Culture Lab launches free Saturday workshops for the east London community 

Running across 2026, the Saturday Studio series invites participants to explore culture, history and creativity through making, conversation and shared discovery. 

The programme sits alongside the Patterns exhibition and is delivered by the UCL School for the Creative and Cultural Industries. Each workshop draws on UCL research, collections and creative practice, connecting local histories with global stories of belonging, care and craft. 

A strong start: Persian Rug Workshop 

The series began with a Persian Rug Workshop, which welcomed visitors to learn about Persian rug weaving with artist Armaghan Fatemi. Participants explored traditional motifs through pixel art, designing and creating their own keyrings to take home. The session set the tone for the programme: relaxed, welcoming and rooted in the sharing of knowledge across cultures. 

What’s coming up 

Across the coming months, UCL Culture Lab will host a diverse mix of workshops, all free and open to the public. 

Print, Stitch and Book-Making 

Saturday 11 April 2026 | 11am–3pm (drop-in) 
Meet local artists involved in the Patterns and Belonging display and try your hand at Indian block printing, book-making and Nakshi Kantha, a Bengali embroidery tradition. 
A relaxed introduction to textile traditions and creative storytelling. 

Archaeology Object Handling and Collage 

Saturday 2 May 2026 | 11am–3pm (drop-in) 
Handle objects from a recent archaeological excavation in Whitechapel with the Archaeology South-East (UCL) team. Learn about tavern life in Tudor and Georgian East London, then create your own collage using historical maps and prints. 

Paint, Stitch and Zine 

Saturday 6 June 2026 | 11am–3pm 
Explore Phulkari stitching, glass painting and zine-making with artists from the Patterns and Belonging display. A playful, accessible workshop celebrating multiple creative traditions. 

Stitch Your Story 

Saturday 4 July 2026 | starts 11am  
Join Suman Gujral, Lead Curator of Patterns and Belongings, for a more in-depth workshop. Suman will share how her family history shapes her practice before guiding participants to create a unique textile artwork to take home. 
Please note: participants must arrive by 11am. 

Coral Reefs & Care 

Saturday 3 October 2026 | 11am–3pm  
Through storytelling and art-making, learn about the Great Barrier Reef collections at UCL and how Indigenous Australian communities care for Sea Country. Led by Renee Keffee, Lead Curator of Patterns of Sea Country, with material from the Grant Museum of Zoology. 

Archaeology Object Handling 

Saturday 7 November 2026 | 11am–3pm  
A further chance to meet the Archaeology South-East (UCL) team and handle objects from a multi-period site in Whitechapel, deepening understanding of the layered histories beneath East London’s streets. 

Open, local and free 

All workshops take place at UCL Culture Lab, Ground Floor, UCL East, Marshgate Building, 7 Sidings Street, Stratford, London, E20 2AE. 

Unless otherwise stated, sessions are drop-in between 11am and 3pm, and all events are free. 

By bringing together research, creative practice and local voices, the UCL Culture Lab workshop series offers a welcoming space to learn, make and connect. Everyone is invited to take part.