Emerge East festival returns to Barking Riverside with large-scale immersive art installation: Arborialis Luminarium by Architects of Air

Saturday 7^th September 2024

11am to 7pm

Barking Riverside Station Square and neighbouring sites, Barking, East London, IG11 0YS

Saturday 7^th September marks the return of Emerge East, a free festival of community, creativity, and nature on the banks of the Thames at Barking Riverside.

Having welcomed thousands of guests in 2022 and 2023, the event is again commissioned by master developer Barking Riverside Ltd (BRL) for its third consecutive year, and will host a range of activities, from street food pop-ups and DJ sets, to an Emerging Makers Market, craft workshops and an outdoor sauna experience. New for 2024, the event will feature a major immersive art installation: Arborialis Luminarium by Architects of Air.

Arborialis Luminarium is being brought to Barking Riverside by Creative Barking and Dagenham in partnership with Barking Riverside Limited and with the support of Riverside School. A monumental interactive walk-in sculpture illuminated by colour and light, Arborialis Luminarium is inspired by the natural world and features tree forms and leaf patterns. Created by Alan Parkinson, the visual experience is enhanced by a soothing soundtrack by the Irish composer Dr Michael Morris. This will be the premiere of Arborialis Luminarium in London, having recently been exhibited internationally in Barcelona, Adelaide, Perth, Christchurch and Auckland.

Sarah McCready, BRL’s Director of Social Infrastructure, noted: “It’s great to be able to work with Creative Barking and Dagenham to bring such an inclusive and awe-inspiring artwork to our neighbourhood. We hope many residents, students, local people and visitors can come and enjoy this international installation, demonstrating the social impact that free, world-class art can have.”

In addition to the Luminarium, Emerge East offers a wide range of other exciting activities curated by Hemingway Design.

Returning for 2024 is the popular Wild Riverside Sauna, stationed on the banks of the Thames. A collaboration brought to Barking by Sauna Master Katie Bracher and Community Sauna CIC, the Wild Riverside Sauna will deliver the feel-good benefits of deep heat, cold contrast and rejuvenating steam. Pop-up saunas, ice cold pools and bucket showers will give visitors the opportunity to plunge themselves in a breath-taking outdoor sauna experience in a mostly unexplored stretch of the Thames.

The festival will also host an array of nature-inspired creative workshops, suitable for all ages, plus an ‘Emerging Makers Market’ showcasing a variety of local talent and thriving independent East London businesses. Attendees can also participate in ecology walks, learn about the local flora and fauna, and take part in a series of wellness workshops on mindfulness and holistic health.

Nature lovers can participate in a series of nature talks and activities hosted by London National Park City, a grassroots movement promoting a greener, healthier and wilder London.

Music is also centre-stage: there will be live DJ sets and workshops with UD, a London-based music organisation bringing communities together around Black music and Black music culture.

Festival highlights include:

●        A Taste of Barking Riverside – The Home Cooks, where local people who are legends in their own kitchen become street food vendors for a day for everyone to experience their secret family recipe.

●        An Emerging Makers Market featuring independent traders selling a selection of clothing, gifts, lifestyle products and food produce.

●        Pop-up riverside sauna sessions, with expert guidance by the British Sauna Society and Community Sauna CIC, to learn about sauna culture and rituals from around the world.

●        Nature-inspired creative workshops for all ages including flag making, ceramic seed pots and a bespoke sandpit play and build area.

●        Woodland Tribe activity, where families are invited to build a windmill with the masters of constructive play – Woodland Tribe, a not-for-profit social enterprise promoting adventure play.

●        London National Park City leading a series of talks and activities.

●        Live DJs sets and DJ workshops with UD focusing on Black music and Black music culture.

The event takes place in a fast-emerging East London area, delivered by master developers Barking Riverside Limited – a joint venture between the Mayor of London and L&Q. Barking Riverside Limited is in charge of shaping a 443-acre former industrial site into a vibrant neighbourhood of new homes, commercial and leisure space, schools and facilities, public open spaces and riverside walks.

The event is supported by housing association L&Q and home builders Bellway London. Both will be showcasing the properties available to buy or rent in the neighbourhood during the festival.

Visitors can reach Emerge East via the Barking Riverside to Gospel Oak Overground line, or with the District, Hammersmith & City, and c2c lines via an interchange at Barking station. It can also be reached by the Uber Boat by Thames Clippers service, the EL1 or EL2 bus or via the new network of cycle paths including Cycleway 42. As local parking is limited, it is suggested that visitors travel to Barking Riverside via public transport.

Emerge East is free to visit.

The advance tickets for Arborialis Luminarium by Architects of Air on Saturday 7th September are now sold out. You can still join the queue on the day. The luminarium will be open to admit visitors from 10am – 7pm (last admission). On the day tickets will be available on a first come first served basis. The queue may close early in the case of high attendance.

Tickets are also available for Wild Riverside Sauna (£12) for which pre-booking is recommended.

For more information, to book tickets and for timings and the full line up, please visit: www.emergeeast.uk

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