THE ALICE BILLING HOUSE BLOG
Follow the journey of Alice Billing House as it evolves from an empty space on Stratford’s High Street to creative home to artists with a heritage-led community-arts project space.
Future events can be found in the calendar.
ARTIST -IN- RESIDENCY - RAMAA SHARMA ON HERITAGE, MOTHERHOOD AND AI
Ramaa Sharma was our Artist-in-residence for two weeks in July and August 2025 for the Time Capsule project and for South Asian Heritage Month. She is a mixed media artist and an AI consultant.
WHAT WILL WE REMEMBER IN 100 YEARS FROM NOW? WITH RAMAA SHARMA
In July, a group of East London residents gathered to consider what heritage meant to them and what they would want to remember in a hundred years time for the purposes of the Time Capsule project.
COLLAGE & CONVERSATION WORKSHOP WITH SAM IKHUORIA, ARTIST-IN-RESIDENCE
The Collage & Conversation workshop was an exciting highlight of Sam’s residency. The session invited participants to explore the history of the building through collage-making and conversation, using the art technique of positive and negative spaces.
SAM IKHUORIA, ARTIST-IN-RESIDENCE FOR INSPECTOR OF NUISANCES - NEWHAM - HERITAGE MONTH 2025
As part of Newham Heritage Month 2025, Newham-based visual artist Sam Ikhuoria completed a two-week residency at Alice Billing House. His work was developed in response to the theme Inspector of Nuisances, a title once used for sanitation inspectors in the 19th century, and his reflection on the layered histories of Alice Billing House over the past 60 years.
MATTER: MADE OF PLACE - THE SECRET LIVES OF ALICE BILLING HOUSE -
As part of her artist residency at Alice Billing House, ceramicist Beverley Sommerville explored the relationship between material, memory, and place. Her practice centres on gathering physical matter from meaningful locations and moments in time, incorporating these materials into clay to create artworks that embed the essence of place and history.
INSPECTOR OF NUISANCES: WORKSHOP SERIES INSPIRED BY WOMEN’S HEALTH & HISTORY IN NEWHAM
This July, we were thrilled to host Inspector of Nuisances – a series of workshops led by Bo and Zoe of Frames of Mind UK. The project invited participants to explore the legacy of women’s health and working conditions in Newham over the past 60 years through creative storytelling, animation, and shared experience
RAMAA SHARMA ANNOUNCED AS ARTIST-IN-RESIDENCE FOR SOUTH ASIAN HERITAGE MONTH
We’re excited to welcome Ramaa Shara as our selected artist-in-residence for South Asian Heritage Month 2025. Ramma, a multidisciplinary artist with roots in South Asia and strong ties to East London, will be undertaking a two-week residency exploring themes of heritage, memory, and identity.
UNIVERSITY OF EAST LONDON AND CENTRAL ST MARTINS ASKS ‘WHAT MIGHT STRATFORD BE MISSING?
This collaborative project, designed by Fernanda Palmieri and Carsten Jungfer, architects, researchers, students and lecturers at University of East London, engages with Newham’s wider ambition to place people and planet at the heart of Stratford Town Centre’s regeneration.
ANNOUNCING SAM IKHUORIA AS ARTIST- IN -RESIDENT FOR NEWHAM HERITAGE MONTH 2025
As part of our Newham Heritage Month project, Inspector of Nuisance, we launched an open call inviting a Newham-based artist to respond to the rich 60-year history of Alice Billing House.
SUPPORT SECURED FROM FROM NATIONAL LOTTERY HERITAGE FUND FOR THE RENOVATION
The funding will breathe life back into the North Building and further improve the South Building, ensuring that the Grade II listed property is safely restored and taken off the Heritage at Risk register. Its new resident artists will continue to build upon the inclusive and representative resource for Newham’s residents, offering activities in the new public spaces, including a pavilion and garden.
TILE-MAKING WORKSHOP ‘MADE OF PLACE’
On Saturday, 17th May, we opened our to the local community for a unique and memorable tile-making workshop led by artist-in-residence Beverley Sommerville.
LEARN TO BE A HERITAGE PRODUCER!
Apply to become a Trainee Heritage Producer and learn how to record local stories and create visual material for ‘ Inspector of Nuisances’, a project for Newham Heritage Month 2025.
STORIES OF MATTER: THE SECRET LIVES OF ALICE BILLING HOUSE
We are excited to announce the forthcoming artist-in-residency of Beverley Sommerville, which will coincide with London Craft Week. 15 - 17 May 2025
METAL BASHING AS AN ODE TO THE BUILDINGS PAST AS A FIREMAN’S ACCOMMODATION
On April 9th, we hosted a fun, family-friendly metal bashing and sculpture workshop that brought creativity and community spirit together.
CALL FOR NEWHAM ARTISTS - PAID RESIDENCY FOR NEWHAM HERITAGE MONTH 2025
We invite artists and creative practitioners to apply to be part of our artist-in-residency programme this Spring/Summer. This will be part of our Newham Heritage Month project, which focuses on the history of Alice Billing House.
COMMUNITY PLANTING DAY
On the 2nd of April, we had a community planting day. We planted our newly built planters with grasses, perennials, shrubs, bulbs, and herbs to improve the entrance courtyard and provide a space for the artists and visitors to enjoy.
ALICE BILLING HOUSE’S FIRST ANNIVERSARY AND SUPPER CLOTH LAUNCH
On March 13th, we invited organisations and community members who have supported our journey in Stratford during our first year to join us in celebrating two significant milestones: the ‘big reveal’ of the Community Supper Cloth and the first anniversary of Alice Billing House’s operations.
FLORAL EMBROIDERY PATCH MAKING
Led by Mel from Stich School, this workshop was part of Women’s History Month celebrations in East London
SPECULATIVE REMEMORY - AN EVENT AND GALLERY SHOW
Join us on Tuesday 28 January from 6pm at Grow in Hackney Wick for an evening exploring the outcomes of experimental project inspired by Alice Billing House- Speculative ReMemory.