Ceramics Workshop – provisional call for participants

Community Workshops offered by Duende Gallery in partnership the BCCA and Ceramic Artists Rye Nicholson (electric wheel) and Tabitha Wedded (hand build technique).

  • Attendance by affordable donation to BCCA
  • Materials provided
  • Flexible workshop times – will schedule to run with popular preferences
  • Open to all ages
  • Exhibition for family & friends @ Café to showcase works
  • Need to be a BCCA member (join for £1!)

If you are interested in booking a place or have any questions regarding the project, contact hello@duende.gallery

BCCA Archive: 4th World Arts 1992

BCCAs archival work continues in partnership with Phd researcher Xiuzheng Li of the UCL, Bartlett School of Architecture (https://www.ucl.ac.uk/bartlett/architecture/).

If you have any potential archival material including photographs, objects, videos, audio, textual or other data that documents the story of BCAAs history – or if you are aware of anyone that might be interested in sharing personal memories and recollections, please contact the Archive team at BCCA_Archive@outlook.com

The Archive is continually growing to reveal fresh and rich content that will build into a unique resource that will be available to all BCCA members. The Archive will also be used to support ongoing funding bids towards the upkeep, improvement and sustainability of our historic building as a local community oasis, meeting and eating place and intergenerational wellbeing resource.

A BCCA Archive Exhibition and associated Community Events at BCCA Community Cafe Gallery, are proposed during spring 2023. (dates to be confirmed) Any suggestions for content, events, workshops or items of memorabilia toward this event are welcome.

Use of Bonnington Community Café

If you are interested in hosting an event at our Community Café for Daytime Activities including breakfasts, lunches, public and private one-off events and parties, workshops, launches, photo shoots, promotional events or other activities, the Café is available for booking at very reasonable and accessible rates.

Evening Café use is bookable for traditional evening service as a friendly, cosy local vegetarian/vegan eatery open from 6pm to 11pm every evening (with access to the kitchen for evening prep as from 1pm). The Café Cooks list remains open to anyone who would like to cook and host an evening event. The Café is available for Vegetarian and Vegan cuisine only. BCCA member and local community led activities have priority and can benefit from generous concessions.

Cooks wishing to support inclusive access to nutritional wellbeing in the community by offering subsidised prices to BCCAs membership will be prioritised and able to gain subsidised rates after taster sessions have been successfully delivered and local diners have endorsed proposed service. Cooks intending to host private cooking events and cooking events that are for profit will need to present individual Public Liability insurance.

Enquiries to Fabio, BCCA Community Café Administrator bccacommunitycafe.adm@gmail.com

February exhibition update

As the days grow longer and snowdrops emerge to light the way toward the coming spring, seedlings of new seasons yet to bloom germinate below, as echoes of blossom to come –  a very merry Valentines to everyone. As winter’s chill is set aside, so hearts refreshed by light of sun and moon revived arise to glow.

The rolling programme of individual and group exhibitions in the Café Gallery on the ground floor is stretching through 2023 and beyond. The Artists’ List remains open for new requests for exhibition. If you are interested in exhibiting contact bccacommunitycafe.adm@gmail.com

Unfortunately Kevin Jacobs planned February 2023 exhibition of Paintings & Drawings from his studio at Intoart has been postponed until a future date due to unforeseen circumstance. The local community look forward to Kevin’s Exhibition with great anticipation, popular interest and support. You can find examples of Kevin’s brilliant works at: https://intoart.org.uk/artist/kevin-jacobs/. For further information contact Intoart at: 07951165567 or www.intoart.co.uk

Geir Engine’s Exhibition of local community activities will now continue until the end of February 2023. Contact: geir.engene@gmail.com

Brunch at Bonnington Café

Vegan and vegetarian dishes with tea service every Tuesday and Thursday, from 10am to 2pm.

Enjoy your meal in a relaxing ambience.

Tea Service (pot of tea, finger sandwich, cake and savoury scones) £10 (£7.50 for members)

Brunch £7.50 (£5 for members)

Call on 0796 053 7280 to book a table or place an order.

Benefit Nights

BCCA aims to re-start Benefit events as soon as possible.
Traditionally occurring on the last Friday of the month throughout the year. Benefit event hosting is open to anyone who has a viable charitable cause that they would like to promote and support.

Previous Benefit events have been held for local charitable causes, clubs, one off and ongoing projects, individual appeals, registered charities, BCCA in-house fundraising, community events, international humanitarian aid and outreach.

Dates are allocated on approval by the Trustees who will offer support and facilitation to successful applicants.

If you are interested in hosting a Benefit Night please email for terms and conditions to BCCA Centre Admin at bcca@btinternet.com

BCCA Monthly CLUB-NIGHTS

Returning soon in the top room on the last Friday of every month with the BCCA House Band, featuring local talent with invited guests and floor spots for musicians and singers. All Welcome! Bar by donation.

If you are interested in participating as a player, as audience, or as a volunteer … Please contact Marcus at: bcca@btinternet.com

Community Drum’n Syncopation

2023 – FRIDAYS 2pm to 4pm
Come and join us to explore natural rhythm in a playful mode sessions are open to players of all ages, ability and rhythmicity bring a drum if you have one and an item of food/drink (non alcoholic) to share if you can most importantly bring yourself friends, family and associates to enjoy co-creating and sharing seriously playful syncopations.

Donations thankfully accepted www.gofundme.com/f/24xar-community

Looking back on UpMarket Market 2022

In the splendidly refurbished Bonnington Café, 17 local creatives and friends of Bonnington Square and Vauxhall Grove opened our first Christmas Market. With the support of BACCA, the event was on the weekend of 8,9 & 10 December. It was a vibrant and Christmassy showcase of Arts and Crafts.

UpMarket Market was very much a community event and in the spirit of ‘buy local’. Pulled together by Grove resident, Lucy Bodenham, a jewellery maker in her spare time in a garden shed in Peckham.

Our stall holders made contacts and sold handmade products. A diverse selection of independents included, The Chocolate Detective, Elniovoe’s elegant African fabric bags, Jodie Boyd’s natural lotions and potions from Neals Yards Remedies, fine jewellery from Tales of the Earth, and even knitwear from one of our doyennes of the Square, Sandra Roe.

We also showcased individual artists, such as Beth Higgins cards based on drawings of the Magic Garden and surrounds of Bonnington Square, and Gianinna Delphino’s individually handmade sketchbooks.

The event enjoyed good footfall of visitors from Lambeth and further afield. Feedback was positive with many enjoying the Christmas atmosphere of mince pies provided generously by Maria Bartok, and mulled hot drinks provided by Jo Culf.

Oliver of Cat Cut Cards, showcasing a form of pop-up cards, said: “It was my first market ever, so to have a space where I was welcomed and able to explore hosting a stall was amazing.”

We look forward to hosting the Christmas market again in 2023. There is also an enthusiastic groundswell for a Summer Market during 2023 at the Café Gallery and to include tea and cakes. Please register your interest by mail to lucy.boden@gmail.com.

The 2022 UpMarket Market Creatives contacts list:

1. Diana da Silva – Candles, incense, jewellery Email: dianads73@hotmail.com

2. Jo Culf – jewellery – Tales from the Earth

3. Rita Keegan – Jewellery

4. Gina Nembhard – Jewellery / cards Email: gina1uk2001@yahoo.co.uk

5. Jodie Boyd – Neal’s Yard products

6. Hexagon Quilters – Quilted craft: meganddo@yahoo.co.uk

7. Beth Higgins – Cards based on drawings and paintings

8. Giannina Delpino – paintings, prints and self-published books

9. Tess Stone – Illustration/ Cards

10. Lucy Bodenham – Jewellery & Vintage

11. The Chocolate Detective – Chantal Coady

12. Elniovoe Donnatella – Ethnic African textiles Email: donnatella.rothschild@gmail.com

13. Mahalia Kamanda – Quilted craft Email: m.kamanda0720201@arts.ac.uk

14. Sandra Roe – Knit wear, gloves & scarves. Email: sandra.roe0@gmail.com

15. Bettina Wilhelm-Exley – Vintage.

16. Oliver Andraos – Cat Cut Cards.