings, and started providing artists’ studios on the site. In 1996 The Trust became a registered educational charity and a company limited by guarantee. The educational programme, run by Bow Arts, offers employment opportunities to artists that allows them to pay their rent and develop creative skills at the same time. At present, Bow Arts houses over 500 artists in eleven artists across east and south east London. Bow Arts also supports artists through our sponsorship of the London’s Artist Quarter and Artist Studio Finder websites. The Nunnery Gallery and Carmelite Cafe are based at 181 Bow Road, London E3 2SJ. The Bow Arts offices are located at 183 Bow Road, London E3 2SJ. Open: Mon to Fri. 9am-5pm. Tube: Bow Road
DLR: Bow Church

🎨 How do we create a primary art curriculum that truly reflects the diverse communities we teach?For the past two years,...
16/09/2026

🎨 How do we create a primary art curriculum that truly reflects the diverse communities we teach?

For the past two years, we've been working with artist educator Jasmin Bhanji and a group of inspiring teachers to develop a relevant, inclusive and diverse primary art curriculum. Now we're excited to share the learning, resources and outcomes with you.

Join Jasmin and participating teachers to explore practical approaches to meeting the needs of today's schools, teachers and children.

✨ Be among the first to see our brand-new curriculum design resource

🖼️ Plus, enjoy a visit to our current exhibition, Bhajan Hunjan: Speaking Through Materials

📍 Bow Arts, 183 Bow Road, E3 2SJ
📅 Thursday 15 October
⏰ 5.30pm to 7.30pm
💸 Free
☕ Refreshments provided

📸Jasmin Bhanji leading a Teacher CPD workshop

Explore landscape from an uncommon perspective - shaped by touch, movement, and collaboration, in a new exhibition at th...
14/09/2026

Explore landscape from an uncommon perspective - shaped by touch, movement, and collaboration, in a new exhibition at the Lakeside Centre, Thamesmead.

Opening this Friday alongside the Lakeside Centre Performance Evening, this exhibition invites the audience into Britain and Spain’s climbing environments, looking at climbing as a way of seeing.

Bringing together Bow Arts artist & painter Alexander Heaton, and photographer Jonathan Blower, the exhibition documents climbing through different lens.

Heaton observes expressive landscapes and captures the shifting light, texture, and atmosphere encountered on a rock’s face. While Blower documents climbers within these environments, recording moments of concentration, trust, vulnerability, and more.

⏰ Exhibition Opening Times:
Private View: Friday 18th September, 6-9pm, coinciding with the Lakeside Centre Performance Evening.
Lakeside Centre Open Art Studios: Saturday 19th September, 12-6pm
By appointment only: 24th, 25th, 26th September & 1st, 2nd, 3rd October, 12-6pm.

📍 Lakeside Centre, Bazalgette Way, London, SE2 9AN
🔗 Book your free appointment on the Bow Arts website.

We're excited to announce a new series of 'money matters' workshops, as part of our Bow Skills artists CPD programme, su...
10/09/2026

We're excited to announce a new series of 'money matters' workshops, as part of our Bow Skills artists CPD programme, supported by Xero’s UK Unlock Your Numbers partnership programme! Join us to boost your knowledge on tax return, budgeting and financial planning and get insights on DIY residencies & zero material art-making:

💰WED 28 OCT (online) & WED 4 NOV (in-person)
Talk: money matters – managing taxes as an artist with Tika Accountancy

💰THU 12 NOV (Thamesmead) & THU 21 JAN (in-person)
Workshop: money matters – reframing finances and managing your money with Sally Moussawi

💡Wed 25 NOV (online)
Workshop: DIY residencies with Cristiana Bottigella

💰WED 2 DEC (in-person) & THU 7 JAN (online)
Talk: money matters – building your financial toolkit as an artist with Opus Gold

💡THU 10 DEC (in-person)
Workshop: zero material — interface as artistic media with Chen Liang-Jung

Images by Sandra Lam & Cheng Liang-Jung.

Find out more via the link in our bio.

Kick-start your autumn term with our Artist Educator CPD workshops!🎬 Stop-Motion Animation Techniques with Reza Ben Gajr...
09/09/2026

Kick-start your autumn term with our Artist Educator CPD workshops!

🎬 Stop-Motion Animation Techniques with Reza Ben Gajra

Learn practical tips and creative tricks for delivering stop-motion projects in schools and community settings.

🗓️Friday 25th September
🕐From 5:30pm until 7.30pm
🎟️https://bowarts.org/event/artist-educator-cpd-stop-motion-animation-techniques-with-reza-ben-gajra/?utm_source=hootsuite&utm_medium=facebook&utm_term=bow+arts&utm_content=3c71e788-6411-4980-9adf-6d47df9e2575&utm_campaign=ELAP2628&utm_source=hootsuite&utm_medium=facebook&utm_term=bow%20arts&utm_content=8d1a2d7e-1356-43b1-b128-4207d44eec8b&utm_campaign=ELAP2628
📍Bow Arts, 183 Bow Road, E3 2SJ
💸 FREE-£10 pay what you can

Then in October...

🧵 The Poetics of Textiles with Tyreis Holder

Explore affirmation, colour, fabric and thread as tools for creative expression.

🗓️Wednesday 28th October
🕐From 5:30pm until 7.30pm
🎟️https://bowarts.org/event/artist-educator-cpd-the-poetics-of-textiles-language-and-intuitive-practice-using-fabric-with-tyreis-holder/?utm_source=hootsuite&utm_medium=facebook&utm_term=bow%20arts&utm_content=8d1a2d7e-1356-43b1-b128-4207d44eec8b&utm_campaign=ELAP2628
📍Bow Arts, 183 Bow Road, E3 2SJ
💸 FREE-£10 pay what you can

Refreshments provided ☕



📸 Animation workshop with Reza Ben Gajra & punch needle patches with Tyreis Holder

Come along to our first poetry open mic with the British Bilingual Poetry Collective , hosted by Eesh*ta Azad Open to ...
07/09/2026

Come along to our first poetry open mic with the British Bilingual Poetry Collective , hosted by Eesh*ta Azad

Open to multilingual poets (speaking in any language including English), local talents and first timers.

🗓️Friday 18th September
🕐From 6:30pm
🎟️Link in bio
📍Nunnery Caf

Come and make the news with doctoral researcher and graphic designer, Katherine Easthill. Freedom of the Press, 1986 Sty...
06/09/2026

Come and make the news with doctoral researcher and graphic designer, Katherine Easthill. Freedom of the Press, 1986 Style will be a print design and history workshop, inspired by the Wapping dispute (1986–7).

40 years ago, the Bow Arts studios at the Rum Factory were home to Rupert Murdoch’s British media empire, News International and would have been surrounded by picketers participating in the 13-month long Wapping dispute (1986–7). The dispute began when Murdoch sacked around 6,000 workers on the 24th of January 1986.

This workshop will be an opportunity to learn about the dispute; the techniques used in the design of tabloids; and the print produced by the sacked workers to support their cause. You will then produce your own designs inspired by the history and these techniques. Everyone’s final pieces will contribute to a collaborative final publication which will be distributed at an exhibition in November.

Workshop Dates:
🗓️Saturday 10th, 17th & 31st October , 11am to 1pm
📍49 Pennington Street, Wapping, London, E1W 2BD

Find out more and book your place: https://bowarts.org/bow-arts-events/?utm_source=hootsuite&utm_medium=facebook&utm_term=bow%20arts&utm_content=fb9c722b-925f-4c8f-a827-1d77e980a166&utm_campaign=ELAP2628

Save the date – the Old Manor Park Library Open Studios returns in October!Visit the 20 artist studios located inside th...
04/09/2026

Save the date – the Old Manor Park Library Open Studios returns in October!

Visit the 20 artist studios located inside the historic Grade II listed building and connect with the artists and makers whose works range from print, textiles, drawing, painting, and more.

Take part in relaxed, drop-in art workshops – more information coming soon.

📅 Sunday 11th October 2026, 11am - 4pm
📍 Old Manor Park Library, 835 Romford Road, London, E12 5JY
🎟️ Free! RSVP your free space on our website https://bowarts.org/event/old-manor-park-library-open-studios-2026/?utm_source=hootsuite&utm_medium=facebook&utm_term=bow%20arts&utm_content=f92eeee0-0417-4c92-8b84-1e2e4615e4c9&utm_campaign=ELAP2628

📷 Image credit: Tatiana

📣Calling all Tower Hamlets secondary arts teachers and arts education supporters! Would your school benefit from a FREE ...
02/09/2026

📣Calling all Tower Hamlets secondary arts teachers and arts education supporters!

Would your school benefit from a FREE creative careers event? 🤔

We're offering a free creative careers event for a local secondary school, which could include:

✨ Practical demonstrations from professional artists
✨ Drop-in creative activities for students
✨ Inspiration from a diverse range of visual arts practices
✨ Careers advice from industry professionals
✨ Introductions to further and higher education opportunities

This is a fantastic opportunity to inspire young people, broaden their understanding of creative career pathways, and connect them with professionals working across the visual arts sector.

If you're interested, or would like to discuss hosting this event at your school, please contact Meg Lovett at [email protected]

📸Bow Arts Access to Creative Careers fair

Address

183 Bow Road
London
E32SJ

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 5pm
Tuesday 9am - 5pm
Wednesday 9am - 5pm
Thursday 9am - 5pm
Friday 9am - 5pm

Telephone

+442089807774

Website

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