The Old Waiting Room above Peckham Rye station recently re-opened its doors, however, it’s switched from sitting around waiting for trains for the world of waiting art.
The room is now open to the local community for a series of wide-ranging arts events under the title Making Connections. The event brings together local artists, musicians and actors, to collaborate on a contemporary season of events taking place in this historic yet untapped space. The season, now extended to early December, has been hugely embraced by local communities.
The musical offerings range from live jazz performances to a Peckham-themed music hall sing-along. Yoga enthusiasts, both seasoned and newcomers, can get immersed in sound baths. Film lovers can catch a Korean zombie film, and a site-based reimagining of Brief Encounter is set to make its theatrical debut. Local writers and international storytellers also have a platform to share their unique and diverse tales.
Rebecca McCutcheon, Creative Director of Making Connections and Director of Still Lives:
“This unusual space has always aroused curiosity with Peckham residents and commuters. You can just see it if you squint through the darkened windows of Platform 3. So, it’s been an absolute joy to open it up with the support of the Arch Company – to curate a series of unique events that are grown from the community around it, and represent all the different forms of art, as well as the diversity and breadth of talent we have here on our SE15 doorstep, in this remarkable space in the heart of our community.”
Tomorrow, Friday 10th November, the free exhibition Waiting Around will open, showcasing the culmination of a week long artist residency programme exploring the concept of waiting. While waiting is often perceived negatively — as an inconvenience or something to avoid — the exhibition aims to challenge this perspective. In these turbulent times, where taking a moment to pause is a rarity, perhaps there’s a way to reframe waiting as a gift in time — a pause for reflection, a forced moment to stop.
The exhibition is co-curated by Em Briselden-Waters (Syrup Projects), and features work from Anna Schlimm, Xiyao Chen, Shupin Liu, Josh Woolford and Helga Schmid. Open from 5pm until late, entry is free and there is no need to register.
Visitors will experience the creative outcomes of the residency alongside a bar and live performances.
Anna Schlimm will present a new project which first emerged from an unofficial residency with TfL and responds to a lack of non-institutional creative opportunities. On 17th-18th November, a new, site-based performance of Still Lives, a story of love and longing reimagined by award-winning playwright Dan Rebellato and based on British playwright Noel Coward’s atmospheric and romantic play, will take centre stage.
The season will end with an exceptional lineup of musical and creative talent coming together for the CLF Art Lounge’s 20th celebration of the CLF in Peckham. CLF’s events space, and its founder Mickey Smith, have been at the heart of Peckham’s creative and musical scene for 20 years and the weekender (1st – 3rd December) is a brilliant opportunity to come and join the celebrations with an array of talented musicians, poets and more.
The Making Connections Season takes place until 3rd December in the Old Waiting Room, Peckham Rye Station, London.
The Old Waiting Room in Peckham Rye Station is a hidden architectural gem which was closed to the public in the 1960s. Built in 1865 by the noteworthy architect Charles Henry Driver, it is a local high Victorian masterpiece, which was bricked up and disused. In 2007 a local campaign succeeded in getting the building listed Grade II and important restoration works were carried out.
