SET Centre

Marx Reading Group
2025-11-09 16:00 - 18:00 (Europe/London) | SET Social, 55a Nigel Road, London, SE15 4NP, United Kingdom
The Marx Reading Group is a monthly space for reading and discussing Capital together. The aim is to make Marx’s writing accessible by working through it slowly, sharing thoughts, questions and ideas as a group.

Everyone is welcome, whether you are new to Marx or have read him before. There’s no need for prior knowledge, and all readings are available for free online.

Each session focuses on a set section of Capital, with time for open discussion and contributions from everyone who wants to speak. At the end of each meeting, the group agrees on the next reading and invites volunteers to introduce sections at future sessions.

Event details

When: Every second Sunday of the month, 4-6pm.

Ticketing/registration: Free, no booking required.

For updates on the sessions, join the Marx Reading Group WhatsApp group.

Join now

Contact information: For questions, please email: gfmcvicar@gmail.com

The Upper Matrix of Human Error - Exhibition at SET Lewisham
2025-11-13 17:00 - 2025-11-25 12:00 | SET Lewisham, Unit 1, Lewisham Retail Park, London, SE13 7RZ, United Kingdom
The Upper Matrix of Human Error opens at SET Lewisham on 13 November, 6-9pm.

Bringing together new works by Associate Members, Peter McNelis and Charlie Fogg, the exhibition explores communication, paranoia, and power within the structures that shape digital and social life.

Fogg’s films dissect the mechanics of speech and narrative in digital spaces, manipulating both filmic and verbal language to expose how meaning slips even as it’s being constructed. His fragmented scripts and narrators—whether real or artificial—highlight the instability of communication, particularly when filtered through systems designed to distort and replicate.

McNelis’ film, drawing, textual, and sculptural works are structured around performances of legal and social contracts, and the fictions that underpin them.

Together, their works critique the technologies and networks of power that govern contemporary visual culture. Rather than dismissing those caught within conspiratorial or paranoid thinking, they explore how such ideologies emerge from systems of alienation and control.

Paranoia becomes a defining condition of both production and spectatorship, and yet, within the texts and images they sample, the artists uncover traces of humanity; in the awkward politeness of British speech, the familiar banality of work and consumption, and in moments of humour.

Exhibition details

Private view: 13 November, 6–9pmExhibition dates: 13-25 NovemberTimes: Wednesday-Friday, 4.30–8pm; Saturday-Sunday, 12-6pmLocation: SET Lewisham, Unit 1, Lewisham Retail Park, Loampit Vale, London SE13 7RZTickets: Free entry. No need for appointments.

This exhibition is realised with support from the Exhibitions Hub, Department of Art, Goldsmiths College.

Artists Peter McNelis @l15.pmcne Peter McNelis (b. Newcastle Upon Tyne, 2000) makes work concerned with internal structures of ideology and nationhood, and the naive actors who perform and make them external. He received a BA in Fine Art and History of Art from Goldsmiths in 2023.Charlie Fogg @charlienewfbfogg Charlie Fogg (b. Newcastle Upon Tyne, 2000) works primarily with digital moving- image. His works interrogate narrative forms, exploring themes of the post-internet condition and its effect on everyday life. He received a BA in Fine Art from Manchester School of Art.

SET Film Festival 2025 | Night 2: State of the Nation
2025-11-13 19:15 - 23:30 | SET Social, 55a Nigel Road, London, SE15 4NP, United Kingdom
Introducing Night 2 of the SET Film Festival 2025: ‘State of the Nation’, taking place at SET Social, Peckham on Thursday 13 November.

Schools, care homes, youth centres, churches: these institutions shape who we are, yet they cannot contain us. In conditions of austerity, our underfunded public services and community spaces remain vital forms of support, even as they are marked by fragility and contradiction.

SET presents a series of six films that trace divergent relationships to these frameworks, revealing the fraying social fabric of collective life and the uneven networks that sustain it. In St Leonards-on-Sea, a local youth centre offers a young man both respite and a ticket out of town; veteran filmmaker John Smith reflects on aging, artistic legacy, and the joys and frustrations of being one of many; and in a church hall, faith charts a route back home.

Night 2 films include:

Being John Smith (2024) – John Smith

I’M CHARLIE JOHNSON (2025) – Esther Springett

Okay Keskidee! Let Me See Inside (2025) – Rhea Storr

We were halfway out of town when I realised I forgot my suit (2024) – Barney Ogden

Wedding Reminiscence (2024) – Barney Gibbons

Adura Baba Mi (2024) – Juliana Kasumu

Full programme details can be found on Eventive.

View Night 2 programme

Event details

Date: Thursday 13 November 2025Doors: 7.15pm | Screening: 7.45pm prompt with a 15-min interval, followed by a Q&A with the filmmakers, hosted by Ellie Dobbs and Amina Ali.Tickets: £7 (concession) / £9 (general), inclusive of a printed programmeNote: Open to all. SET Social membership is not required, though members enjoy concession rates.

Get tickets

Follow: @set.filmfestival for programme updates.Poster design by @ashleykinnardstudio.

Under Archives - Exhibition at SET 91
2025-11-14 18:00 - 2025-12-07 21:00 | SET 91, 91 Tabernacle Street, London, EC2A 4JN, United Kingdom
SET 91 presents Under Archive, our third exhibition in our six-month programme, in dialogue with the 2025 SET Film Festival, taking place at SET Social in Peckham, from 6 November-4 December. Please join us for the public opening on Friday 14 November, 6-9pm.Co-curated by Ellie Dobbs and Verity Monroe, Under Archives brings together seven international research-based artists and the Sri Lankan Archive Collective, exploring the personal and collective dimensions of archiving. The exhibition highlights practices that expose and resist decades of inequities, neglect, and erasure in the process of archiving and remembering, questioning whose narratives are protected and whose are obscured.

Artists include Leily Moghtader Mojdehi, Halina Edwards, Harmeet Singh Rahal, Veronica Bello, Mya Cavner, Francesca Telling, Toulip Wonder, and the Sri Lankan Archive Collective.

Exhibition details

Private view: Friday 14 November, 6–9pmExhibition dates: 15 November-7 DecemberGallery times: Thursday–Sunday, 1–6pmLocation: 91 Tabernacle Street, Old Street, London, EC2A 4JNTickets: Free entry.

This exhibition is realised with support from the Exhibitions Hub, Department of Art, Goldsmiths College.

Poster design: Callum Bridge

Learn more

The Tiny Oscars - Inclusive One Week Film Challenge and Community Screening
2025-11-15 19:00 - 22:00 | SET Social, 55a Nigel Road, London, SE15 4NP, United Kingdom
The Tiny Oscars is an inclusive, free-to-enter independent film night that invites filmmakers from around the world to create a short film in just one week. The event brings the community together to share joy, watch films on the big screen, celebrate with awards, and end the night with a dance.

The initiative aims to encourage making for the sake of making. Many aspiring creators have personal projects they dream of completing, but without real incentive, those ideas often fall into the “idea graveyard.” The Tiny Oscars provides that incentive – a clear deadline and a supportive creative community.The ‘One Week Movie Challenge’ began with co-founder James Papper, who struggled with overthinking and unfinished projects. In late 2024, he discovered that setting a short deadline and holding himself accountable helped him break through a lifelong creative block. Inspired by that breakthrough, The Tiny Oscars now shares this process with a wider audience, empowering filmmakers to overcome perfectionism and rediscover the joy of creativity.

Whether an experienced director or a complete beginner, participants in The Tiny Oscars have the opportunity to see their films on the big screen, connect with fellow creators, and celebrate the act of making. For every filmmaker, it all starts with a deadline.

What is the brief?

The Tiny Oscars will be posting the brief over on Instagram (@thetinyoscars) on 3 November. You then have a week to make your film.

Submission deadline is 10 November. Details on how to submit can be found on Instagram too.

Event details

Date: Saturday 15 NovemberTimes: Doors open at 7pm | Films start at 8pmTickets: Free. You can reserve a seat via Resident Advisor below.

Get a ticket

Contact information: Feel free to get in touch at thetinyoscars@gmail.com with any questions.

Move for Marie Curie – Movement Workshop and Fundraiser
2025-11-16 14:00 - 15:30 | SET Social, 55a Nigel Road, London, SE15 4NP, United Kingdom
Take time for yourself with Move for Marie Curie, a welcoming movement group designed to release the week’s tension. Guided by a HCPC-registered drama and movement therapist, this session invites you to reconnect with your body, reflect, and reset in a safe and supportive space.

Whether you’re an overthinker or simply in need of some grounding, this is your chance to move, breathe, and let go. Bring a notebook for reflections, wear comfortable clothes and shoes, and don’t forget your water bottle.

This session is part of a fundraising journey for the 2026 London Marathon. All proceeds go directly to Marie Curie, helping provide vital end-of-life care and support.

Event details

Date: Sunday, 16 November 2025Time: 14:00 – 15:30Facilitator: Sarah Warham, movement therapist and London Marathon runner for Marie CurieTickets: £5

Get your ticket

Stay connected

Instagram: @sazrunz

TikTok: @sazrunz

Substack: Sazsez

Fundraising page: London Marathon for Marie Curie

Email: sawarham@gmail.com

SET Open Decks - Weekly DJ Open Booth Nights (extended)
2025-11-19 18:00 - 2025-11-20 00:00 | SET Social, 55a Nigel Road, London, SE15 4NP, United Kingdom
SET Open Decks is a weekly night happening at SET Social where the booth is open for anyone who wants to play, experiment with tracks, or just hang out with other local DJs.

Every third Wednesday of the month, SET Open Decks expands into an extended session, running from early evening through to midnight. The booth stays open throughout, giving more time to play, listen, experiment, and settle into the space.

The extended session keeps the same open, easy-going approach as the weekly night. DJs who want to play can put their name in a hat, with 30-minute slots drawn at random on the night. There’s no fixed format and no expectation to perform. You can step up to the decks, dip in and out, or stay off the booth entirely and enjoy the music.

Whether you’re a DJ testing new material, someone learning by watching others, or just there to enjoy the music and the atmosphere, everyone is welcome.

From time to time, SET Open Decks will also host informal workshops and skill-sharing sessions covering DJ techniques, library organisation, and industry tips. Keep an eye on @set.social.peckham for announcements.

Event details

When:

Regular Wednesdays: 9.30pm – midnight

Every third Wednesday: 6pm – midnight

Bring your gear: Vinyl or USB is welcome

Who’s it for: Open to everyone, from first-time DJs to experienced selectors, and anyone who wants to listenSign up: Check in with the hosts in the Red Bar when you arrive

Artwork by @dutchiestudio

SET Film Festival 2025 | Night 3: Reticence
2025-11-20 19:15 - 23:30 | SET Social, 55a Nigel Road, London, SE15 4NP, United Kingdom
Introducing Night 3 of the SET Film Festival 2025: ‘Reticence’, taking place at SET Social, Peckham on Thursday 20 November.

The programme presents seven films that employ strategies of reticence, probing the limits of the moving image. By shifting attention away from the visual, the films call on other senses to explore what can be felt rather than seen. Reticence becomes a counter-grammar through which to examine the politics of image-making, as artists evoke the sonic, haptic, and residual to open the screen into a space of speculation where fantasy and reality collide.

Through flicker, textile, archival glitches, and the slippery dreams of sleep-talking, the films embrace the quiet resilience of latent images. By inviting the viewer to project their own visions in the absence of those immediately offered by the filmmakers, their approach is one of dismantling the world in order to reassemble it otherwise.

Night 3 films include:

The Land Where Ghosts Could Speak (2024) – Tianhui Wu

So often returning to the same place (2025) – Maria Howard

Les mains qui travaillent (2024) – Eva van Tongeren

The Departing Images (2023) – Ana Edwards

Sinkhole (2024) – Kate Liston

Rage Against the Archive (2024) – Anshul Roy

Blouse and Skirt (2024) – Brandon Saunders

Full programme details can be found on Eventive.

View Night 3 programme

Event details

Date: Thursday 20 November 2025Doors: 7.15pm | Screening: 7.45pm prompt with a 15-min interval, followed by a Q&A with the filmmakers, hosted by Agnès Houghton-Boyle and Rebecka Öhrström Kann.Tickets: £7 (concession) / £9 (general), inclusive of a printed programmeNote: Open to all. SET Social membership is not required, though members enjoy concession rates.

Get tickets

Follow: @set.filmfestival for programme updates.Poster design by @ashleykinnardstudio.

DIY Hennin Workshop: Make Your Own Princess Hat!
2025-11-24 19:00 - 22:00 | SET Social, 55a Nigel Road, London, SE15 4NP, United Kingdom
Ever wanted to make your own princess hat like the ones from childhood? This workshop offers the perfect opportunity! Participants will create their own DIY hennin—the iconic pointy medieval hat—using card, fabrics, trims, beads, and lace.

The workshop features a curated medieval-inspired playlist, setting a creative and social atmosphere. Attendees will craft their hats in a welcoming environment and take home their finished creation. A medieval-inspired backdrop will also be available for stunning princess photos.

Event details

Date/time: Monday 24 November, 7-10pmTicketing / registration: £14 Standard £8 Concession

Book tickets

Everyone is welcome regardless of background or skill level. Feel free to bring your own craft materials if you like, though everything you need will be provided.

Organised and run by Dhara Wright and Isolda Milenkovic.

Peckham Chess Club
2025-11-26 18:00 - 21:00 | SET Social, 55a Nigel Road, London, SE15 4NP, United Kingdom
Peckham Chess Club offers free weekly chess sessions suitable for all levels and abilities. Come along for advice, new skills, and casual games. Every Wednesday 6-late.

SET Film Festival 2025 | Night 4: Coconut Head Generation
2025-11-27 18:45 - 23:00 | SET Social, 55a Nigel Road, London, SE15 4NP, United Kingdom
Night 4 of the 2025 SET Film Festival features Alain Kassanda’s multi-award-winning documentary, Coconut Head Generation, screening at SET Social on Thursday, 27 November.At the University of Ibadan, Nigeria’s oldest university, students gather for their weekly ‘Thursday Film Series’, where works by directors from Med Hondo to John Akomfrah spark lively conversations on feminism, LGBTQ+ rights, colonialism, housing issues and corruption.

Reclaiming the once-mocking term “coconut head generation”, a phrase used by older generations to deride young Nigerians as apathetic and disengaged, Alain Kassanda’s film follows these students as they turn the insult into an affirmation of their freedom of thought and expression.

The film moves from life on campus to the frontline resistance of the #EndSARS protests, the youth-led nationwide movement against police brutality, becoming an urgent portrait of a generation fighting for justice and meaningful social change.

Vividly immersing us in campus life, both as a site of intellectual liberation and spirited debate, and as a place marked by daily challenges such as frequent blackouts and overcrowded conditions, the film offers a resonant portrait of a generation of determined young Nigerians.

Event details

Date: Thursday 27 November 2025Doors: 6.45pm | Screening: 7.45pm prompt Tickets: £5 (concession) / £7 (general)Note: Open to all. SET Social membership is not required, though members enjoy concession rates.

Get tickets

Follow: @set.filmfestival for programme updates.Poster design by @ashleykinnardstudio.

Pearly Makers Market
2025-11-30 14:00 - 18:00 | SET Social, 55a Nigel Road, London, SE15 4NP, United Kingdom
The Pearly Makers Market is popping up at SET Social on Sunday 30 November 30, from 2-6pm.

Hosted by the wonderful team at @pearlymakersmarket, this free and fabulous market is the perfect opportunity to kickstart your holiday gift-buying. Featuring some of the most talented queer creatives and makers in the scene, you’ll be sure to find something truly weird, wonderful, and unique to suit every taste and budget.

More than just a market, Pearly Makers Market is a safe space and vital platform for queer creatives to show off their incredible work, establish their businesses, and build community.

Every event brings together a vibrant mix, from market veterans to at least one trader who is completely new to the scene. Come discover your new favourite artist!

If interested in trading at future markets, please DM @pearlymakersmarket on Instagram directly.

Candid – Group Critique for Figurative Artists
2025-11-30 18:00 - 19:30 | SET Social, 55a Nigel Road, London, SE15 4NP, United Kingdom
Dive into this informal group critique dedicated to causal and chance depictions of people. This is your space to strip away the pretence, find inspiration, get honest feedback, and forge genuine connections with other artists. Everyone is welcome to share work or just be part of the discussion.

Bring your raw vision – from shaky first drafts to shimmering finished pieces. Spontaneous, momentary images are also encouraged. Conversations will centre around the technical edge (form and technique), as well as the conceptual heart (concepts and aesthetics).

Candid was set up as an open platform by artist Tabitha Gammer whilst studying at Central Saint Martins. Since then, crits have been held online, providing a space for artists to explore and champion the ‘candid’ moment in visual culture.

Event details

Date/times: Sunday 30 November, 6pm – 7.30pmTicketing/registration: Free. Please DM @candidcrits on Instagram or email tabbygammer@gmail.com to reserve a place.

A Coral Reef - Exhibition at SET Lewisham
2025-12-04 18:00 - 2025-12-19 21:00 | SET Lewisham, Unit 1, Lewisham Retail Park, London, SE13 7RZ, United Kingdom
SET is delighted to present A Coral Reef, a new exhibition, opening at SET Lewisham on 4 December, 6-9pm.Bringing together new drawings, paintings, and sculptural works by artists and SET Associate Members Aidan Quinn and Hallam Wood, the exhibition explores fragility, connection, and the unstable systems that bind living things together.Quinn (@maggot.kingdom) makes drawings and sculptures that reflect on the strangeness of living in a collapsing, disorienting world. His works begin with fragments—archival images, scraps of text, or simple patterns—which are redrawn, layered, and tiled until their origins blur and new connections emerge.

Wood (@hallamtwood) works between painting, drawing, and occasional sculpture, guided by the belief that all matter is connected. From this open-ended premise, he aims to realign the pedestrian elements of life. His recent paintings use looping lines to form links between objects and organisms.

Exhibition details

Private view: Thursday 4 December, 6–9pmExhibition dates: 5-7 December, 12–5pmAdditional viewings: 8-19 DecemberVenue: SET Lewisham, Lewisham Retail Park, SE13 7RZAdmission: Free entry, by appointment

SET Social Community and Market Day - Christmas Edition
2025-12-07 12:00 - 17:00 | SET Social, 55a Nigel Road, London, SE15 4NP, United Kingdom
We’re going big for Christmas!Join us on 7 December, 12-5pm at SET Social for our final Community and Market Day of the year – but this time with a festive twist..

This December, SET Social is part of a wider weekend of creativity across Peckham, with neighbouring spaces hosting their own winter events. Visitors will be able to flow between SET Social, Pexmas at Copeland Park, and the Bussey Building Open Studios, creating a full day of markets, art, food, and community just a few minutes’ walk apart.

What to expect at SET Social

Our Christmas Community Day brings all the things you love about SET Social — plus a little extra sparkle. Expect a lively indoor market filled with:

Handmade gifts and crafts

Ceramics, prints, art, zines, and collectables

Vintage clothing, second-hand treasures, and festive finds

Bakes, treats, and unique one-off items

There will be workshops throughout the day, delicious food, and a special live performance from Peckham Elvis to keep spirits high.

Our café and bar will be open all afternoon, serving mulled wine and hot drinks. All proceeds from the bar support SET’s charitable projects, so we kindly ask that you don’t bring in drinks from elsewhere

Trader call-out

We’re looking for makers, creators, bakers, collectors, and sellers of all kinds to be part of our festive market. We welcome a broad mix of traders, including:

Handmade crafts, ceramics, textiles, art, prints and zines

Vintage clothing, second-hand items, bric-à-brac, and collectables

Candles, home bakes, books, records, and more

Booking options:

Inside Big Table – 120 cm rectangle

Inside Small Table – 60 cm round

Floor Pitch – bring a rug/blanket or rail

If you’re a charity or raising money for a charity email tabitha@setspace.uk with details of your organisation and we will offer you a free or subsidised stall.

There are specific tickets for people who require a larger table or a small table, so please make sure you select the correct ticket upon booking.

Book a stall

Food

We’re delighted to have Peckham Soup Kitchen serving up delicious food throughout the day.Peckham Soup Kitchen is a grassroots community organisation providing free meals, essential support, and outreach for people in need across South East London.

Workshops

@drawing.people.together will be hosting ‘Blue Christmas’, a free drop-in workshop where you can make or draw your own bauble to take home. All ages and abilities are welcome, materials are provided, and you’re invited to simply come as you are.

Totes and cards will also be on sale in support of the fantastic local charity @pecan121a, all while being serenaded by not one, but two local Elvises.

Important Info:

Stall setup from 11:30am

Market opens to the public from 12pm

Pack down stalls by 5pm

Café and bar open all day (proceeds support SET’s charitable projects). Please don’t bring in outside drinks.

Event is indoors with limited plug sockets; bring charged card readers or power banks.

No parking on site.

Wheelchair and step-free access available, including a disabled toilet.

Children under 12 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.

What to expect at Copeland Park

Just a short stroll from SET Social, both events below will be running throughout the day, making it easy for visitors to explore multiple creative spaces in one festive trip.

Pexmas

A longstanding Peckham winter celebration, Pexmas brings together over 150 independent traders, designers, artists, DJs, food stalls, and more. Expect a bustling market atmosphere in the Unit 8 Warehouse and Copeland Gallery, the perfect complement to SET Social’s indoor market.

Bussey Building Open Studios

Step inside the historic Bussey Building and discover the work of artists, makers, and designers across their open studios. Explore painting, crafts, photography, jewellery, fashion, printmaking, homewares, and more, all within one of Peckham’s most iconic creative buildings.

Peckham Chess Club Tournament
2025-12-07 18:00 - 2025-12-08 00:00 | SET Social, 55a Nigel Road, London, SE15 4NP, United Kingdom
After the success of the inaugural tournament, Peckham Chess Club is back bigger and better, with their next tournament this December.Open to players of all levels, this tournament guarantees everyone five games of 10-minutes each, with prizes awarded for top placing performers across all skill levels. Prizes include chess books, chess lessons, medals, and more.

Whether you’re an online chess addict or just getting into the game, come play some chess, have fun, and meet your local chess club.

Event details

Date/times: Sunday 7 December, 6pm-late. Ticketing/registration: Tickets are £10, with all proceeds going directly towards supporting the club and buying new equipment.

Book tickets

Paratha Club - Joyland
2025-12-11 19:00 - 22:00 | SET Social, 55a Nigel Road, London, SE15 4NP, United Kingdom
Picture this: you roll into Peckham at 7pm and the air is warm with the scent of sweet incense and the soft glow of diyas flickers along the bar. At the bar, you’re offered stuffed parathas, served with butter, yogurt and a selection of Indian pickles. You tuck in, catching up with friends as the food fills you with comfort. Once you’ve eaten, a steaming cup of masala chai and a sweet treat are offered to you. You settle in together, chai and treat in hand, to watch a film—the perfect end to a soul-nourishing meal.

This weeks paratha stuffing: Gobi (Cauliflower)

This week’s film: JoylandA bit about the movie – Joyland (2022), the stunning debut from Pakistani director, Saim Sadiq, follows the Rana family in Lahore as their youngest son, Haider, secretly takes a job at an erotic dance theatre and becomes drawn to Biba, a confident transgender performeer. The film gently but powerfully explores desire, family expectations, and the cost of living your truth within a deeply traditional society. It’s beautifully acted, sensitively directed, and has become a landmark for Pakistani cinema on the world stage.

Event details

7-7.45pm – Paratha time7.45-8pm – Time to get some chai and a sweet treat and a chance to go to the restroom before the film starts8pm – Film starts11.30pm – End of event

All items are 100% plant-based.

Allergen InfoParatha – Gluten, SoySweet Treat – Soy, Tree Nuts, Sesame, GlutenMasala Chai – Oat milk

Ticketing / registration: £17.50

Book a ticket

Organiser details: Tava Rakh is a plant-based food business run by Mala Lal. Tava Rakh means “put the hot plate on” in Punjabi—a phrase Mala’s mum would say, signalling the start of cooking (and tasty food coming!). Growing up in a Punjabi household, Mala was constantly surrounded by rich, indulgent Indian comfort food. Cooking has always been a way to unwind, and sharing crispy parathas with yogurt, pickle, butter, and a cup of masala chai is a nostalgic, soul-warming experience she now invites you to enjoy.

Contact information: mala_lal@hotmail.co.uk

Illuminations – SET 91
2025-12-12 18:00 - 2026-01-04 18:00 | SET 91, 91 Tabernacle Street, London, EC2A 4JN, United Kingdom
Illuminations returns to SET 91 with a new display of artist-made lights, visible both from within the gallery and from the street. The exhibition raises funds for The Sameer Project, a Palestinian-led initiative providing urgent support to displaced families in Gaza.

Now in its second iteration following its debut at SET Lewisham in 2024, Illuminations brings together 33 artists whose light-based works celebrate the Winter Solstice and stand in solidarity with Palestine.

At its core is a simple idea: offering light, and a sense of shared hope, during the darkest time of the year.

Artists include: Gillies Adamson Semple, Eleanor Arnold, Joseph Barrett, Leo Benavides , Jack Bodimeade, Rob Branigan, Hazel Brill, Lily Bunney, Peter Carrick, Joe Davies, Alex Du Preez, Maddie Banwell, Archie Fooks-Smith, Daniel Gatenio, Alia Hamaoui, Willa Hilditch Milo Kester, Aimée Lyon, Tawfik Naas, Gonçalo Neto, Sam Nicholson, Oliver Offord, Eleni Papazoglou, Ralph Parks, Sally Plowman, Anouska Samms, Nic Sanderson, Chloe Solomon, Kirico Ueda, Tabitha Weddell, Olivia Wiles, Yolanda Mitchell, and Francisco Zhan.

Several of the artworks on display are also available for sale. To enquire, please contact rhianhmussi@gmail.com for details.

Follow the project on Instagram: @illuminations_exhibition

Exhibition details

Dates: 13 December – 4 JanuaryPublic opening event: Friday 12 December, 6-9pm Light show hours: 4.30-9pm Gallery hours for public: 13-14 December and 21-22 December, 2-6pm Admission: Free

Learn more

Poster design: Callum Bridge

FMas Open Session and Gig with FChoir
2025-12-13 16:00 - 21:00 | SET Social, 55a Nigel Road, London, SE15 4NP, United Kingdom
It’s time to F* tradition and soak up those cosy winter vibes the F*Choir way. Join us on 13 December at SET Social Peckham for an afternoon and evening of collective vocal power.

Open session

The afternoon offers an opportunity to connect, reflect, and play together through embodied vocal and physical practice.

Artistic Director Jenny Moore and Assistant Choir Leader Bianca Stephens will guide participants through vocal and somatic warm-ups, followed by a song from FChoir’s repertoire. Participants joining the FMas gig later that evening will be invited onstage to perform the song learned in the session with the choir.

Please note: Attendance at the Open Session is not required to join the FMas gig. Tickets must be purchased for both events to participate in the performance.

F*MAS Gig

Fresh from their autumn tour with Beverly Glenn-Copeland and Elizabeth Glenn-Copeland, F*Choir invites audiences to an intimate, relaxed gig, featuring beloved classics alongside fresh new pieces.

Event details

Date and time: Saturday 13 December, 4-9pmTicketing / registration: From £6

Book tickets

Artist / organiser details:

F*Choir is a 70-strong, queer-led ensemble that radically reimagines what choral singing can be. Bold, joyful, and physically engaging, the choir celebrates collective liberation and embodied resistance. Founded by composer and multidisciplinary artist, Jenny Moore, co-run with Bianca Stephens and Sophie Chapman , F*Choir rejects traditional music methods, drawing instead on the work of historically underrepresented women, trans, non-binary, and queer artists. At its core, F*Choir is about claiming the right to our own voices as people who have been historically marginalised and excluded.

Having captivated audiences across the UK and beyond, F*Choir has performed sold-out shows at venues including Milton Court (programmed by the Barbican), EartH Hackney, Bishopsgate Institute, Wellcome Collection, and the MOTH Club.Additional information:Questions? Email wearefchoir@gmail.com

F.A.T Studio's Xmas Office Party
2025-12-18 19:00 - 23:30 | SET Social, 55a Nigel Road, London, SE15 4NP, United Kingdom
You’re all officially invited to an Xmas office party for the office-less.

To mark the end of the terrible year, F.A.T. Studios will be:

Launching issue 2 of our new zine Neighbours, a local newspaper dripping in SE London gossip, reviews and interviews with neighbourhood legends. You’ll also be able to buy a copy fresh off the press and also bag some other homemade goodies in the form of T-shirts and books.

Presenting the Printer of the Year, getting lucky at the Stationery Tombola and lingering around the Midori Milk water cooler.

Neighbours 2 will come to life with readings and performances from some of this year’s contributors.

Bringing festive cheer and intense sex appeal with a live band.

WARNING: this is an extremely romantic event. There will be a Cupid Messenger Service, a SEXY Santa roaming the red room and an actual KISSING COMPETITION.

**It is highly recommended that you bring a new friend or neighbour along to this party. This is the ONLY WAY we can collectively revitalise the SE London dating and friendship scene.**

Let’s expand our circles and feel the chemistry explosion we all deserve!

Event details

Date/times: Thursday 18 December, 7pm-midnightTicketing/registration: £7. Tickets available on Outsavvy.

Book a ticket

SET Social ChristMAD Market
2025-12-20 14:00 - 18:00 | SET Social, 55a Nigel Road, London, SE15 4NP, United Kingdom
As Christmas approaches, we’re opening the doors at SET Social one last time for our ChristMAD Market.

This free and festive indoor market is a celebration of local creativity, community and connection. Join us for a cosy afternoon of Christmas shopping, browsing handmade goods, ceramics, art and prints, zines, vintage finds, collectables, records and home bakes, all under one roof.

Our bar and café will also be open all day serving mulled wine and winter warmers. All proceeds support SET’s projects and the work we do.

Book a stall

Event details

Date: Saturday 20 DecemberTime: 2pm to 6pmLocation: SET Social, Peckham, SE15 4NPEntry: Free

Trader call-out

We’re looking for makers, creators, bakers, collectors, and sellers of all kinds to be part of our festive market. We welcome a broad mix of traders, including:

Handmade crafts, ceramics, textiles, art, prints and zines

Vintage clothing, second-hand items, bric-à-brac, and collectables

Candles, home bakes, books, records, and more

Booking options:

Inside Big Table – 120 cm rectangle

Inside Small Table – 60 cm round

Floor Pitch – bring a rug/blanket or rail

If you’re a charity or raising money for a charity email tabitha@setspace.uk with details of your organisation and we will offer you a free or subsidised stall.

There are specific tickets for people who require a larger table or a small table, so please make sure you select the correct ticket upon booking.

Book a stall

Important information

Stall setup from 1:30pm

Market opens to the public from 2pm

Pack down stalls by 6pm

Café and bar open all day (proceeds support SET’s charitable projects). Please don’t bring in outside drinks

Event is indoors with limited plug sockets; bring charged card readers or power banks

No parking on site

Wheelchair and step-free access available, including a disabled toilet

Children under 12 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian

We can’t wait to see you there!

The World Shakes Out Her Sheets - SET 91 Exhibition
2026-01-16 18:00 - 2026-02-01 21:00 | SET 91, 91 Tabernacle Street, London, EC2A 4JN, United Kingdom
The World Shakes Out Her Sheets is SET 91’s fifth and penultimate exhibition within its six-month curated programme. Curated by Isobel Harper, the exhibition brings works by Nicola Organ, Rhian Harris-Mussi, Kes Wilkie, and Freddie Wise, presented in dialogue with a commissioned text by artist and writer Sophie Wright.

Bringing together practices that reflect on landscape, environment and speculative forms of world-building, the exhibition explores how image, text and material intersect. Seen through panes of engraved glass etched with fragments of Wright’s text in Harper’s distinctive letterform, the works shift with light and shadow, inviting viewers to move between looking and reading.

About the exhibition

The World Shakes Out Her Sheets brings together works by four artists whose practices are united by processes of uncanny world-building. Across the exhibition, there is a shared sense of play with space, perspective and scale, unsettling familiar worlds and translating them into disquieting visual languages. Human systems, structures and machinery appear alongside strange natural phenomena, suggesting environments that hover somewhere between science fiction and the otherworldly.

At the centre of the exhibition is Wright’s commissioned text, written in response to a conversation that reflected on the shared sensibility running through the four practices. Rather than offering explanation, Wright’s text functions as a kind of poetic distillation, drawing out the common threads of estrangement, curiosity, and speculative possibility. Etched into the glass that frames each work, the text becomes a material presence that subtly reconfigures perception through light and shadow.

Text, glass and image form a layered encounter in which meaning is continually deferred and reshaped. The exhibition proposes the engraved glass as a conscious lens – one that mediates the relationship between viewer and artwork, while inviting an attentive navigation of these strange and mystical worlds. In doing so, The World Shakes Out Her Sheets proposes a way of looking that is open to uncertainty, and to the possibility that these works may be addressed not only to human viewers, but to something beyond us.

Details

Public opening event: Friday 16 January, 6-9pm Dates: 17 January – 1 February Gallery hours: Thursday – Sunday, 1-6pm Location: 91 Tabernacle Street, Old Street, London, EC2A 4JNAdmission: Free

Poster design: Callum Bridge (@ellery3000)

The Black British School of Joy - Exhibition at SET Stage Gallery
2026-01-16 19:00 - 22:00 | SET Social, 55a Nigel Road, London, SE15 4NP, United Kingdom
The Black British School of Joy is the first exhibition of the new year at SET Stage Gallery, curated by new director Ayiesha Sankoh and presented by artist Tia Tshabola.

Staged as a classroom set within a garden-like environment, this immersive exhibition brings together moving image, CRT televisions, sound, and spatial installation. The work explores how joy operates within Black British youth culture as a source of resilience, informal learning, and collective imagination. Drawing on music, friendship, memory, and community, the exhibition positions joy as both a personal and political force.

Set within the social space of SET Social in Peckham, the exhibition invites audiences to gather, reflect, and experience the work within an active, lived-in environment. Visitors are encouraged to spend time with the installation, encountering joy as a shared practice shaped through everyday life.

Exhibition details

Opening night: Friday 16 January, 7-10pmExhibition open: Saturday 17 January, 2-9pm

Location: SET Stage Gallery at SET Social, 55a Nigel Road, Peckham, SE15 4NP

Visiting information

Free entry

Drop-in, no booking required

About SET Stage Gallery

Launched in 2023, SET Stage Gallery is a volunteer-led, non-profit contemporary art space based at SET Social. The gallery prioritises artists with limited access to exhibition opportunities and supports a programme of monthly workshops, talks, screenings, reading groups, and exhibitions. All proceeds go directly to participating artists, supporting accessibility and sustainability within the space.

Artist: Tia Tshabola (@souljas) Curator: Ayiesha Sankoh (@thereturnofshe)

Contact

For questions, please email setstagegallery@gmail.com

Lino Printing Workshop
2026-01-17 14:00 - 17:00 | SET Social, 55a Nigel Road, London, SE15 4NP, United Kingdom
Ever wanted to try lino printmaking but weren’t sure where to start?

This relaxed, hands-on workshop is an introduction to lino cut printmaking, designed for beginners and anyone curious about working with print. Over three hours, participants will be guided through the full process, from developing a simple design to carving, inking, and printing their own lino artwork.

The session combines demonstrations with supported making time, allowing space to experiment and work at your own pace. By the end of the workshop, everyone will leave with a set of their own printed works and their carved lino block to continue printing at home. There is also an second optional ticket for those who would like to take home a complete lino cutting set.

The workshop takes place in a supportive, low-pressure environment and is open to anyone aged 14+. No prior experience is needed. All tools, inks, and paper are provided. Participants are encouraged to wear clothes they don’t mind getting messy and to bring sketches or ideas if they wish.

Event details

Date: Saturday 17 JanuaryTime: 2–5pmTickets: Available via Outsavvy.

£22 Standard ticket: includes prints and your carved lino block to take home

£32 Materials ticket: includes prints, your carved lino block, and a lino cutting set

Book a ticket

Artist/organiser details: Led by Aparna Konat (@aparnakonat), a multidisciplinary artist and designer working across performance, spatial design, sound, and drawing. Aparna’s practice often focuses on material exploration and collaborative making.

Contact information: For event queries, please email: aparnakonat@gmail.com

Image credits: Poster artwork by Aparna Konat.

Page of Wands
2026-01-19 19:30 - 21:30 | SET Social, 55a Nigel Road, London, SE15 4NP, United Kingdom
For all writers of words.

Page of Wands is a writers’ collective running weekly sessions for anyone interested in writing, in all its forms. The group meets every Monday evening and alternates between writing together, sharing work, offering feedback, and experimenting creatively as a group.

Sessions are designed to be supportive and flexible, making space for different approaches to writing and different levels of experience. Whether you’re working on something specific or just want time to write alongside others, Page of Wands offers a regular, communal space to do so.

Find out more about Page of Wands here.

Event details

When: Every MondayTime: 7.30-9.30pm

Communal Clay Sconce Workshop
2026-01-20 18:30 - 20:30 | SET Social, 55a Nigel Road, London, SE15 4NP, United Kingdom
Looking to spend a couple of hours playing with clay and seeing where it takes you?

Communal Clay returns to SET Social on Tuesday 20 January, 6.30-8.30pm, with the first workshop of 2026, led by ceramic artist Tristan Brokenshire. This hands-on session focuses on hand-building decorative clay wall sconces designed to hang on a nail and be used as candle holders or sculptural wall pieces.

Working with stoneware clay and decorative slip, participants will be guided through basic hand-building and sculptural techniques. The emphasis is on tactility, experimentation, and learning through making, rather than producing a perfect or finished object. Beginners are very welcome, and no prior ceramics experience is needed.

The workshop lasts two hours and takes place in a relaxed, supportive environment. The SET Social bar will be open throughout for refreshments.

At the end of the session, participants may choose to have their piece fired and glazed for an additional £10, which covers firing costs, glaze materials, and transport. Finished work will be ready to collect from SET Social approximately 2-4 weeks later, depending on drying and firing conditions.

Any leftover clay will be recycled for future workshops, helping to minimise waste and keep sessions sustainable.

Event details

Date: Tuesday 20 JanuaryTime: 6.30-8.30pm

Tickets are priced on a sliding scale from £15-£20 and are available via Outsavvy.Please choose the option that best applies to you.

Book tickets

Important information

Clay and ceramics are fragile materials until fired and glazed. Occasionally, pieces may crack or break during drying or firing. Communal Clay is not responsible for damage that may occur during this process.

About the organiser:

Communal Clay CIC is a not-for-profit organisation. All profits made after covering core costs are reinvested into running more community workshops.

This workshop is supported using public funding by the National Lottery through Arts Council England.

Munk Mahjong Club
2026-01-21 19:00 - 23:00 | SET Social, 55a Nigel Road, London, SE15 4NP, United Kingdom
Fancy an easygoing Wednesday night game of mahjong?Munk Mahjong Club is a friendly, relaxed space to play and learn mahjong together. Sessions are open to players of all levels, from complete beginners to those with more experience. This is not a competitive league, just a place to sit down, play, and share knowledge at your own pace.

Tables and mahjong sets are provided, so you can simply turn up and join a game. If you have your own set and would like to use it, you are very welcome to bring it along.

Sessions run weekly and are designed to be social, welcoming, and easy to drop into. Whether you want to learn the basics, improve your game, or just enjoy an evening of tiles and conversation, Munk Mahjong Club offers a welcoming place to do so.

Event details

When: Every WednesdayTime: 7-11pmTicketing: Free, no booking required.

You can follow @munkmahjongclub on Instagram or get in touch via Wumunk@gmail.com for any questions.

Folk Of The Round Table Burns Night Ceilidh
2026-01-22 19:00 - 23:00 | SET Social, 55a Nigel Road, London, SE15 4NP, United Kingdom
Come one, Come all to Folk of the Round’s Burn’s Night Ceilidh!

Folk Of The Round Table return to SET Social to celebrate the life and legacy of Robert Burns at this historical time of year, with live music from Stool of Repentance.

Bring your dancing shoes, your best outfit, and all the energy to dance the night away. Come with friends, bring a partner, or arrive solo and leave having danced with half the room. This is about music, connection, and having a good time together.

Whether you’re an experienced dancer or completely new to ceilidh, everyone is welcome. No prior experience needed.

Doors open at 7pm, with dancing starting at 8pm. Tickets on the door will be limited, so booking in advance is strongly recommended.

Event details

Date: Thursday 22 JanuaryTime: 7-11pm (dancing from 8pm)Tickets: Ticketing is tiered, starting at £11.55. For more information and to book tickets, please see Eventbrite.

Book tickets

About the organiser:

Folk Of The Roundtable run community-focused music sessions and ceilidhs with the aim of bringing people together through music. Their events welcome all abilities and backgrounds, creating supportive spaces to build musical confidence and shared experience.

Questions? Email folkoftheroundtable@gmail.com

Anti-colonial Reading Group
2026-01-24 14:00 - 16:00 | SET Social, 55a Nigel Road, London, SE15 4NP, United Kingdom
How are colonial histories and environmental crises connected? And what might ecology look like when thought through decolonial struggle?The Anticolonial Reading Group returns for a new series of sessions exploring ecology through an anticolonial lens. Building on previous sessions that explored foundational anticolonial thinkers such as Frantz Fanon and Walter Rodney, the cycle will focus on Malcolm Ferdinand’s groundbreaking book Decolonial Ecology: Thinking from the Caribbean World (2022).

Across sessions running from October to February, the group will read and discuss Ferdinand’s work, which brings together environmental justice and decolonial thought. Drawing on Caribbean histories, the book examines how ecological crises are inseparable from the legacies of colonialism, slavery, and racial capitalism.

Together, participants will explore questions such as: what does it mean to imagine liberation as an ecological project, and ecology as a decolonial struggle? How might we work toward a “world in common” grounded in justice, care, and collective survival for humans, non-humans, and the environment alike?

The reading group is open to all. Participants from gendered and racialised minorities, as well as those from decolonial backgrounds, are especially encouraged to take part.

If you face barriers to purchasing the book, please email kangamotema@proton.me

Event details

Dates: 5 October-21 February. See reading schedule below for more details.Time: 2-4pmTickets: Free

Reading schedule

Poster designs: Jean-Micheal @jm.btr

Growing Sideways Projects Presents a FLINTA* Short Film Night
2026-01-24 19:00 - 22:00 | SET Social, 55a Nigel Road, London, SE15 4NP, United Kingdom
Growing Sideways Projects is back, with a night of short films, shared stories, and community at SET Social.

This event showcases the work of emerging FLINTA* (Female, Lesbian, Intersex, Non-binary, Trans, and Agender people) filmmakers, bringing together film, conversation, and celebration in a welcoming, FLINTA*-centred space.

The evening features a curated programme of short films exploring themes of identity, love, memory, belonging, and queer experience. Screenings will be accompanied by filmmaker talks, offering insight into the work and the creative processes behind it.

Everyone is welcome to join in celebrating FLINTA* filmmakers. The event prioritises space for FLINTA* community members, and all attendees are asked to help maintain a respectful and FLINTA*-centred environment.

After the screenings, the night continues with DJs and a late bar, creating space to hang out, talk films, and connect.

Event details

Date: Saturday 24 JanuaryTime: 7pm-9.45pm (DJ sets and bar until 2am)Tickets: £5 (plus booking fee) and available via Eventbrite

*Ticket income helps cover venue and technical costs. If the ticket price is a barrier, attendees are encouraged to get in touch to make alternative arrangements. Please also contact the organisers via Eventbrite with any questions about venue accessibility.

Book tickets

About the organiser:

Growing Sideways Projects is a South East London–based initiative creating spaces for FLINTA* artists through exhibitions, screenings, and community-led events.
