Backyard Biennial: East

15 Jul-6 Sep 2026

Overview

Backyard Biennial: East is an 8-week, free, summer arts festival initiated by Whitechapel Gallery in collaboration with more than 40 local partners across East London.

Titled East and featuring exhibitions, installations, screenings, performances, workshops, residencies, walks, open studios and special events, this first iteration of Backyard Biennial will celebrate the unique historic, cultural and creative identity of the East End, and pay tribute to its many diverse communities and industries.

One of the youngest, most ethnically diverse, and fastest growing areas in the UK, East London has a long and rich history of political and social reform and continues to be a powerful site of renewal and resistance. A global benchmark of creative innovation, it is home to many artists, writers, poets, musicians, philosophers and activists. It is also an established centre of artisan craftmaking, notably supporting local textile and furniture industries, breweries and housing the historic Whitechapel Bell Foundry.

A flagship of Whitechapel Gallery’s 125th anniversary year, this innovative pilot project is designed to reframe what an arts biennial is and who it is for. It proposes a vibrant and evolving model for community participation and audience engagement, continuing the Gallery’s commitment to working with local stakeholders to create sustainable cultural and social infrastructures.

Over a series of ‘gatherings’ convened by Whitechapel Gallery, partners worked collaboratively to inform a community-driven and inclusive framework for the Biennial. The process is being supported by Kin Structures, an artist-led organisation dedicated to enabling collective agency and sustainable infrastructures.

The Biennial will take place across a range of local venues, including art galleries, cultural and grassroots organisations, educational centres, places of worship and other public arenas. The programme will embrace East London’s past, present and future: from stories of migration and journeying, ecology and land-use to walking practices, music and song and community archives and utopian imaginings. Audiences will be offered new ways to encounter works – both within and beyond traditional gallery spaces – while also exploring the East End through diverse perspectives.

Participating organisations include: Acme, Alvaro Barrington’s Studio, Artsadmin, Auto Italia, Bevis Marks Synagogue Heritage Foundation, Bow Arts, Centre for the Sciences of Place and Memory, University of Stirling, Counterpoints Arts, Emalin, Four Corners, Greatorex, House of Annetta, Jewish Museum London, Kin Structures, London Community Video Archive, London Metropolitan University, London Parks & Gardens, Migration Museum, Mile End Community Project, NıCOLETTı, OITIJ-JO Collective, Oxford House, Public Gallery, Queen Mary University of London, Raven Row, Save Soanes, SLQS Gallery, The Somali Museum, Spitalfields City Farm, Spitalfields Life, St Margaret’s House, Swaraj Music, The Gilbert + George Centre, Tower of London (Historic Royal Palaces), Trapped in Zone One, Underground East, University of London, School of Advanced Study – Centre for Public Engagement Practice in Arts and Humanities and the vacuum cleaner.

Participating artists include: Adam Farah-Saad, Alessandra Acierno, Alexis Bamforth, Aliaskar Abarkas, Alisa Oleva, Alvaro Barrington, Alvin Lương, Anisah Yaminah, Atiena R Kilfa, Catherine Morland, Christine Kirubi, Clare Qualmann, Clementine Butler-Gallie, DAYTIMERS, Deborah-Joyce Holman, Del LaGrace Volcano, Denzil Forrester, Dimuthu Meehitiya, Dr Broderick Chow, Ebun Sodipo, Eirini Fountedaki, Ella Parry-Davies, Felix Taylor, Fozia Ismail, Frederick Kannemeyer, Gabriel Mills, Gilbert & George, Hannah Black, Hannah Morgan, Hiền Hoàng, Hoa Dung Clerget, Idris Young, Imani Mason Jordan, India Sachi, Ingrid Pollard, Jannat Hussain, Jnr Boakye-Yiadom, John Smith, Jyll Bradley, Kabir Hussain, Kuda Mushangi, Kumbirai Makumbi, KV Duong, Laisul Hoque, Lorna Powell, Louise Ashcroft, LuLu Wang, Lydia Newman, Ma Lingli, Made in the East End, Maia Holtermann Entwistle, Manal Massahla, Maren Hassinger, Marla-Sunshine Kellard Jones, Marwan Bassiouni, Maymana Arefin, Minami Kobayashi, Moi Tran, Morag Rose, Nando Messias, Nguyễn Thùy Tiên, Nicole Chui, Nour Jaouda, Praxis, Professor Paula Reavey, Puer Deorum, Rachel Garfield, Rebecca Bellantoni, Reetu Sattar, Rehan Jamil, Rehana Zaman, REIKO, Rene Matić, Rezia Wahid, Riwa Saab, Roland Knowlden, Rose Nordin, Rukia Ullah, Saira Niazi, Sandra Mujinga, Sanne Visser, Sharri Plonski, Shenece Oretha, Shumaiya Khan, susan pui san lok, walkwalkwalk, Yannick Portmann, Yi To and Zanele Muholi.