OPEN STUDIOS & OPEN HOUSE 2025
On Saturday, 20 September 2025, Alice Billing House had its second Open Studios as part of the Open House Festival. We welcomed over 90 visitors who enjoyed perusing the studios and meeting our resident artists, as well as the work produced for the Newham Heritage Month Project, ‘Inspector of Nuisances’.
This exhibition and projected installation featured playful and personal stop-frame animations and digital media produced during creative community workshops. The work explored themes inspired by the Alice Billing story: women’s health, equal rights, and environmental issues. Over the course of three hands-on sessions, four local participants explored issues from past and present, ranging from litter and public sanitation to invisible labour and intergenerational legacies. The workshops were led by Frames of Mind, studio holders at Alice Billing House, who guided participants in using stop-frame animation and voice-over to express their ideas and bring them to life. The resulting work was displayed in our Project Space, allowing visitors to engage with and learn about the project.
Sam Ikhuoria, a Newham Artist, exhibited the work he produced during his artist-in-residence, which he completed in July The work is inspired by the multifaceted uses of Alice Billing House over the last 60 years: Firemen's accommodation, Homeless shelter, Environmental Health Office and a film Set. Read more about Sam’s residency
Visitors explored our historic, former fireman’s accommodation, a building which was renovated into 11 artist studios, and opened in January 2024. Guests got the opportunity to talk and buy directly from the makers and creatives of Alice Billing House.
We were especially delighted when three visitors, who had worked at Alice Billing House when it was the Environmental Health Offices, attended the Open Studio. It was wonderful to hear their stories and insights into the building’s civic past, which we have been researching.
Thank you to everyone who took part in and visited us this year! We look forward to the next one in September 2026!
"The Open Studio day was fantastic. It was great to connect with the other studio holders and to feel part of a creative community, and it was fantastic to see so many local residents coming through, engaging with and exploring our work"
Theo, Alice Billings House Studio Holder
“I really enjoyed volunteering for Open House at Alice Billing House as it combined my joint interests of art & history! It's a very welcoming place and both artists & staff are obviously proud of the work they do there, and that the building has such a story to tell. Visitors clearly appreciated having such a unique venue locally to both view and be involved with.”
Helen, Open House, Volunteer
