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Art in all its forms will be popping up all over Walthamstow from 1 -16 September. Step inside neighbours’ houses, enjoy art on shop walls, hanging from trees, in estate agents’ windows, in galleries and gardens, on pavements and in pubs. Almost 3,000 people have contributed to this year’s programme of over 350 event listings to surprise, entertain and amaze residents and visitors to Walthamstow in the eighth annual E17 Art Trail.

This remarkable festival taking place in over 180 venues throughout E17, will be launched with a giant Pass the Parcel game organised by local artist collective “Original Army”. This grand unwrapping will be taking place in Walthamstow Market on Saturday 1 September.

The borough is home to many professional, emerging and amateur artists. Visitors to the festival can join a Tea Trolley Promenade, get their portrait painted in Pop-Up Paris, barter with limited edition local banknotes from The Bank of Walthamstow, gaze at underwater crochet or explore their own creative impulses at any one of a whole host of workshops. There will be trails within trails, with short films from the Walthamstow International Film Festival or a chance to read, tweet or listen to poetry on the Walthamstow Poetry Trail.

“Walthamstow is an Olympic host borough and fittingly this is a record breaking year for the E17 Art Trail. Walthamstow is combining its celebration of physical and sporting achievement with a showcase of its rich cultural and artistic heritage inspired by the theme of ‘Bestow’.

Local artists take ownership of this annual independent festival and support the event through a form of crowd funding while many local independent businesses demonstrate their commitment to the community through their generous sponsorship, advertising and offer of exhibition and performance spaces. The diversity of the work on display is extraordinary, challenging and exciting. Visitors to the festival get to see work produced by internationally recognised and award winning artists, by local school children, community groups, and talented amateur artists and craftspeople. The art forms you will find are equally diverse, including: architecture, ceramics, drawing, film, live arts, music, painting, performance, photography, printmaking, puppetry, sculpture, spoken word and textiles…the list goes on!”
Laura Kerry, festival coordinator.

To help you decide where to start there are walking and cycling tours throughout the festival and an information hub located in Walthamstow Central Library. Collect the Trail Guide from local libraries and participating venues from 4 August. The full programme will also be available online from 4 August, visit: www.e17arttrail.co.uk

Contact Penny Rutterford (07714 538358) or Laura Kerry (07947 275774) for more information and images, to interview individual artists or arrange a personal festival highlights tour or email: penny@artillery.org.uk.