Landmark Timeline

Across the autumn term, Here East hosted UMBILICAL, a striking ten metre sculpture by renowned artist Conrad Shawcross. The installation featured a complex system of interlocking mechanical arms that slowly rotated in a continuous, never-repeating sequence creating a hypnotic display of engineering and artistry. The work demonstrated how architecture, engineering and culture intersect to create a place where ideas are built at scale, not just imagined.

Opening its doors at Here East, the centre is a tribute to one of the world’s most iconic performers. The Bowie Centre brings together more than 90,000 items from the legendary artist’s archive - stage costumes, handwritten lyrics, and personal ephemera – offering the public an unprecedented window into his creative world.

Freshers Fest brought together students from across the five universities based at Here East – UCL, Loughborough University London, Staffordshire University London, Teesside University LMA. The afternoon offered food and drink, music, information stands and big giveaways, with local retailers joining in to welcome the new cohort. The event highlighted the vibrancy of the campus community, creating an open, energetic space for students to meet, connect and begin their journeys at studying on the Here East campus.

A Future Talks event brought together leading voices from the creative, education and technology sectors to debate the dangerous ideas shaping the future of storytelling. Industry roundtables and panel discussions explored AI, creativity, funding risk takers and how education can unlock imagination, not just teach tools.

The fifth cohort of Here East scholars joined the campus, strengthening Here East’s commitment to creating opportunities, increasing access and opening real pathways into industry. The programme connects students with education and organisations they can learn from, as well as the creative and technological ecosystem they can grow within.

Here East convened an immersive research lab exploring the future of architecture, digital design and urban innovation. Partner institutions unveiled prototypes, installations and experiments that turned the campus into a live testing ground and showed how the built environment can evolve in real time, not theoretical space.

Summer by the Canal opened the season with weekly live music on Canalside, creating an open, welcoming space for everyone to enjoy. The annual programme brought residents, visitors and workers together across the cafés, bars and restaurants that line Here East’s Canalside, offering free performances as the sun set.

In partnership with Hackney Council, the annual Diversity in Tech event returned to the campus, convening leaders and local talent to examine equity and inclusion in an AI-driven world. Conversations focused on how diverse perspectives strengthen innovation, reinforcing the idea that creating at scale requires broad access to skills, opportunities and representation across the tech ecosystem. Attendees also participated in an on-site Jobs & Skills Marketplace, connecting local talent with employers, training schemes and tech opportunities.

V&A East Storehouse welcomed a landmark visitor as Her Royal Highness The Princess of Wales toured the new collection. The moment brought national attention to the museum’s innovative, open-access approach to its archives, strengthening V&A East as a cultural anchor on the Here East campus and inspiring the next generation of young creatives.

To celebrate SXSW coming to London, Here East and LMA hosted 'It all starts Here', an evening of music, technology and new ideas that showcased how the campus connects global platforms with local talent. The event reinforced the position of Here East as a launchpad for creative journeys, where analogue meets digital and imagination becomes production.

Here East celebrated a cultural milestone with the opening of the V&A East Storehouse and the World Press Photo Exhibition. The occasion marked the campus as a destination for global culture and creativity and placed world class institutions alongside students, makers and local communities.

As part of Hackney History Festival, “Innovation on Historic Grounds” brought together members of the Here East community for an evening of interactive exhibits, talks and behind-the-scenes insights. CEO Gavin Poole led a look back at the site’s transformation from Olympic infrastructure to a thriving ecosystem of innovation shaping long-term impact in East London.

Hosted at the innovation hub on the Here East campus, the fifth annual investor showcase by Tech London Advocates and Global Tech Advocates brought together over 200 investors, entrepreneurs, policymakers and researchers focused on healthtech and life sciences. The event highlighted the UK’s unique proposition in healthtech and underscored the role of innovation-districts like Here East in bridging academia, industry and capital.

Here East’s new podcast, Visionary, explores the ideas, people and innovations redefining how we live and work. Hosted by Georgina Godwin and produced at Here East’s studio in London, the series profiles the boldest thinkers, makers and change-agents of our time. Through smart conversations and fresh perspectives, Visionary invites listeners to step into the future, where big ideas meet real-world solutions.

A Future Talks session explored how the UK can lead the next wave of human centred innovation. Experts from government, industry and academia discussed AI, robotics, quantum and design and emphasised collaboration, creativity and people first thinking as the drivers of technological leadership.

Alongside London & Partners and Oury Clark, Here East co-hosted London Calling, a transatlantic networking event during SXSW Austin, connecting investors, founders and creative leaders from the UK and US. The night highlighted London as a global hub for technology, creativity and climate innovation and built momentum toward SXSW London.

East London has earned recognition as a top destination for 2025, with The New York Times naming it a top travel destination and Stratford ranking #2 in Time Out’s list of the 15 best places to visit in the UK. Adding to its growing allure, SXSW London debuded in East London in June, further cementing the area’s status as a hub for innovation and culture.

The global creative tech community gathered at Here East for the REMIX Summit. Keynotes, immersive sessions and networking filled the campus and placed East London at the forefront of global conversations about culture, creativity, entrepreneurship and the industries that will shape society.

In collaboration with Hackney Council, Here East hosted the ‘Diversity in Tech: Power to Create Your Own Pathway’ event, exploring how East London’s young innovators can carve out unique pathways into tech careers.

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In June 2024, Here East announced a new and exciting charity partnership with Badu, joining forces to tackle child poverty in the local London growth boroughs and make a tangible difference to the lives of vulnerable children.

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Here East hosted ‘Future Frontiers’ in collaboration with Tech London Advocates, bringing innovators, entrepreneurs, investors, and tech leaders together in Plexal to explore the future of London’s tech sector ahead of the mayoral election.

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During SXSW in Austin, Texas, Here East hosted ‘London Calling: Where Pioneering Ideas Meet Business Opportunities’ in collaboration with London & Partners, exploring the power of transatlantic bonds between London and the US.

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Our fourth Future Talks event asked the following question: ‘Is Technology Killing Entertainment?’ It brought together innovators and industry leaders to examine whether technology – specifically AI – is changing entertainment for better or worse.

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Here East hosted the annual REMIX Summit – a global conference where culture, technology and entrepreneurship collide – this year, focusing on exploring: ‘The Future of Culture and Creative Industries’.

Here East hosted a live broadcast of one of the BBC’s flagship political programmes, BBC Radio 4’s ‘Any Questions?’, which saw a live audience quiz a panel of influential political and media figures on timely global and local issues.

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Our third Future Talks event convened industry leaders and futurologists to imagine what London will look like in the decades to come, diving deeper into why the capital is a leading global smart city and how it can retain its reputation.

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The Here East Scholarship Programme welcomed its third cohort of students to campus, seeing them embark on courses at two of the world-class academic institutions based on site: Staffordshire University London and LMA.

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The renowned media and performing arts institution co-owned by Robbie Williams, LMA, expanded its space at Here East, enabling it to increase the quality of its offering to students across numerous degrees on the campus.

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Here East announced the creation of the Here East Virtual Twin in partnership with digital design specialists Squint/Opera, which will provide a platform for people from across the world to visit our campus virtually.

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Our second Future Talks event asked the following question: ‘AI: Friend or Foe?’ It brought together experts across business, technology, the creative industries, and academia to explore future use cases of AI and discuss how the landscape is evolving.

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