London 2012 blog

Spitalfields Festival means different things to different people – to some it's three weeks of familiar and new music in June, to others it's a winter alternative to mainstream seasonal offerings and to others it's their first chance to play, compose or hear music.

Starting 32 years ago when taxis would not go as far as Brick Lane, the festival has developed from a single event to a year-round music programme throughout Tower Hamlets with two major focal points in our June and December festivals as celebrations of music and the area. It has built its identity on high quality music, a commitment to sustained involvement within the local community and a belief that as an area Spitalfields and its people have a special creative quality.


Six months in from joining the festival, it's an incredibly fertile time to be involved. In these times, the need for the arts to offer chances to look through a different lens outside of everyday perspectives, to connect people as individuals and as communities and to celebrate life in all of its complexity remains vital. And there's a spirit of action and collaboration within the five host boroughs through initiatives such as Create08, a celebration of art, culture, festivals and performance in the five Host Boroughs, through the City's arts groups and through businesses that are active in the area.

Read more of “Bring on the arts”