Whitechapel Gallery has launched Backyard Biennial: East, an 8-week free summer arts festival in East London, running in collaboration with over 40 local partners. The inaugural edition features exhibitions, installations, screenings, performances, workshops, residencies, walks, open studios, and special events across diverse venues including galleries, cultural organizations, educational centers, places of worship, and public spaces.
This pilot project marks Whitechapel Gallery’s 125th anniversary and reimagines the traditional biennial model by prioritizing community participation and local engagement. It underscores the gallery’s commitment to building sustainable cultural and social infrastructures with East London’s communities, celebrating the area’s historic, cultural, and creative identity.