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| Foxes and cherries - the eye-catching sculpture atop Brixton market Sketch by Catherine Bardrick |
In October 'we're gonna rock down to Electric Avenue'* and draw Brixton, the British capital of Afro-Caribbean culture with an eclectic mix of Victorian architecture and a vibrant multi-cultural marketplace.
[Dean Ashton writes]
On both days we'll be based at Windrush Square, named after the ship that brought immigrants to Britain from the West Indies in 1948, marking the beginning of multicultural society in modern-day Britain.
*The reggae-influenced pop song Electric Avenue topped the charts way back in 1983.
If this is your first sketchwalk with us,
welcome to Urban Sketchers London!
Every sketchwalk has a leader, a meeting point at the
beginning, a gathering place in the middle and another
one at the end, when we ‘throw down’ our sketchbooks
and pose for a group photo. Sketchwalk leaders
know the area and are there to help you feel at ease
and give you some ideas about what to sketch. Please
note there is no tuition during the sketchwalks. We
all draw what we wish, following the Urban Sketchers manifesto and sharing our drawings at the end.
We look forward to seeing you!
Key times and meeting points
Scroll down for a location map for this sketchwalk
11 am
We will meet in Windrush Square SW2 1JX, opposite Brixton Tate Library and The Ritzy, Brixton's restored 1911 cinema with cafe and bar.
In the event of severe wet weather, we'll relocate to the covered
walkway behind Brixton Underground station. Sign up to the Brixton sketchwalk FB chat for live updates.
1 pm
Return to Windrush Square for the first throwdown and group photo.
3.30 pm
3.30 pm
Meet again on Windrush Square for the final throwdown.
Afterwards
Afterwards
Options for drawing
Windrush Square - You can stick around our starting point to sketch views of the grand Edwardian Lambeth Town Hall, the Greek Doric-style St Matthews Church or the Grade II-listed Brixton Tate Library. And at No. 1 Windrush Square you'll find Raleigh Hall, a Grade II-listed Georgian building that now houses the Black Cultural Archives.
Lambeth Town Hall
Photo by Dean Ashton
Electric Avenue - The first market street in the country to be wired for electricity. Here you'll find colourful independent shops, food in every rainbow colour for sale, and look up to see the cheeky fox sculptures scavenging cherries -- a public art installation by local artist Lucy Casson.
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| Lambeth Town Hall Photo by Dean Ashton |
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| Foxes and cherries in Electric Avenue Sketch by Catherine Bardrick |
Brixton Village - More colour, African print fabrics and even more colourful shop fronts, as well as food outlets like the Brixton Laundry turned all day bistro and wine shop.
Brixton Village
Photo by Dean Ashton
David Bowie Memorial - A
must-visit memorial for the singer/songwriter, who spent his early
childhood in the area. It's opposite Brixton Underground station,
alongside Morley's Department Store.
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| Brixton Village Photo by Dean Ashton |
The Railway Hotel
Sketch by Dean Ashton
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| The Railway Hotel Sketch by Dean Ashton |
Practical information
Food and drink and conveniences
There are plenty of local cafes, fast food joints and international food shops and stalls -- or you can head to Brixton Village for a bit of quinoa and smashed
avocado.
Public transport
The nearest station is Brixton, which serves mainline trains (Southeastern Railway) and London Underground (Victoria line). The station is a three minute
walk from our meeting point at Windrush Square.
Accessibility
Please let us know if you will need accessibility support on the day. Brixton Village is fully accessible. Brixton station is wheelchair accessible, and has step-free access from the street to the train. For information on accessibility across London Underground, there is a downloadable Transport for London Step-free Tube Guide. And for details of specific locations in this sketchwalk, there is AccessAble.
Health and safety
Urban Sketchers London follow current health and safety
guidelines, and we count on all our sketchers to do the same. As
always, we keep an eye on developments concerning Covid, and even
though restrictions have been lifted, we think it's sensible to do
everything we can to keep ourselves and fellow sketchers safe when
we're together. The risk of infection for outdoor events is low, but
basic guidance still applies:
- Please do not attend if you feel unwell
- Wear a face covering when you're close to others
- Give people space
- Practise good hand hygiene.
Hashtags
Remember to tag us when you post your sketches on social media! And
do be polite when posting online. We may be biased, but we think
kindness comes naturally to urban sketchers -- so don't be shy, show
your social media politesse at its best.
Urban Sketchers London follow current health and safety guidelines, and we count on all our sketchers to do the same. As always, we keep an eye on developments concerning Covid, and even though restrictions have been lifted, we think it's sensible to do everything we can to keep ourselves and fellow sketchers safe when we're together. The risk of infection for outdoor events is low, but basic guidance still applies:
- Please do not attend if you feel unwell
- Wear a face covering when you're close to others
- Give people space
- Practise good hand hygiene.
#urbansketcherslondon #usklondon
Location map
See you at Brixton!
Let's draw London in 2023 -- Find
our full programme here
London by Urban Sketchers - Our 10 Year Anniversary Book
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