Hotel Elephant has partnered with designer Tihara Smith to deliver a free embroidery workshop for young people aged 16+ to celebrate Windrush Day 2024. With support from Southwark Council’s Windrush 75 Commemoration Fund, we are pleased to be able to offer 10 free spaces for this workshop for young people aged 16+.
Please see below for more information on the workshop and how to apply.
Celebrate your identity & learn how to embroider with raffia to create hoop art 🌴
Join us for an exciting and creative workshop where you will learn the basics of raffia embroidery and create a beautiful piece of raffia embroidery hoop art. Taking inspiration from your culture, background, and heritage, you will design your embroidery artwork to be stitched with raffia. All the materials and equipment will be provided.
This workshop celebrates Windrush Day, a day that recognises the pivotal moment in British history when thousands of people from the Caribbean arrived in the UK to help rebuild the country after the war. Attendees will get the chance to learn a little bit more about the Windrush Generation, Caribbean culture, and crafts.
New to crafts? This workshop is completely beginner-friendly, all you need is the enthusiasm to try something new! You'll leave the workshop with a beautiful piece of raffia embroidery hoop art you can hang up at home and some newfound embroidery skills. If you don't finish on time, you'll have everything you need to finish at home.
It's a relaxing and mindful way to spend a few hours of your day, and you'll also learn how to use creativity and crafts to celebrate your heritage.
This workshop has been developed by Tihara Smith in partnership with Hotel Elephant and funded by the Southwark Council Windrush 75 Commemoration Fund.
Please note that filming/photography will take place at the workshop for promotional and archival purposes. The photographs and recordings made are likely to appear on our website, and social media and may be used in third-party publications. If you would prefer not to be photographed, just let us know on the day 😊
We have 10 free places available for young people aged 16+. Please use the button below to apply for a place. Applications will be open until 31st May. Participants will be notified of their place during the week commencing 3rd June. If oversubscribed places will allocated at random and a waiting list system implemented. Please contact: workshops@hotelelephant.co.uk if you have any questions.
About your teacher:
Tihara Smith is a fashion designer and textile artist who specialises in raffia embroidery. Tihara developed her raffia embroidery technique when creating her Windrush-inspired graduate collection in 2018. An outfit from this collection was acquired by the Museum of London in 2021 to help preserve and tell the Windrush story to present and future visitors.
Tihara is passionate about celebrating her heritage and sharing her love of Caribbean culture through her work. In this workshop, she will teach you the basics of raffia embroidery and help you create your own beautiful piece of art taking inspiration from your heritage and identity.
Why you should attend:
Learn a new craft skill – hand embroidery with raffia
Create a beautiful piece of raffia hoop art
Celebrate the Windrush Generation
Learn about Caribbean crafts
Learn how to celebrate your heritage, and share it with others through craft
Learn how to use visual research to design
Relax and unwind whilst being creative
Frequently Asked Questions:
Do I need to do anything to prepare for the workshop? To make to most of this workshop, we encourage you to gather and bring images inspired by your unique heritage, background, and culture. These will serve as your springboard for design during the session. Upon booking your spot, you'll receive detailed guidance and inspiration to help you!
Is this class suitable for beginners? Yes! This workshop is completely beginner-friendly, all you need is the enthusiasm to try something new.
Is there an age limit? This workshop has been designed for young people aged 16 and over. Anyone under the age of 18 must have permission from a parent or guardian to attend the workshop and provide emergency contact details.
Do I need to bring anything to the workshop? All materials and equipment will be provided, but we do ask that you bring some visual research into your background, culture, or heritage to be inspired by during the session. This can be images on your phone, printed images, small objects, or books from the library.
What if I don’t finish my project by the end of the workshop? Don't worry - if you don't finish in the workshop, you'll have everything you need to finish at home.
Will there be refreshments provided?
A small selection of soft drinks and snacks will be provided. There will be a break for lunch, where you can leave the premises to purchase lunch or you are welcome to bring your packed lunch. The workshop space has a small kitchenette with a fridge, microwave and kettle available.