Who What Why Wick? Limpik Decade Look Back

How did a certain sporting event (with a trademarked name) in 2012 change Hackney Wick?

Hackney Tours (walking artist Simon Cole) has been lost in the Wick since 2009. He's been a participant observer: responding to place, exploring its evolving arts, warehouse, alternative & DIY culture. He's also taken part in community ACTivism in a place of disputed narratives. Do we value truly value culture or is it now a tool to change land use/value? What is cultural regeneration? Where are the artists in this? Who won? Who lost?

On this interactive walk, we'll debate what and who the Wick is for – and what 2012 meant? We'll stop by a couple of key buildings that are still important hubs for the networks and values that seek to interrupt the mainstream narrative and provoke questions about 'business as usual'.

This is not a lecture. Bring your thoughts and opinions and together we'll ACT to create a space to open up and share our own interpretation of a conversation that's happening in East London, Berlin, Bushwick, Barcelona...

We might even run our own 399m race! Start/end at architectural oddity Grow who are keeping the old spirit of the Wick alive as a crucial arts hub in repurposed industrial buildings.