An OPEN Dalston event celebrating local culture and history

An OPEN public event featuring  music, literature, history, satire and local news kicks off at 7.30pm this evening at the St Barnabas Church and Hall, Shacklewell Row in Dalston. Although partly in a church, the event is not religious and is open to people of all beliefs and none.

The church is Grade II listed built in 1910 in the Romanesque style. A secret gem of a building and only now being brought back into full use. David Garrard, from English Heritage, will give a short talk about the building and its history.

The writer, poet and film-maker Iain Sinclair will read from his new, yet to be published, book and may range freely across issues of local and national interest.

Michael Rosen, poet and broadcaster, will perform Regeneration Blues and other work – accompanied by The DulceTones ( Dalston musicians, including some of international repute and local notoriety).

OPEN’s patron, Lord Low of Dalston, and Lady Jill, also hope to attend the event.

The building will be lit by Arcola Theatre – using a low carbon portable fuel cell – a creation of one of its directors, Dr Ben Todd. Arcola will also present plans for their forthcoming move to The Colourworks in Ashwin Street, Dalston, and plans for an new carbon-neutral theatre in Dalston.

Another highlight of the evening will be to hear Steve Butters describe the fierce competition to win the ‘Ceausescu Golden Spoon Award’ which has been won by the Dalston Square development – a public/private partnership scheme between Hackney Council, the Greater London Authority and volume house-builder Barratt. Phase two of Dalston Square is now being built on ‘The Slab’.