LAUNCH OF CANALSIDE SNUG SERIES
A SERIES TO SUPPORT GRASSROOTS MUSIC, LOCAL CREATIVITY AND COMMUNITY WELLBEING
We’re excited to announce the launch of the Canalside Snug Series, a new winter programme of 12 co-created live music events designed to bring warmth, creativity and connection to Hackney Wick during the coldest months of the year.
Grow is known as a summer venue, but we’ve always believed in its potential in winter too. The colder months bring significant challenges: the repurposed warehouse space becomes less appealing as a place to enjoy culture and community, which affects artists, audiences and our team. Winter is also an especially difficult financial period for us, impacting programming consistency and, ultimately, our long-term sustainability.
We want to change that by creating a space that feels welcoming and comfortable all year round. Thanks to our new solar panels, insulation installed earlier this year, and now support from Arts Council England’s Supporting Grassroots Music Fund, we can finally give the indoors the attention it deserves - so you can enjoy Grow all year round!
REIMAGINING THE INDOOR SPACE
Over the coming months, our indoor space will be transformed into an inviting Canalside Snug, with improved lighting, sound, furniture and planting, while retaining the raw warehouse character that defines the area’s artistic identity and heritage.
INVESTING IN SKILLS, SUSTAINABILITY AND THE LOCAL ECONOMY
To deliver the Snug Series, Grow is creating a warmer and more welcoming indoor space for people to enjoy culture throughout winter, while expanding paid opportunities and hands-on experience for local artists and creatives. We are investing in our team through training that enhances visitor experience and wellbeing, as well as deepening collaboration with community groups and independent local businesses.
CO-CREATING WITH ARTISTS
The Snug Series features 12 curated events from December to March, most of which are free or just £5, ensuring they remain accessible to all.
This December, we’re excited to welcome an exceptional lineup of musicians to our space, featuring performances and collaborations from The Blue Planet Orchestra, made up of composer and pianist Roland Perrin, saxophonist Jeremy Shoham, trombonist Paul Taylor, vocalist John O’Neil, percussionist Emmanuel Oladokun, and drummer Levi Kwapong. We’re also showcasing outstanding female talent, including Miranda Redford (drums), Laurel Fink (tenor sax), and the brilliant Ellie Harris, bringing a vibrant mix of jazz, global influences, and contemporary sounds to close out the year.
Sunday Afternoon Sessions
Venezuelan percussionist and composer Williams Cumberbache is central to the British Latin music scene. Best known as the bandleader of Tumbaito, he has collaborated with Björk and Goldie and contributed to the West London Broken Beat movement. His music blends Afro-Latin traditions with jazz, funk and Detroit house. Williams will invite special guests to his canalside sessions once a month to create a FREE vibrant live music sessions that foster deep cross-cultural collaboration.
Thursday Jazz Sessions
This weekly live jazz jam is led by Mercury Prize–nominated bassist Rio Kai (SEED Ensemble, Courtney Pine’s House of Legends) and Musical Director at Shakespeare’s Globe. On special dates each month, Rio will invite guests to spotlight rising instrumentalists and the future of UK jazz. These sessions showcase exceptional new talent, particularly women shaping tomorrow’s jazz landscape. Jazz is just £5 on the door, and will be free in January, as part of our annual campaign, Join in January.
Not The Usual Jam (NTUJ)
Hosted by Luis David Fernández Gago and Alessandro Corda - musicians, producers and curators - NTUJ nurtures emerging artists through supported stage production and cross-genre improvisation. These FREE sessions create space for organic, collaborative music-making, foregrounding women and diaspora voices in London’s grassroots scene.
COLLABORATING WITH THE COMMUNITY
Discounts and Offers
Enjoy weekly deals, including Happy Hour with discounted organic wines, cocktails, and lagers , plus Saturday Brunch specials. Enjoy the relaxed canalside setting while saving with 10% discounts for NHS staff, students, and local residents or workers across key East London postcodes. Find out more about how to get these offers!
New Plants from local plant shop, Repot
Founded in Hackney Wick, Repot has grown from hand-painted plant pots to a thriving concept store and creative green hub. We are collaborating with them to curate more plants in the space, bringing the outdoors indoors!
“Grow was one of the first places that made us fall in love with Hackney Wick nearly ten years ago. This project means a lot to us because it’s about local independent businesses supporting each other and keeping Hackney Wick’s creative spirit thriving.” — Repot
Support the Hackney Night Shelter
Grow is deepening its long-standing support for Hackney Night Shelter through a new winter blanket scheme. Guests can donate when ordering via QR codes on the table, or borrow or buy recycled cotton blankets, with 10% of hire proceeds and 30% of purchases donated directly to the shelter. You can donate from Wednesday 3rd December with blankets available soon!
We are raising awareness of their current appeal to open a new women’s shelter in 2026 to provide safe accommodation and pathways out of homelessness for more than 100 women each year. Please consider making a donation towards this vital work.
Enjoy a Free Coffee from Square Mile Coffee Roasters
Thanks to our relationship with Square Mile Coffee Roasters - a local, multi-award-winning specialty coffee company - the first 10 customers at each of the four Sunday Canalside Live Music Sessions will receive a complimentary coffee. The first of these sessions takes place on Sunday 14 December.
Square Mile is also supplying us with single origin coffee for Grow’s Espresso Martinis at four live jazz events, where you can enjoy these specially curated drinks for the first time on Thursday 18 December.
“Square Mile has always passionately supported independent hospitality businesses, and we are delighted that Grow has been selected by Arts Council England for this fund. We are excited to support this journey and to see what the future holds for Grow.” — Square Mile Coffee Roasters
Get your veg from Growing Communities and 20% in January and February 2026!
Growing Communities is a much-loved Hackney organisation championing sustainable food systems through its organic veg box scheme, farmers’ market, and urban growing projects. We’ve proudly served as a pick-up point for their community-supported veg boxes since 2021.
Growing Communities are offering 20% off for new subscribers to the veg box scheme at Grow for all orders in January and February with the offer code GROW2026. You also get 10% off food and drink at Grow through our local’s discount scheme.
Look out for their special beer mats at every Snug Series event and take one home!
“Grow’s creativity and passion for supporting grassroots local artists is inspiring and we’re so pleased to partner with them. This project will keep Hackney Wick’s vibrant spirit warm, in the colder months and into the future! “ - Growing Communities
This project is funded by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport as part of the UK Government’s Creative Industries sector vision, £5 million has been invested to support Grassroots Music.
