Open House Festival

Neighbourhoods

Back to neighbourhoods

Community and culture in North Islington

Explore a selection of community spaces and cultural venues across North Islington, from the Grade I and II* listed Union Chapel, home to an inclusive church, award-winning venue and community hub, to Olden Community Garden, a hidden 2.5-acre green oasis along a railway embankment. Discover the Old Fire Station, a former emergency service building now thriving as a community centre, the grand neo-classical RC Church of St Mellitus, with its recently restored Hunter pipe organ, and the National Youth Theatre’s recently redeveloped, RIBA award-winning home.

In addition, Rhythm & Ride is back on Saturday 12th September, taking place across various grassroots venues and local businesses in Archway. Bring your friends and family for a day filled with live music, dance, delicious food, and chariots to take you to the next bands in our 8 venues. Once one gig finishes, cargo bike taxis will be on hand to help people move to the next venue in this whirlwind audio tour of Archway. The event features Jazzi Q, from Soul II Soul, who started out at Caxton House.

Drop in / Guided tour

National Youth Theatre

theatre

Public Tours tours by Architect's DSDHA and the NYT team of the recently redeveloped RIBA-award-winning building, and a first look at materials from the National Youth Theatre archive, made public for the first time as part of their 70th anniversary celebrations. This project is supported by the Mayor of London and the National Lottery Heritage Fund.

DSDHA, 2021

Drop in

Olden Community Garden

garden

Olden Community Garden - a hidden 2.5 acre green oasis along a railway embankment in Islington. Sit beside the lawn; listen to birdsong; follow trails through the woodland, meadow and orchard; discover vegetable patches and a wildlife pond.

Community Garden, 1986

Drop in

RC Church of St Mellitus

religious, community/cultural

A grand neo-classical building of 1871 with impressive interior, built as New Court Congregational Chapel. Home to a Hunter pipe organ, installed as a WW1 memorial and recently restored with National Lottery Heritage Fund support.

C. G. Searle, 1871

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The Old Fire Station

civic

The Old Fire Station is now a thriving community centre run by the Holloway Neighbourhood Group. It has been redeveloped for this purpose, now housing a community room, garden room and hall. The building has many original features (notably on the outside) and even though the usage has changed dramatically it remains an important emergency service for many in the local area.

unknown, 1908

Drop in / Guided tour

Union Chapel

community/cultural, religious

A Grade I and II* listed architectural gem that’s home to an inclusive non-conformist church, an award winning venue, a rare and historic pipe organ, Sunday School Hall community hub, and The Margins Project supporting those facing homelessness and pertinent social justice issues.

James Cubitt, 1877