This year’s Thornton Heath Arts Week will promote the diverse and wide ranging artistic talent within the area through a series of free events.

This year will be the fifth Arts Week following on from last year’s hugely successful series of events, which played a key role in bringing Lumiere to the Heath and a growing number of initiatives – including the Free Art project at Brigstock Hostel.

Following a launch on July 6, events will run from Saturday  July 14 to Saturday July 21 at a variety of venues across the Thornton Heath.

Events will include; Inspire which will celebrate the work of local women. There will be art exhibitions at CALAT on Zion Road and Thornton Heath Library on Brigstock Road,  a film night, the brilliant Poetic Insight, the ever-popular Well Versed Ink Poetry Night and Lenses of Croydon Photography Forum.

There will also be sound art and sculpture in Trumble Gardens.

In keeping with this year’s theme of women’s considerable contribution to art, the week will also feature the first screening of “Repost” in Croydon at Scratchley Hall on Monday July 16. Written by April Walker and directed by Simon Rickards, this incredibly powerful short film shines a light on the untold story of the abuse suffered by girls at the hands of gangs.

The evening introduces Sherica Spence, the producer of, and inspiration behind the film – her own story, and that of the founding of Skye Alexandra House in 2014. 

Skye Alexandra House is a bespoke service designed to meet the needs of vulnerable young girls who are at risk victims of child sexual and criminal exploitation.