Lewisham Loop - Issue 32 ✨

Lewisham is in a very hands-on mood this week. There’s free studio time, writing and improv, jewellery making, proper darkroom photography, live music and a few low-effort library wins for when your diary needs something gentler.

Got lyrics in your Notes app and nowhere to put them? REZON8 gives young people aged 14–25 free 90-minute sessions to record vocals, write, produce and get hands-on with Logic Pro X, with support around songwriting, sound engineering and performance by professionals with experience in these areas.

There are two sessions each day, with Monday & Thursday in Deptford, and Tuesday & Wednesday at the Albany. Free, but booking ahead is the sensible move. Sign ups can be done through this form, and further details about REZON8 can be found here.

Come As You Are kicks off a new run of free creative workshops with Creative Writing and Language Invention — playing with words, sounds, lyrics, colours and stories, with a bit of language-making thrown in for good measure.

It’s for ages 11–24 and free to join, with sign-up to CAYA required first through here, and view more details about the Creative Workshops schedule and sign up to them from this page.

This five-week course starts with drama games, movement, improvisation and spontaneous storytelling, with no previous acting experience needed. A useful one for anyone wanting to loosen up creatively, build confidence or simply get better at making decisions before their brain has time to object.

Full course details and booking can be found here. £80 full price or £40 reduced.

Stepover head to New Cross Inn with Wendigo on the bill for an early-evening live guitar show. Doors are at 6pm, leaving just enough time to finish work, locate some dinner and pretend this was all carefully planned.

Details about the lineup, and tickets can be found on the Pit website here. Tickets are £8.80 including the booking fee.

Raphael Attar — AKA RAFFFFFF — brings new album An Ordinary Life to the Hill Station, with new songs, a couple of older ones, a warm-up act, DJ and live wind instruments in the mix.

It’s a free ticketed show, which feels like particularly good Tuesday-night economics. Details and free tickets can be found here.

This ten-week beginner course gets into the practical side of jewellery making, including shaping, texturing and finishing metal to create pieces such as rings, earrings and pendants. No need to arrive with a secret silversmithing career already underway.

Full course details and booking can be found here. £220 full price or £140 reduced.

A five-week introduction to developing black-and-white film and making hand prints using traditional darkroom equipment. It’s designed for beginners, practising photographers and anyone who once knew what they were doing but could use a refresher.

The course costs £122.50. Booking and course details can be found here.

Written and performed by Demi Wilson-Smith and inspired by her own story, Cranes follows a young photographer navigating activism, family and the criminal justice system. The show runs for 65 minutes and forms part of the Ryan Calais Cameron Season at the Broadway Theatre.

Tickets are £12–£15. Check an overview of the performance or book a seat here.

_{Note: This event is (advised) 16+, contains strong language, distressing scenes and references to violence, self-harm and racism.}

Bristol collective DEYU take on the music of MF DOOM with an experimental live set mixing hip-hop, jazz fusion and improvisation, digging into deeper cuts as well as bringing a few guests along for the ride.

Book or view details here - Tickets run from £8 concession to £12 second release.

_{Note: This event is 18+}

RECREATION starts its new Fox & Firkin residency with founder Rebekah Abdeen joined by a special guest from Terrorhythm/Rinse FM, CASE and resident Trudy Knight. Expect an electronic night with plenty of bass in the equation.

Tickets may be bought from the Fox & Firkin here, priced from £10 - £13.

_{Note: This event is 18+}

🧸 Rhyme Time at Forest Hill Community Library - Tuesday 22 September, 10am–10:30am. Free songs and stories with Anita for ages five and under. No grand expedition required.

🌱 Wellbeing Wednesdays - Wednesday 23 September, 12pm. A free session at the Ital Community Garden in Bellingham, with gardening activities for different abilities — or permission to simply sit and enjoy the space.

✍️ Inside Creative Writing Expression Lab - Wednesday 23 September, 6pm–7pm. A free writing space at Riverside Youth Club for exploring poetry, stories and scripts, with chances to collaborate and perform.

🧘 Thursday Morning Therapeutic Yoga - Thursday 24 September, 9:30am. An accessible class at Manor House Community Library covering posture, breathing, relaxation and more. Free trial available; drop-ins are £15 if there’s space.

📚 Story Time at Sydenham Community Library - Thursday 24 September, 10:30am–11am. Free, relaxed and no booking needed: pick a picture book or board book and one of the volunteers will take it from there.

🎮 Repair a Games Console - Thursday 24 September, 4pm–6pm. A free hands-on workshop at Forest Hill Community Library for ages 10–14 covering faults, repairs and electronic circuits. Places are limited, so book ahead.

See you next week ~