Poplar Union

Communities united through creativity and wellbeing

Who we are

Poplar Union is an arts & community centre based in Tower Hamlets and opened it’s doors in 2017.

What we do and how we do it

Committed to supporting the local community through art, culture and wellbeing, we offer a diverse programme of events, including live music, theatre, comedy and dance, family activities, health and wellbeing classes, community workshops and festivals, and much more. We strive to enhance physical and social prosperity through creativity to unite and celebrate the lives in and around Poplar.

Find out more:

Our Seasonal Arts Programme

Hires & events

Artist development & support

Community engagement

The Building

Poplar Union is a unique space and consists of three main rooms:

Betty – our large studio where we host theatre and performances, workshops and our health programme (named after local hero, Betty Bristow)

Mike – our meeting room, for smaller events and meetings (named after local hero, Mike Leggett)

The Library – connected to the café where we programme more intimate & informal events such as gigs, workshops and community led meet ups

Our onsite partners

Poplar Bakehouse

Poplar Union, art centre, East London, community, events, art, culture, workshops, theatre, music, things to do, cafe, Poplar, Westferry, Moo Canoes, e5 Roasthouse

Poplar Bakehouse (formerly known as e5 Roasthouse) run the onsite café. They serve breakfast and lunch everyday, freshly made baked goods and have recently opened a grocery shop where you can pick up locally produced fruit and veg. Find out more here.

Moo Canoes

Poplar Union, art and community events, east London

Moo Canoes operates from our Boatstore, having easy access to the Limehouse Cut Canal for their paddle-boarding sessions, community litter-picks, and canoeing. Find out more here.

You can find out about our other partners & supporters here.

The team

We are a small team of nine, all with a passion for the arts and community engagement:

Business Manager (interim) – Momtaz Ajid

Marketing Manager – Libby Spiller (away on maternity)

Creative Director – Paolo Fiorentini

Operations and Arts Administrator – Tim Gosden

Administrator – Rachel Salmon

Facilities Manager – Fabian Begolli

Facilities Manager – Rodney Roodt

Bartlett Park and the Limehouse Cut

Poplar Union is situated between the Limehouse Cut and Bartlett Park. London Borough of Tower Hamlets have worked closely with Levitt Bernstein to redesign Bartlett Park and the canal side to make it a friendlier more accessible space for the local community. Work began in late 2019. The children’s play area is now complete, alongside the outdoor gym, dog park, sensory gardens and canal access.

Support our charity

Poplar Union is a charity that runs under LARG (Lincoln Area Regeneration Group) which aims to bring cultural, social and environmental prosperity to communities living and working within Tower Hamlets. Find out more about LARG here.

Through our diverse programming and events, Poplar Union aims to increase social prosperity in Poplar. All donations we receive go back into Poplar Union and help us continue our work, enabling us to grow and develop alongside our community. Thank you for supporting the work that we do.