Telegraph Hill Festival returns for 23rd year

Punk karaoke at Telegraph Hill Festival. Pic: Telegraph Hill Festival

South East London residents will have events on their doorstep as the Telegraph Hill Festival returns for its 23rd year.

Chairman of the Festival, Sanjit Chudha, told Eastlondonlines that he wanted the festival to touch everyone in the community, adding: “Culture is for everyone”.

The community-based festival runs from March 25 – April 9, and provides an array of free and paid events including, shows, classes and exhibitions, ranging from community musicals to capoeira classes.

Along with celebrating culture and diversity around Telegraph Hill, the festival will also include workshops for local parents, focusing on young people’s mental health, sexual behaviour and gender identity.

Youth discussion is important to the festival, Chudha explained, saying: “We have been reaching out to the millennial generation, because there are issues in the way they create culture and engage with culture, but also some of the issues they experience in their lives.”

According to the festival’s website, the aim of the event is, ‘to build and sustain a strong sense of community by ensuring that all members of our community are involved in and engaged by the festival’.

Chudha said: “We make a conscious effort throughout the year to engage with a variety of groups and organisations throughout the community.”

“The festival provides a means for people to make culture in a local context,” he added.

Across 15 venues, such as The Hill Station, Goldsmiths, University of London, and Deptford Green School, the festival stretches between New Cross, Telegraph Hill and Brockley, to ensure the festival brings its range of events and culture directly to the residents.

This year, the festival will feature a community performance of modern day opera, ‘Misper’, composed by Emmy award-winning and BAFTA nominated composer and local resident, John Lunn.

Working on a non-profit basis, the festival recycles the money made at the events, back into the fund for the next festival.

In regard to the impact of the festival, Chudha said: “We have a focus on culture and diversity, we want to see that reflected.”

For more details on the festival and the events taking place, visit here.

One Response

  1. Pablo Garrido March 20, 2017

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