This is Croydon - October - December 2023

october to december 2023

Croydon’s Caribbean Influencers move to the National Portrait Gallery Credit: Donna Fraser

by Kyam.

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an open invite to all

october to december 2023

croydon music heritage trail  Ongoing  Various locations Celebrate Croydon’s rich music history and heritage! Download and explore the Croydon Music Heritage Trail app; join a walking tour of publicly nominated and voted artists and venues; visit the Croydon Symphony artwork from street artist ATMA in The Queen’s Gardens.

And don’t miss…. the Croydon Music Heritage Trail exhibition coming to the Museum of Croydon in January 2024.

david lean cinema

desire paths

 Ongoing  D avid Lean Cinema, Croydon Clocktower, Katharine Street, CR9 1ET

 Until 25th November 2023  Whitgift Centre and various locations

Discover the best of British and World cinema from arthouse and classics through to Hollywood and Bollywood blockbusters.

This is Croydon is supporting dementiafriendly and relaxed screenings.

Turf Projects has commissioned nine artists to create new work with communities focusing on disused and underused spaces around Croydon.

Come and be part of the conversation.

National Symphony Orchestra of Ukraine Croydon Stands Tall

dance festival croydon

 Until 27th October 2023  Croydon town centre

 Until 28th October 2023  Various locations

Decorated by local artists, schools, and communities 30 giant and 30 baby giraffe sculptures are across Croydon town centre for you to explore and enjoy

An exciting programme of dance performances and workshops curated by Beeja; including Jose Agudo, BirdGang, Ceyda Tank Dance, and Grand Gesture as well as youth performances.

 18th October 2023, 7:30pm  Fairfield Halls, Park Lane, Croydon, CR9 1DG The National Symphony Orchestra of Ukraine visit Croydon’s worldclass concert hall this October as part of their first UK tour in 20 years. The 98-piece orchestra will deliver a fantastic programme including Strauss, Beethoven, Sibelius and Ukrainian composer, Lyatoshynsky.

Show your support for the people of Ukraine and their rich musical culture by joining this extraordinary international event in our borough.

october to december 2023

what’s on our croydon

 November - December 2023  Various locations

croydon’s caribbean influencers  Until 12th February 2024  National Portrait Gallery, St Martin’s Place, London, WC2H 0HE Museum of Croydon’s excellent exhibition of portraits and poems inspired by our Caribbean influencers moves to the National Portrait Gallery.

Featuring the work of Kyam, Shaniqua Benjamin and Abi Wright.

black history 365  Ongoing  Various locations Curated and produced by Croydon BME Forum, this celebration of Black history includes events such; Lets Talk! To Our Sisters; school projects; community commissions; arts and crafts family days; wellbeing events; craft and independent traders’ markets.

family (DYS) function

 21st October 2023 at 2.30pm & 7pm  Stanley Arts, 12 South Norwood Hill, SE25 6AB

Our Croydon, led by Talawa Theatre Company, amplifies and weaves stories of historical, recent and current figures of African and Caribbean heritage who are either from or have lived in the borough.

Talks, workshops, events and exhibitions taking place from 11 November - 14 December 2023 at Croydon Clocktower Atrium Galleries, Stanley Arts, Talawa Theatre and Turf Projects bring these stories to life for all to enjoy.

Get ready to experience a collision of analogue and digital worlds as hip hop movement architects BirdGang Ltd bring together an intergenerational cast from the communities of Croydon.

Croydon Punk Film Festival Popin’ Pete’s Pop Shop  23rd - 30th October 2023  U nit 55, Lower Mall, Centrale Shopping Centre, CR0 1XT Get set for seven non-stop days of popping, hip hop history, classes, parties, beats, battles and much more led by dance legend Popin’ Pete.

 30th October - 4th November 2023  David Lean Cinema, Croydon Clocktower, Katharine Street, CR9 1ET A week of special screenings and Q&A events celebrating Croydon’s music and punk heritage. Meet an array of performers and characters from the Croydon Punk scene along with filmmakers and those featured in the films. The programme includes: Basically, Johnny Moped, The Damned: A Night Of A Thousand Vampires, and the 2022 documentary Are They Hostile? featuring Croydon groups from 1977 to 1985.

october to december 2023

what’s on Croydonites  2nd - 18th November 2023  Various locations Croydonites is a festival of theatre and cutting-edge performance showcasing local performers and some of the best contemporary work from around the UK. This sixth edition features Oona Doherty; Lucy McCormick; Abandoman and many more.

Sikh History on the Streets of Croydon  4th November 2023 12pm - 4pm  B raithwaite Hall, Katharine Street, CR9 1NX Celebrating the Sikh community’s contribution to Croydon and London society.

nightshift  16 - 25 November 2023  Stanley Arts, 12 South Norwood Hill, SE25 6AB It’s 6pm, Friday evening. As the locals begin to unwind and play in the streets, others come out into the night… to work.

As the emergency dispatcher starts, the petrol station attendant goes home in shock... the delivery driver avoids another late warning…

The surgeon is on call again... the Uber driver doubles their fare, the busker wants to quit...

And the DJ: saving lives tonight despite her own distressing news. Sounds like a wild night, right?

Pinocchio  17th December 2023, 6pm  Fairfield Halls, Park Lane, CR9 1DG Experience the magic of the community coming together in Fairfield Halls’ famous concert hall for a performance that proves anyone can achieve anything.

This brand new interpretation has been co-created with the local community and SAVVY Theatre. Rather than Pinocchio wanting to be a real boy and conform – it’s actually about him learning that it’s ok to be who he is.

young croydon composers  22nd December 2023  The Front Room, St George’s Walk, CR0 1YL Original diverse compositions created and performed by Croydon’s talented young musicians.

London Borough of Culture is a Mayor of London initative, with support from Arts Council Enagland and National Lottery Heritage Fund.

The This is Croydon programme is being delivered through a unique collaboration between the cultural organisations and people of the borough in partnership with Croydon Council.

Are you a school teacher, a home educator, parent or guardian looking for to make This is Croydon more enjoyable and accessible to young people?

Go to www.culturecroydon.com/education for resources, activities, and information on workshops.

To find out more about This is Croydon please visit: www.culturecroydon.com    @Culturecroydon #ThisIsCroydon #CultureCroydon #MyLocalCulture

Above: Young students attend the launch day of Constable’s The Cornfield at Thornton Heath Library in partnership with The National Gallery. Photo credit: Rachel Adams for Croydon Council. Touretteshero Journey to a Better World part of Liberty Festival 2023 curated by Drunken Chorus. Photo credit: Paul Fuller.