What’s on
Windrush Amplified Art display: Jazz Grant
See the work inspired by reflections on personal heritage and what resonated with artist Jazz Grant from objects and archives within the V&A’s collection.
This is Hackney
An exhibition of 100 individual, lovingly crafted ‘3D self-portraits’ by older people and young people.
EMBER & ETHER: Studies in Transformation
EMBER & ETHER: Studies in Transformation is a duo exhibition by Nigerian-British artists Kandre Arámide Hassan and Freda Osayuki Igiogbe.
Things I Know to be True
Things I know To Be True at Tower Theatre provides a window into what happens when established family hierarchies are shaken up and stretched to breaking point.
Braintopia 4
BRAINTOPIA 4 is a place for people to hangout. It's your very own art studio. A kind of art house / gallery / hangout zone.
Familiar Spaces | A Solo Exhibition by Kuda Mushangi
Glasshouse Contemporary welcomes prize-winning London artist Kuda Mushangi to the gallery with his debut solo exhibition 'Familiar Spaces'.
Duckie Homosexualist School
Are you aged 18 - 30? Fancy making some new wave performance and poncing about in East London with a bunch of new pals?
Radical Roots: Rediscovering our lost LGBTQIA+ theatre histories
Unfinished Histories invites you to a celebratory night of playreadings: Where To Now by Martin Patrick and John by Adele Saleem, two acclaimed, diverse LGBTQIA+ Hackney writers working in the 1980s.
Drawing Closer | Online Drawing Development Year Exhibition
An exhibition of works by the 2025 cohort of the Online Drawing Development Year programme.
Beyond Visibility
Affirming evening of film, intuitive art and storytelling, creating space for queer and trans stories to be seen, felt and honoured.
NYX + Greet + Ancient Hostility
Join NYX (London), Greet (Leeds) and Ancient Hostility (Liverpool) for a very special evening of electronic drones, harmonium-driven folk, and anarchist song.
Alter Ego 2026
Alter Ego welcomes London’s most exciting emerging artists aged 14 - 19 to Hackney Empire’s main stage!
New Year, New Flavours: A Writing Feast
Celebrate Lunar New Year and LGBT+ History Month with a warm, in-person workshop blending food, drink, and creative writing.
Lunar New Year Celebrations
Celebrate Tết - Lunar New Year! At Centre 151. It will be a family-friendly day filled with Vietnamese food, Lion dance and music.
NEUROSPICY! + Q&A
Enjoy sensational short films with authentic on and off screen neurodivergent representation, Q&As with creatives who are making waves in the industry, and optional networking with other like-minded filmmakers.
Make a Hiccup-inspired Shield
Drop into the library this half-term to craft a Hiccup-inspired shield.
Stories & Rhymes (Homerton)
Share songs and stories with your friendly local librarian!
Stories & Rhymes (Shoreditch)
Share songs and stories with your friendly local librarian!
Make Your Own Book with the Stamford Hill Library Artists in Residence
Work with our very own Stamford Hill Artists to create concertina book filled with personal words and images
Share Your Love of Books
Drop into the library this half term to get crafty and celebrate your favorite stories.
Make an Origami Paper Book Box
Have you ever wanted a secret hiding spot for your most important things? Join us for an afternoon of paper-folding magic as we create Origami Book Boxes!
Build a Survival Kit for Your Favourite Hero!
Drop into the library this half term to design and build a Survival Kit for a character from the book that made you fall in love with reading.
Dyke TV: the early naughties
Join Other People’s Films for an eventful evening showcasing a supercut of the legendary Dyke TV from the early 2000s. It will be followed by an in-conversation between the early organisers of the show and Other People's Films.
The Magic Book Circle
This half term, the library is turning into the world of Michael Ende’s The Neverending Story.
Gushing to Perform: Deen/ø, Gaby Sahhar and Oduenyi Nwike
An evening of poetry, performance, and queer creativity, supporting artists to explore new forms of expression in a welcoming space.
Occlusions of the City Forest
Occlusions of the City Forest is an exhibition of paintings by Margate-based artist Twinkle Troughton.
Design Your Ultimate Reading Diary!
Join us for a creative workshop where you’ll design a bespoke Reading Journal from cover to cover.
Children’s Classic Storytime
Join us for an immersive family reading session that proves some stories never grow old.
Bitches in Stitches: All-Femme Comedy Night
Bitches in Stitches London's first show of 2026 is all about love. This stand-up comedy night is our Valentine to all our girls, gays, theys and allies.
Queer tour of Dalston! (1/2)
A guided walk through Dalston’s queer history, honouring iconic venues, lost spaces, and community stories in East London. Hosted and written by Dan De La Motte and Lil Warren
One Queer Day in Hackney
We made a film! Back in September we challenged the queer community in Hackney to film themselves, and we made a film of it. This is the film.
Queer Tour of Dalston! (2/2)
A guided walk through Dalston’s queer history, honouring iconic venues, lost spaces, and community stories in East London. Hosted and written by Dan De La Motte and Lil Warren
Ex Libris: The New York Public Library
A free screening of Frederick Wiseman’s incredible documentary, Ex Libris: The New York Public Library at Homerton Library.
Duckie Homosexualist School
Are you aged 18 - 30? Fancy making some new wave performance and poncing about in East London with a bunch of new pals?
Imagination Library Launch
Join us for the launch of the Imagination Library in Hackney this World Book Day!
Belter for the Shelter 2026
Hackney Night Shelter’s legendary comedy benefit night returns to the Hackney Empire.
The Disabled Queer Extravaganza
ParaPride proudly showcases disability talent with a spectacular line-up; a Panel discussion and a community.
Noughts and Crosses
Noughts and Crosses: This gripping Romeo and Juliet story by acclaimed writer Malorie Blackman and adapted by Sabrina Mahfouz is a captivating drama of love, revolution and what it means to grow up in a divided world.
Palestine Looks Back | London Short Film Festival
LSFF presents Palestine Looks Back, short films that illuminate diverse Palestinian perspectives.
English Language Fair
Hackney Libraries is joining forces with English for Action to host the English Language Fair.
Films for Workers: Killer of Sheep
Films for Workers - a series of iconic films celebrating worker solidarity in cinema. Pay what you can.
5 Lesbians Eating a Quiche
5 Lesbians Eating A Quiche is a tasty recipe of hysterical laughs, sexual innuendos, unsuccessful repressions, and delicious discoveries.
Twelfth Night Crafts
Celebrate the Twelfth Night of Christmas with some eco-friendly crafts.
Festive Games Club
Join in with classic board games at Stamford Hill Library over the festive season.
Festive family film screening
A family-friendly film screening full of festive cheer – invite your friends and family to join too.
Make a festive card
Join us to make your own fun, creative and colourful festive cards.
Festive Crafts
Make your own hanging ornaments, decorate a tree, and design beautiful Christmas cards.
Winter Warmer coffee mornings
Meet new people and enjoy a cup of coffee and some biscuits.
Make a winter solstice lantern
Turn jam jars into lanterns for the winter solstice – bring some beautiful light into the shortest day of the year.
Festive family film screening
A family-friendly film screening full of festive cheer – invite your friends and family to join too.
Make a festive paper puppet
Come along to make puppets themed around festive costumes and stories.
Thriftmas
Sourced from the creative communities behind Hackney Flea Market and DIY Art Market, Thriftmas launches its first festive thrift market in Stoke Newington.
Chatsworth Road market: Festive day
Chatsworth Road Markets festive day with children’s entertainment, free face painting, Christmas stalls and more!
Make your own Christmas decoration
Get into the festive spirit and create your own Christmas decoration that you can keep for years to come.
Broadway Market: Festive day
Broadway Market’s festive day with Santa’s grotto, arts and crafts and a photobooth.
Festive Stories & Rhymes
Join in with some festive singing and stories for babies and toddlers.
Thriftmas
Sourced from the creative communities behind Hackney Flea Market and DIY Art Market, Thriftmas launches its first festive thrift market in Stoke Newington.
The Rio’s Saturday Morning Picture Club presents: The Muppet Christmas Carol
Rio Cinema’s Monthly Kids Club - craft activities and a screening of Muppet Christmas Carol!
Make your own toy sled
Create a toy sled using simple materials and have fun decorating it to take home!
The Great Christmas Story Hunt
Become a Christmas elf and help Santa find his lost Christmas tales hidden around the library.
Make a friendship bracelet
Make friendship bracelets for yourself and loved ones this festive season!
Hanukkah Celebration 2025
Join us for a celebration of the Jewish festival of Hanukkah.
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