East Summer School returning to Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park

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A creative skills programme is set to return for another summer of hands-on learning.

East Summer School is running across Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park in London from July 27 to August 7.

It is open to young people aged 12 to 17 who live or study in Hackney, Newham, Tower Hamlets, or Waltham Forest.

More than 300 young people attended 24 East Summer School workshops in 2025 (Image: Rahil Ahmad)

Shazia Hussain, chief executive at the London Legacy Development Corporation (LLDC), said: "We can’t wait to welcome the next cohort of East Summer School participants to the Park this week as we continue to leverage our assets and partnerships to open up more opportunities within the creative industries.

"Skills for the future are developing at pace so we want to make sure children and young people from east London don’t miss out, and that Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park institutions can help prepare them for the jobs of tomorrow."

Led by LLDC and supported by the East End Community Foundation, the programme is delivered in partnership with institutions based at the park’s East Bank cultural quarter. These include BBC Music Studios, Sadler's Wells East, UAL’s London College of Fashion, UCL, V&A East, and ABBA Voyage.

Workshops cover a wide range of creative disciplines such as fashion design, storytelling, documentary-making, urban design, visual and fine arts, and performance.

Participants can explore flood-resilient neighbourhood mapping at UCL, inclusive dance sessions at Sadler’s Wells East, fashion history at UAL, content creation for BBC’s Asian Network, exhibition curation at V&A East, and backstage tours at ABBA Voyage.

The programme forms part of East Ed, an LLDC initiative connecting young people and educators with East Bank organisations, employers, and universities.

Tracey Walsh, chief executive of East End Community Foundation (EECF), said: "EECF is delighted to support this initiative for the second year running, empowering the next generation of local talent."

Tamsin Ace, director of East Bank, said: "East Summer School provides a perfect opportunity – both for young people to gain hands-on career insights into the creative industries, and for East Bank’s partner institutions to continue its longstanding work with LLDC to forge and strengthen their connections with local talent."

In 2025, more than 300 young people took part in 24 workshops. This year, participants will be able to select one activity per week.

The programme will conclude with a showcase at the ArcelorMittal Orbit, where attendees will present their work to parents, carers, and community supporters.

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