How We Build Home – workshops

How We Build Home - free workshops

Join us this winter for a series of free creative workshops as part of How We Build Home, currently on at Museum of the Home.  Each workshop is inspired by the themes of and related to different parts of the exhibition.  See below for more details of each workshop and how to sign up.

A graphic, the main text reading "How We Build Home". Above this is the GEM logo - GEM in letters that are purple amethyst. The smaller text under the logo reads "GEM Research Collective presents". Under the main title two lines of text read "An exhibition by GEM Research Collective/supported by Centre for Studies of Home and The Museum of the Home". The background of the graphic is a photogra[h of a starry night sky, tiny blurry dots of stars and wisps of clouds at the bottom of the image.

30th November 2022 - What makes home where we are?

Photography talk and weaving workshop

Flier for What makes home where we are? workshop Background is two images side by side - on the left, the side of a white building with windows, and the shadow of a leafless-tree across it; on the right, two forked twigs with multi-coloured weaving on them. In the top left corner is the GEM Research Collective logo, and bottom right are logos for the Leverhulme Trust, Museum of the Home and Centre for Studies of the Home. Text presents this as part of the How We Build Home free workshop series, with funding from Centre for Studies of Home and the estate of Dr Azeezat Johnson.
Date:           Wednesday 30th November
Time:          12.30pm – 4.30pm
Location:   Museum of the Home, 136 Kingsland Road, London E2 8EA

    • First you will hear from members of Watan, as they present their own photography on what makes home for them. 
    • Then you will be guided by Jess Rowley of the Feminist Library on how to make your own piece of off-loom weaving.
    • The workshop relates to the Women’s Group quilt and zine.
  • We will provide all the materials you need for weaving, though you can also bring items for the hand-held frame from home – we will clarify when you sign up.
  • Hot and cold drinks and refreshments will be available during the workshop.

WATAN (meaning Home) is the therapeutic Men’s Group at South London Refugee Association.  They meet weekly to support each other and have a good time, sharing lunch and various activities, including weaving.

Black & White head & shoulders portrait of Jess Rowley. Her body is side on to the camera, and her head is turned to look at the camera. She has jaw-length curly hair and looks calmly at the camera. In the background is a tree in dappled light.
© Sohaila Ferrier

Jess Rowley is a design student and community project facilitator. She currently runs a series of off loom workshops at the South London Refugee Association focussed on weaving as a form of relaxation and community building. She also volunteers at the Feminist Library with the collections and curatorial team.

Please register here to attend this workshop.  We have limited spaces, which will be allocated on a first come basis.

This workshop is open to all adults, and we particularly encourage applications from Black people and other people of colour, who may also be additionally minoritised for example due to gender, (dis)ability, immigration status etc.

5th January 2023 - Dreaming our way home

Writing workshop

Flier for Dreaming our way home workshop Background is a photograph of part of a bedroom. It shows a double bed, with a carved wooden headboard and no covers, just a single pillow and spread with a bedsheet, both in a similar yellow floral patterned material. The bed is beneath a window, with curtains pulled back, and daylight coming through the gauzy net curtains. In the top left corner is the GEM Research Collective logo, and bottom right are logos for the Leverhulme Trust, Museum of the Home and Centre for Studies of the Home. Text presents this as part of the How We Build Home free workshop series, with funding from Centre for Studies of Home and the estate of Dr Azeezat Johnson.
Date:           Thursday 5th January 2023
Time:          1pm – 3pm
Location:   Online via Zoom

    • You will be guided to use visual and written prompts as inspiration to create your own pieces of writing around the idea of what it means to find a place to safely call home, whether in reality or imagination.
    • You will be encouraged to share your work with other attendees, if you would like to.
    • The workshop will be led by writer Olumide Popoola.
    • This workshop relates to Starry Nights and Home Is Here & There in the exhibition.
  • The workshop will be a relaxed atmosphere – we understand if you have young children around.
A portrait of Olumide Popoola from the chest up. She is sat in front of a wooden fence, leaning on one elbow and smiling into the camera. It is a bright day, and she is wearing a red cardigan over her top, and a scarf wrapped around her neck. She looks at ease.
© Naomi Woddis 2022


Nigerian-German Olumide Popoola has published essays, poetry, short and long fiction, and a play. She holds a PhD in Creative Writing and teaches creative writing in university and community settings. She is the creator and leader of the Arts Council funded scheme for emerging LGBTQ+ writers, ‘The Future is Back’.

Her critically acclaimed novel When We Speak of Nothing was published by Cassava Republic Press in 2017. In 2019 Scottish writer Jackie Kay named her one of Britain’s ten notable Black and Brown writers.

Please click here to register for this workshop.  We have limited spaces, which will be allocated on a first come basis.

This workshop is open to all adults, and we particularly encourage applications from Black people and other people of colour, who may also be additionally minoritised for example due to gender, (dis)ability, immigration status etc.

13th January 2023 - Being at home

Zine-making workshop

Flier for Being at home workshop Background is a photograph of a canary-yellow scarf, covered in a repeating pattern of green and red flowers. The scarf is drawn across a window, and daylight can be seen through the top part of it. In the top left corner is the GEM Research Collective logo, and bottom right are logos for the Leverhulme Trust, Museum of the Home and Centre for Studies of the Home. Text presents this as part of the How We Build Home free workshop series, with funding from Centre for Studies of Home and the estate of Dr Azeezat Johnson.
Date:           Friday 13th January
Time:          1pm – 3pm
Location:   Museum of the Home, 136 Kingsland Road, London E2 8EA

    • You will have the chance to engage with images from the exhibition, and use your senses to think about what it’s like to be at home.
    • Then you’ll be guided through the process of making a multimedia zine by artist Alaa Al-Saraji
    • The workshop relates to the photography series Where The Light Gets In.
  • We will provide all the materials you need for making your zines.
  • Hot and cold drinks and refreshments will be available during the workshop.

Alaa is a London-based visual artist, designer and creative facilitator. Whilst maintaining her own creative practice through editorial work and exhibitions, she has also worked with various creative and educational organisations as a facilitator delivering creative workshops with children and adults. Throughout her various roles her work always seeks to emphasise the value of using creativity as a pedagogical process to address and explore larger issues such as identity, faith and race.

Please click here to register for this workshop.  We have limited spaces, which will be allocated on a first come basis.

This workshop is open to all adults, and we particularly encourage applications from Black people and other people of colour, who may also be additionally minoritised for example due to gender, (dis)ability, immigration status etc.