“Chats Palace has presented and encouraged a wide variety of music, comedy, theatre, dance, carnival, disability arts, photography and other art and social initiatives for over 35 years.
The building that hosts Chats Palace was established in 1913 as a Carnegie library for the betterment of the people of the East End. The library closed in 1974 and soon after the building was reclaimed by members of the local community.”
What Is Chats’ Palace? is a great new website covering the history of the venue / community facility, and other things.
There is a nice introduction to the project here and an invitation to drop by and get involved here.
Also of interest so far:
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Hackney Marsh Fun Festival 1974-1989 posters - Posters from Chats Palace Printshop (including feminism, tenants meetings, gigs, exhibitions, protests)
- Some photos about a childrens’ summer playscheme in 1980 and 2012.
I think the project is well worth supporting – Chats Palace was the venue for a load of political/benefit gigs throughout the nineties (including Hackney Anarchy Week and a poll tax benefit which ended in 19 arrests) and I’m sure has a long history of radical/community activity. I’ll certainly be keeping an eye out…
The Radical History of Hackney 