The Talent House officially opened by the Mayor of London

Photo by Riah Yasmeen

“Two organisations coming together, working together to be that springboard so these young people can aim for and reach the stars. This is the story of east London” The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan

We are thrilled to announce that the Talent House, our new shared home with music organisation UD, was officially opened on Tuesday 5 July by The Mayor Of London, Sadiq Khan.

Caravan Live Culture photo by Caroline Teo

What an incredible evening of celebration. In the atrium of the building guests were treated to performances from choreographer Kloe Dean and youth vocal collective Flames Collective, with DJ Pogo hitting the decks. The dance studios were taken over by Caravan Live Culture who presented an interactive and fully improvised live music and dance performance & jam. Across the other side of the building singer/song writer Nayana was in residency in the UD music studios, with special guest Ghetts popping in to take in the atmosphere and lend his support to the launch.

UD live lounge studio photo by Caroline Teo

It was fantastic to be able to celebrate and thank all the remarkable people who have made this space possible. We want to say an especially big thank you to former East London Dance CEO Polly Risbridger and the East London Dance staff team who have held onto the vision over the past 5 years, alongside our incredible board of trustees led by Moira Sinclair, who have so skilfully brought us to this pivotal new chapter in East London Dance’s long history.

Kloe Dean photo by Riah Yasmeen

It was thrilling to see the whole building alive with dance and music activity – this got us incredibly excited about the future potential of the space and our partnership with UD, because the Talent House is designed to equip young diverse talent in east London to become the next generation of music and dance professionals by providing free and affordable access to world class facilities as a launchpad to reach new audiences, alongside facilitating collaboration between young people and early career creatives and producers.

Tia Hassan, Kate Scanlan & the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan

“For more than three decades, East London Dance has played a central role in the development of dance in east London – nurturing, showcasing and championing young and emerging artists and creatives from black, Asian, ethnically diverse and working-class communities. With the Talent House, our first dedicated home, we are energised like never before to create a world where creative talent is always met with opportunity, no matter where you come from. We’re committed to artist-led and co-designed programmes and to ensuring that the Talent House is a welcoming and open space for people to gather, connect, learn, collaborate and share their creativity with the world – so come and get involved.” Tia Hassan & Kate Scanlan, Joint Creative Director & Chief Executive, East London Dance

Whether you’re looking to learn some new moves, get support for your creative career, build your networks or for a space to realise your creativity, East London Dance and the Talent House are here for you, so get in touch!

Check out our highlights on Instagram here.

Read the full press release here.

The Talent House has been made possible with the support of Arts Council England; Greater London Authority; London Legacy Development Corporation; London Borough of Newham; Vastint UK; Westfield East Bank Creative Futures Fund, funded by Westfield Stratford City and delivered by Foundation for Future London; London Marathon Charitable Trust; The Linbury Trust; The Foyle Foundation; Cockayne – Grants for the Arts & London Community Foundation; PPL; Arts & Culture Impact Fund by Nesta; and CMS Law.