CHEEKY LONDON 25

Cheeky London: Open Lab & Launchpad Cheeky London is a creative movement that connects art, design and community through playful and diverse experiences. In 2025 it makes its debut at London Design Festival with a dual programme: Open Lab and Launchpad. Clearly distinct in format yet united in ethos, both share one mission: to make creativity visible, accessible and participatory across the city. 1. Programme at a Glance * Open Lab (Southwark) — Creative Art & Design Festival 1) Dates: 13–21 September 2025 (9 days) 2) Market: 13–14 & 19–21 September 3) Workshops: 17–19 September 4) Opening Event: 12 September 5) Location: Tradestars Southwark, 32–36 Loman Street, London SE1 0EH 6) Free entry, booking via Eventbrite: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/cheeky-london-25-open-lab-tickets-1599691041969?aff=oddtdtcreator * Launchpad (Islington) — Emerging Art Exhibition 1) Dates: 4–21 September 2025 (18 days) 2) Opening Event: 4 September 3) Location: Tradestars Islington, 4–10 North Road, London N7 9EY 4) Admission free, open to all visitors 2. Open Lab (Southwark) Open Lab is a market-style festival and workshop series that brings together independent makers, designers and studios. Hosted at Tradestars Southwark, it transforms the venue into a lively forum for discovery and exchange. Market weekends invite visitors to browse and buy directly from makers, while mid-week workshops open up processes through participatory, hands-on sessions. *Format & Focus 1) Market: curated stalls across jewellery, ceramics, illustration, print, textiles, glass, slow fashion, upcycling and more. 2) Workshops: small-group sessions for all levels, centred on material exploration and sustainability. 3) Community & Access: a welcoming atmosphere where audiences can meet makers and engage creatively without prior experience. This breadth is central to Open Lab’s identity: a market of ideas as much as a marketplace of objects. It lowers barriers between maker and audience, supports sustainable practice and nurtures early-stage enterprises. Open Lab is free to attend, reinforcing its role as an open platform for participation and discovery. 3. Launchpad (Islington) Launchpad is an exhibition platform for emerging artists and designers, presented at Tradestars Islington in a gallery setting. It gives early-career practitioners visibility, context and an opportunity to test ideas with audiences during the Festival. The focus is on fine art and conceptual practices, with details to be announced closer to the opening. 1) Exhibition Ethos 2) New Voices: showcasing practitioners with fresh perspectives. 3) Experimentation: supporting risk-taking and process-led practices. 4) Public Encounter: situating emerging talent within the wider Festival discourse. 5) Free to enter and open to all, Launchpad invites visitors to explore contemporary creativity in an inclusive setting. 4. Two Programmes, One Mission Open Lab in Southwark prioritises markets, workshops and direct exchange, while Launchpad in Islington offers a curated exhibition for reflection and discovery. The distinction is intentional and clear: 1) Open Lab = Southwark / Market + Workshops / Interactive & Transactional 2) Launchpad = Islington / Exhibition / Reflective & Curatorial Together they offer complementary forms of engagement: learning by doing and learning by seeing, united under one banner. 5. Visitor Essentials * Open Lab — Tradestars Southwark, SE1 0EH 1) Market: 13–14 & 19–21 September 2025 2) Workshops: 17–19 September 2025 3) Free entry, booking via Eventbrite * Launchpad — Tradestars Islington, N7 9EY 1) Exhibition: 4–21 September 2025 2) Opening Event: 4 September 2025 3) Free entry For daily schedules, workshop capacities and access information, please check programme updates closer to the dates.