Located in the London Borough of Hackney, which has been known for its artistic and creative communities since the 19th century, the E8 Art & Craft Trail was set up in 2022 out of a series of conversations between local artists and makers. Between us, we knew of numerous artists and craftspeople living and creating work in their homes or small private studios in the E8 area.
While many of us sell online and in markets and galleries, we felt that there would be something exciting and more personal about inviting the public to see where our work is made and to meet the people who make it.
We were keen to create a model that is small, local and efficient to run on a not-for-profit basis. Inspired by similar schemes in other areas and by Hidden Art of Hackney (1990-2012), we were drawn to the model of a walking trail: a series of open homes and studios in the small geographically defined area of the E8 postcode, which would be easy to navigate on foot. Our vision is a trail that allows people to spend a few hours browsing art and craft in this Hackney neighbourhood, meeting and contributing directly to the artists who live and work here.
