Hackney Art Week returns for 2026 with expanded borough-wide programme

Hackney Art Week is back for 2026, expanding across the borough with a larger, more ambitious programme that turns East London into a hub of art, music and community.

Running from 4^th to 14^th June, the free festival will bring together more than 60 artists across 50 venues, transforming everything from galleries and studios to cafés, pubs and street corners into spaces for creative work.

Founded in 2025 by Lisa Baker and Anna McHugh, the event builds on its breakout first year with a programme that spreads across Dalston, Clapton, London Fields, De Beauvoir, Stoke Newington, Haggerston and Hackney Wick. Rather than a single central site, the festival unfolds as a series of moments across the borough – exhibitions, workshops, performances and installations popping up in unexpected places.

The opening night at the Rose Lipman Building on 3^rd June sets the tone, hosting Salon of The Spectacle, a female-led showcase combining photography, live performance and immersive installation.

Elsewhere, the programme moves between disciplines and spaces. A weekend at ESEACC at The Old Bath House brings together contemporary art and food culture through exhibitions, film and a dumpling pop-up, while a borough-wide art hunt led by Holly-Anne Buck invites audiences to track down hidden works across London Fields.

Public space plays a key role throughout. Claudi Panaite’s projection will transform Wilton Way into a moving, fashion-inspired spectacle, while Tara Darby’s The White Cage places a photography installation directly onto a Hackney football pitch, focusing on community and belonging.

Alongside this, visitors can expect ceramics workshops, writing sessions, live music curated by Gabriel Prokofiev and a wide range of exhibitions across venues including Raleigh Chapel, Chats Palace and St Augustine’s Tower.

With its mix of grassroots creativity and established names, Hackney Art Week continues to carve out space for artists within the borough, while raising funds for local charity Hackney Giving through limited-edition prints.

The editorial unit
Photo: Courtesy of Hackney Art Week

Hackney Art Week takes place from 4^th until 14^th June 2026. For further information, visit the exhibition’s website here.