Archive for the ‘FUSEBOX’ Category

January 2025 Exhibitions at FUSEBOX 

Posted on: January 30th, 2025 by cyEditor

Violaciones – Oscar Rodriguez

Oscar Rodriguez (he/they), one of our current Creative Talent Programme Artist, invites audiences to rediscover failure as a catalyst for profound hope. Rooted in their Salvadoran heritage and inspired by the revolutionary legacies of their ancestors, Oscar collaborated with friends, activists, and fellow poets to craft a short film and an evocative soundscape album. Together, they explored liberation in its many forms, challenging conventional narratives and honouring the struggles of oppressed, Queer, and working-class communities.

Beyond the screen and speakers, Oscar’s exhibition created an immersive experience through poetry, multi-medium artwork, and creative installations. This powerful collection provided a space for connection, reflection, and dialogue, offering a moment of healing and solidarity for all who attended.

soft space, still moment: Mindful Art Sessions

Alongside Oscar’s exhibition, we also hosted soft space, still moment, a tranquil and reflective installation space created by the young people who attend our Weekly Mindful Art Sessions. This exhibition invited visitors to step into a calm zone designed to encourage sensory awareness and inner peace.

Through art, attendees explored mindfulness and self-expression, fostering an environment of stillness and contemplation. If you are aged between 12-25 and would like to be part of our Weekly Mindful Art Sessions, find out more here.

Both exhibitions have been a testament to the power of creativity in fostering community, dialogue, and personal growth. Thank you to everyone who attended and supported these projects—we look forward to continuing to provide platforms for emerging artists and meaningful conversations through art.

Explore FUSEBOX’s Spring 2025 Programme

Posted on: December 23rd, 2024 by cyEditor

Bad Clowns & Good Friends

Thurs 30 January,  13 March, 24 April
19:30 | £10

Step underground and discover enticing acts that will be taking over Kingston’s new basement venue for nights of high quality cabaret comedy, hosted by the Bad Clowns!

Book tickets for Bad Clowns

 

Kingston Undercurrents

Thurs 13 February, 10 April, 8 May, 12 June, 14 August
19:30 | £10

Kingston Undercurrents is a monthly celebration of bold, fresh sounds and raw talent shaping the indie music scene in Kingston, Southwest London. Curated by Paper Garden Records and brought to you by FUSEBOX, this dynamic showcase features everything from soulful singer-songwriters to boundary-pushing experimental bands.
Immerse yourself in the diverse, authentic voices flowing through Kingston’s heart, where creativity knows no limits and the next big thing is always just around the corner. In collaboration with local brands, Kingston Undercurrents also brings interactive and experiential elements, enhancing the experience and connecting the community with the music scene in exciting new ways.

Book tickets for Kingston Undercurrents

 

Violaciones

Launch: Thur 23 Jan, 18:00
Exhibition: 24-25, 29-30 January 2025
Free

Oscar Rodriguez invites audiences to rediscover failure as a catalyst for profound hope. Through a collaborative short film and an evocative soundscape album, Oscar explores liberation in its many forms.

 

Jazz Evening with the Thames Youth Jazz Orchestra

28 February 2025
19:30 | £12 adult, £6 child

Thames Youth Jazz Orchestra, winners of the ‘Best Music Performance’ award at FUSE International 2023, return to play at FUSEBOX in February! TYJO brings together the finest young jazz musicians in South West London and plays a wide selection of big band music, from classic swing to contemporary charts. The band has played at jazz clubs and many other venues both in London and across Europe, and is known for its flair and vibrancy.

Come and join us for a fantastic evening of jazz, guaranteed to get your toes tapping and take you on a musical journey!

Book tickets for Thames Youth Jazz Orchestra

Check out our full programme

Introducing our Exhibitions Programme

Posted on: September 13th, 2024 by cyEditor

This includes free open-call exhibitions based around a new theme each month, alongside powerful showcases of visual art from key collaborators such as WOM Collective.

 

Black Chorus
3 – 12 October 2024, 11:00 – 18:00

Black Chorus emphasises the idea of individual voices contributing to a larger narrative, much like a chorus where each voice is distinct yet part of a harmonious ensemble.

We are delighted to be presenting Creative Youth’s October Open Call, exhibiting Black artists from various visual art disciplines.

This exhibition takes ownership of and reflects the multiplicity of Black identities, cultural narratives and experiences throughout the diaspora in order to uplift and celebrate narratives that have often historically been under or misrepresented in the art world.

You can also join us for Creative Sparks: Spoken Word/ Poetry Evening as part of the exhibition opening celebrations.

 

Rooted: An Art Journey of Interconnection
18 October – 17 November 2024
Wed – Sat, 11:00 – 18:00 (Last entry 17:30)

Since the start of 2024, WOM have made their mark in FUSEBOX as this year’s Community in Residence group.

We’ve seen incredible mural artworks spread across the walls of our venue, as well as Kingston locals engaging in live discussions and group painting/ sketching.

Join WOM for their biggest project at FUSEBOX yet! Get ready for an immersive visual art exhibition, set to takeover the venue this October with a focus on community and interconnectedness.

Voices of Dissent
22 – 30 November 2024
Wed – Sat, 11:00 – 18:00 (Last entry 17:30)

We are delighted to present our November Open Call exhibition, Voice of Dissent, on the theme of ‘protest’.

Art has always been a powerful form of expression in regards to social change, giving a platform to those who are historically ignored, to challenge the status quo, or as a way to reflect the current affairs of the world.

In response to the theme of ‘Protest’, Voices of Dissent presents visual artworks from all disciplines to reflect the power of protest in response to events impacting us presently, previously or that could be a future possibility.

How do individual acts of defiance and personal stories contribute to the larger narrative of resistance? When it comes to social justice, how does art capture the spirit and urgency of these causes?

We are pleased to be celebrating the launch of this exhibition with our regular Creative Sparks evening, showcasing emerging creative performances.

New monthly Cabaret nights launched at FUSEBOX

Posted on: September 11th, 2024 by cyEditor

It’ s been just over a year since our official launch of Kingston’s newest multi-arts venue last summer, and this new programme is a reflection of some of the amazing shows we’ve welcomed to the space since then.

Our new programme features three areas: Cabaret at FUSEBOXFUSE Replay and FUSEBOX Exhibitions. These will run in addition to our regular community events programme.

About our Cabaret Nights

Step underground and discover enticing new acts that will be taking over our basement venue for nights of drag, comedy, poetry, cabaret and music each month.

Bad Energy
Friday 6 September, 20:00

Big Oil CEOs Ben Big & Ollie Oil are hosting another talented line-up of climate-conscious comics for a night of fossil-fuelled fun.

Comedy vs Climate Change is a collective of comedians hosting climate comedy gigs and workshops.

 

t’ARTopia
Thursday 10 October – 20:00

Join us in t’ARTopia for a queer-curated night of drag, comedy, poetry, cabaret and music from some of our most delicious t’ARTs…

We have invited some of our favourite performers to entertain you all, at a night that will be nothing short of t’ARTopian.
Book tickets for t’ARTopia here

The Ugly Bug Winter Drag Ball 
Thursday 5 December – 20:00

Following a very successful debut at FUSEBOX at FUSE International 2024, and several equally successful bug Drag balls across London and Essex, Klub Obskura are delighted to return to Kingston to present the Ugly Bug Winter Ball, a celebration of the beauty of Winter through the eyes of the insect kingdom.

Book tickets for The Ugly Bug Winter Drag Ball here

Upcoming exhibitions at FUSEBOX

Posted on: July 29th, 2024 by cyEditor

We’d love to invite you to our launch of these exhibitions on Thursday 8 August, 18:00 – 21:00.

Exhibition opening dates:

Friday 9 – Saturday 17 August 2024
Opening hours: Tuesday – Friday, 11:00 – 18:00

 

For my People – Tania Pourashraf

We are proud to open the first solo exhibition from a selected open call artist at FUSEBOX!

For my people is an expressive exhibition featuring the works of Tania Pourashraf, an exploration of her personal history and the impact of Iran’s brutal regime on her and her family. Through a series of black and white semi-realistic drawings, Pourashraf delves into her family’s past, illuminating the pivotal decisions that led them into the oppressive environment of Iran’s regime and the profound effects this had on their lives.

 

Echos: The Art of Preservation

We’re delighted to present our next Open Call Exhibition, featuring a range work from young and emerging artists.

What does it mean to preserve a rapidly changing world? How can we safeguard aspects of our collective and individual identities?

We asked artists to think about and respond to the concept of preservation through the lenses of language, culture, environment, history and heritage – what are we, or rather, what should we be protecting and preserving in our world today? How can art be a vessel for keeping important moments of humanity alive?

Kingston Courier: Book Launch at FUSEBOX

Posted on: May 7th, 2024 by cyEditor

On Friday 19 April we had the pleasure to host local Kingston artist Martin Alton’s book launch event, Cracked Paint.

Take a look at the full video to gain a further insight into events at FUSEBOX.

 

Find out about more upcoming events at FUSEBOX via our What’s On page.

Embark on an Adventure: The Kingston Bear Trail is Here!

Posted on: March 26th, 2024 by cyEditor

🎨🌈 The Bear Trail promises a colorful adventure for everyone, whether you’re a family in search of holiday fun, friends seeking outdoor excitement, or simply someone who loves exploring art in unexpected places. Best of all, it’s free to attend and open to all ages!

🌸🐾 With the trail spanning ten weeks, there’s ample opportunity to join in the excitement. Whether it’s Easter holidays or the May half term, the Bear Trail offers the perfect escape for keeping the little ones entertained and creating unforgettable memories together.

But that’s not all! As you journey through Kingston upon Thames, keep your eyes peeled for one of the bear sculptures stationed outside FUSEBOX. This special addition to the trail offers a unique opportunity to experience art in a vibrant setting, adding an extra layer of excitement to your Bear Trail adventure.

Ready to join the fun? Head over to Kingston and let the Bear Trail lead you on a journey filled with whimsy, creativity, and endless discoveries! Make sure to pop in during our opening hours to pick up a guide leaflet from our Box Office team. Once you’ve ticked off all 10 bears across the town centre you will receive a ‘Kingston Bear Expert’ badge of honour!

For more information and to plan your adventure: KingstonUponThames.info/beartrail

Don’t miss out on this paw-some experience! 🐾✨

Update from Kingston First (15/04/2024): “We’re really upset to share that Spectrum, one of the bears that is part of our Bear Trail has been targeted by vandals and thrown into the River Thames. Fortunately, there is CCTV coverage and we are liaising with the Police on this. We’d like to thank all the people who have offered help and support to retrieve the bear, which is testament to the wonderful Kingston Community Spirit. It’s heart-warming to read all your concerned messages, we know how loved the beautiful bears are. We’re currently working on retrieving the bear from the waters and will keep you updated on when and if the bear will return to be part of the trail”.

FUSEBOX wins Time & Leisure Award 2024

Posted on: March 20th, 2024 by cyEditor

After the announcement that Creative Youth had won Best Charity/Social Enterprise Award at the Kingston Borough Business Awards in February 2024, we’re thrilled that our work developing FUSEBOX as a new multi-arts venue on Kingston’s riverside was recognised by the community.

FUSEBOX has now been officially open since July 2023, after a short pilot programme which ran from January – June 2023. The space has been home to exhibitions, comedy gigs, live music, conferences and more in that time and we look forward to continuing to welcome the community and letting young artists make the space their own to play and test new ideas.

Thank you to Time & Leisure and everyone who voted, and to SDS for sponsoring the award.

If you haven’t had a chance to visit FUSEBOX, check our our What’s On page or head down during our regular opening hours, Wednesday – Saturday, 11am – 6pm.

 

[Stage image credit: Joshua Tucker Photography]

Upcoming events at FUSEBOX this Spring 2024

Posted on: March 15th, 2024 by cyEditor

Facing Futures Visual Art Exhibition
Friday 29 March – Wednesday 6 April 2024
Opening hours: Wednesday – Saturday, 11:00 – 18:00 (last entry 17:30)

‘Facing Futures’ is an exploration into the future of the ever-changing world around us, what it might look like and how these changes may impact the human experience. The curated works cover a diverse range of visual art mediums such as painting, video & photography.

The Facing Futures Launch Night will take place on Thursday 28 March 2024 (18:30 – 21:00). This event will allow for exhibiting artists to network and discuss their works with those in attendance.

Create Community – Creatives for Culture
Sunday 14 April 2024, 14:00 – 20:00

Creatives for Culture collective was founded in 2021 with the purpose of building a strong network of filmakers and and film industry professionals. Since then, they have expanded to include those working in a wide range of creative fields.

We are please to be hosting Creatives for Culture this April for their annual creative network event. This event will include guest speakers, small businesses pop ups, a DJ set, film screenings and musical acts, with food sold on the day.

www.creatives4culture.com
Instagram: @creatives4culture

Professional Acting Course
The Kingston Players

COURSE DATES: (Tuesdays) 23 April, 30 April & 7 May, 17:30 – 20:30
Price: £25 per session or £75 for full course

Currently at uni or college and preparing to apply to drama school? Or looking to get into acting and lacking the schooling experience? Or are you interested in acting and want to learn more?

Creative Youth are delighted to be bringing you a series of professionally focused workshops, designed to give emerging actors key advice, feedback and skills to prepare them on their journey into the acting industry.

Suitable for anyone aged 16+. Just 10 places per session are available!

KINGSTON ARTISTS OPEN STUDIOS EXHIBITION
Sat 18 & Sun 19 – Sat 25 & Sun 26 May 2024, 11:00 – 18:00
FREE ENTRY

KAOS is a group of professional, semi-professional and experienced artists living and working in the Kingston area.

We are also pleased to announce that KAOS has partnered with FUSEBOX to launch KINGSTON YOUNG ARTISTS competition.

Artists will be exhibiting their work at FUSEBOX during Kingston Open Studios over two weekends: 18-26th May 2024.

WOM COLLECTIVE
Community in Residence Programme
DATE: Monthly Weekend Events

WOM Collective are a grassroots organisation of London based female artists, passionate about inspiring and empowering each other and our communities.

We are thrilled to be able to offer a creative and affordable space for them to organise workshops, experiment and develop future projects.

Known for their murals, paint jams and creative workshops, expect to see a wide variety of projects coming up in and around FUSEBOX over the coming months.

Ongoing FUSEBOX Projects 2024

Posted on: January 15th, 2024 by cyEditor

Artist Heritage Project

Funded by the Foyle Foundation, this Creative Youth commission asked for artists to highlight the heritage that lies within FUSEBOX, including the Medieval Undercroft and the stone foundations of the Old Kingston Bridge.  The project aims to engage both local and wider communities in the history of Kingston, as well as inspire creativity and engagement within FUSEBOX and throughout the borough. 

Our selected artist is Steph Ward, a local artist who graduated from Kingston School of Art in 2019. Steph’s proposal for our heritage installation is to design and create a stained-glass window installation, illustrating the history of Crafts and Community in Kingston. This piece will then be installed permanently within FUSEBOX in Spring 2024, becoming a new architectural feature that generates discussions around community, heritage and creative inspiration within the space and throughout Kingston.

We are incredibly excited to be supporting Steph in the process of creating this stained-glass installation. With our Artist Heritage Project now officially underway, head to the project page to stay up to date with how FUSEBOX’s heritage installation progresses.

Community in Residence Programme: WOM Collective

This project is funded by The Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames Community Resilience Fund. Having identified a need for affordable spaces for creatives to come together and work with communities, we are launching our Community in Residence Programme in FUSEBOX, our new multi-arts venue on Kingston’s riverside.

WOM Collective are a grassroots organisation of London based female artists, passionate about inspiring and empowering each other and our communities. Over the years, the collective has proudly been a part of numerous community projects, touching the lives of children, teens, and adults alike. WOM Collective are committed to supporting communities and young people, and we are thrilled to be able to offer a creative and affordable space for them to organise workshops, experiment and develop future projects.

Creative Youth is looking forward to building relationships with WOM, whilst offering the collective support and advice in key areas such a fundraising and establishing connections within the borough. Known for their murals, paint jams and creative workshops, expect to see a wide variety of projects coming up over next year. Head to the project page to stay up to date on our new found collaboration.

Upcoming Events at FUSEBOX 2024

Posted on: January 3rd, 2024 by cyEditor

Mindful Art Exhibition
17 – 26 January 2024

Since February 2023, Creative Youth has been collaborating with Mind in Kingston and Mind Richmond to run free weekly mindful art sessions at FUSEBOX for young people aged 12-25. We are delighted to now be sharing the culmination of artwork that has been produced by the young people that attend these sessions. This exhibition will run from Wednesday 17 – Friday 26 January 2024. Find out more about Mindful Art Sessions.

Kingston Art, Music, Pop Fashion 1960s – 1990s Exhibition
2 February – 27 March 2024

AMP Kingston is a National Lottery Heritage Fund (NLHF) supported project, exploring and celebrating Kingston’s musical heritage from the 1960s – present day. Through a mix of oral histories, archive material and intergenerational community responses, this range of displays aims to connect the community to the rich cultural legacy of the area, and inspire and support the next generation of creatives. This exhibition will run from Friday 2 February – Wednesday 27 March, find out more.

Creative Sparks is returning in February 2024, with the opportunity to discover more exciting emerging creatives than ever before! Creative Sparks sees emerging artists from different backgrounds to take over FUSEBOX with music, visual art, theatre, comedy and more. With thanks to Arts Council England funding, Creative Youth is working closely with our panel of Young Creatives to produce 4 Creative Sparks evenings throughout February. These evenings will take place every Friday and follow a different theme each week.

Want to take part in our February Creative Sparks nights? Apply to our open call here (Deadline: Friday 12 January).

 

A Season of Festivity at FUSEBOX

Posted on: December 19th, 2023 by cyEditor

Our friends at Story Storks opened our festive programme with a sold out performance of The First Father Christmas. Families were left enthralled by the catchy songs, immersive lighting and interactive storytelling that filled the venue over the weekend.

Laughter could be heard throughout the venue over the next week with outstanding comedy from Bad Clown’s: Christmas Crackers and Comedy vs Climate Change’s: Oil I Want For Christmas. Both companies brought along an outstanding variety of comics that delivered high energy performances with incredible feedback from our audience members.

Creative Youth also offered intimate festive film screenings of The Nightmare Before Christmas and Elf. Set amongst FUSEBOX’s christmas lights and decorations, these holiday classics reflected the festive atmosphere that can be felt within the Creative Youth team as we reflect on the fantastic year we’ve had.

Thank you to everyone who attended our festive events, stay tuned for a new programme of events starting up in the new year, including acting course: The Kingston Players and our AMP Exhibition!