Union Chapel, one of London’s most cherished heritage, live music and arts venues and chapel, is launching an ambitious programme of cross-arts workshops and performances that connect young people with its remarkable 200-year archive.
From late 2025 to February 2026, students across Islington are invited to explore themes of protest, suffrage, education and poverty through hands-on creative activities – transforming archival discoveries into live performances. The workshops are part of Union Chapel’s ongoing Sunday School Stories project, which brings its 200+ year archive and local history to life, aiming to inspire all generations through Union Chapel’s enduring legacy of social justice, community support, music, and culture.
Protest Posters. Young voices take centre stage in a new series of creative workshops exploring protest, heritage, and art. Union Chapel and the Estorick Collection invite young people to draw inspiration from over two centuries of social justice history and Islington’s radical past to design powerful contemporary protest posters.
Archive research by Union Chapel’s History Detective volunteers will inspire free workshops of artistic experimentation and critical thinking, exploring themes such as black music & art, feminist voices, inclusive design, dissent and resistance, and Pride history.
The artworks created will be showcased at Union Chapel’s Your Story Festival of Social Change 2026, alongside recent student-produced posters for Pride Month 2025. Sessions will be held at the Estorick Collection from November 2025 to March 2026 and are open to Year 9–13 students and young people up to 25.
For booking enquiries, schools and youth organisations can contact Luca at education@estorickcollection.com.
Immersive Music Experiences – until February 2026
Union Chapel will also partner with Highbury Opera Theatre and MEI – Guildhall School to collaborate with musicians aged 14-18 on immersive music workshops while family act Mrs H Sings will work with Year 2 students. Participants will co-create performances combining spoken word, beats, soundscapes, and song, drawing inspiration from Union Chapel’s legacy of supporting education, equality, and activism. These free performances are scheduled for February 2026. Free ticket details will be announced soon.
Musicians 14-18 can apply to take part in the Highbury Opera Theatre and MEI – Guildhall School October – February workshops and performance (by October 17) at mei.eepos.fi/#/forms/10
Cristina Carrasco, Participation Manager of the Sunday School Stories Project, says, “Union Chapel has always stood for the belief that heritage is not something locked in the past, but something living, breathing, and inspiring for new generations. Sunday School Stories brings that to life in the most creative ways possible.”
Mrs H Sings says, “Having performed in the borough for over 20 years, it is a joy to be back and celebrating the Union Chapel. So far, our work has been to engage with local school children, to help write material for our one-off show in February. It has been such a joy to have an opportunity to write new material, and the songs are already being played and learnt in our weekly sessions. The culmination of all this is will be a theatrical show in the main chapel that will be such an exciting prospect for the band to realise. We can’t wait!”
Future Plans for The Sunday School Stories Project
The Sunday School Stories Project, which is supported by The National Lottery Heritage Fund and National Lottery Players and more, will expand its activities, partnerships, and community events, making 200+ years of local history more accessible and inspiring its young community to express these once-lost stories through the arts.
