Taking stories and memories that bring our local community in east London to life as our starting point, Joseph will work with families to create coloured origami boats that reflect your own culture and heritage, the wider diverse identity and stories of our community. You will collectively create an installation to be positioned near to the canal in east London.

This workshop celebrates creativity, community and the joy of trying out with accessible materials. Children and families will learn about the possibilities of making origami collectively.

This event is an inclusive, friendly environment which is accessible to all abilities and age groups. All materials and equipment are provided.

Please note there will be photography taken at this event for Bow Arts and The Line's Internal reporting and for sharing in print and social media.

This event will be held in our outdoor courtyard (we have sheltered areas if the weather isn't on our side!) at our main offices at Bow Arts Trust, 183 Bow Road, London, E3 2SJ.

This event is co-curated by Wan Yi Sandra Lam, Curator: Programmes & Engagement at Bow Arts and Lorna Powell, Engagement Producer (Public Programme) at The Line.

More about Joseph Ijoyemi

Joseph Ijoyemi is a Swedish-Nigerian multidisciplinary artist whose work combines diverse materials and imagery to tell stories fuelled by life experiences, cultural conversations, and a deep connection to his heritage. His output includes sculptures, multimedia installations, and sound performances, through which he shapes conversations around the African diaspora. Ijoyemi holds a MA in Fine Art from Central Saint Martins. He has previously won the prestigious Helen Scott Lidgett Award, and was shortlisted for the Evening Standard Prize 2023. His works were exhibited at Camden Art Centre, London, and Grundy Art Gallery, Blackpool, as part of Bloomberg New Contemporaries 2023. Joseph is co-founder of The Collective Makers, and organisation that mentors and empowers young creatives, and he was recently awarded the MEAD Fellowship at UAL for his project Tracing Roots: Exploring Nigerian Heritage Through Ondo’s Treasures.

More about The Line

The Line is East London’s public art trail that connects Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park and The O2, following the waterways and the line of the Greenwich Meridian. Our mission is to connect communities and inspire individuals through a dynamic outdoor exhibition programme where everyone can explore art, nature and heritage for free. We focus on collaborative engagement projects that support wellbeing and learning, as well as providing opportunities for young people to develop skills and improve employability. At The Line, we value an open, inclusive and nurturing environment to promote collaboration, creativity and wellbeing. We aim to listen and learn from the people we connect with, including visitors and programme participants. The Line believes in the transformative impact of art and nature, and we are committed to increasing access to the arts through our programmes and challenging barriers to participation.

Access information

The Bow Arts Trust offices have step-free access throughout from street level, including to the accessible toilet, and is service animal friendly. This venue does not have a hearing loop system. Accessible parking is not available on-site.

If you have any questions regarding accessibility at this venue or event, would like to make us aware of any access requirements that you have in advance of visiting, or would like this information in an alternate format including Easy Read, please email nunnery@bowarts.com or call 020 8980 7774 (Ext. 3)

Access requirements could include things like providing equipment, services or support (e.g. information in Easy Read, speech to text software, additional 1:1 support), adjusting workshop timings (e.g. more break times), adjustments to the event space (e.g. making sure you have a seat near the entrance) or anything else you can think of!

About the East London Art Prize Events Programme

The East London Art Prize events programme is a dynamic, free public programme open to all, which builds on the Prize’s ethos of providing ongoing support, development, and networking opportunities for artists in east London and beyond.

Featuring a constellation of workshops, talks, panels, lates, socials, labs, walks, and takeovers in collaboration with our Prize partners and featuring some familiar faces from our shortlist of 12 fantastic artists, this year’s events programme celebrates and pays homage to the huge abundance of talent and creativity nestled in east London.

These events have been developed by Wan Yi Sandra Lam, Curator: Programmes & Engagement at Bow Arts in collaboration with our Prize partners the British Council, The Line, London College of Fashion (LCF), London Legacy Development Corporation, University College London (UCL), V&A East, Whitechapel Gallery and Dulux.

Find out more about the wider programme here.

More about the East London Art Prize

The East London Art Prize is an all-media art prize designed to showcase the talent of artists working and living in east London, with an accompanying event programme supporting artists’ careers and opportunities. The Prize is generously funded by Minerva and Prue MacLeod. Find out more on the Prize webpage here.