Doing our bit
Community Beneficiaries
We're delighted to announce we are supporting Keats Community Library & Hampstead School of Art in 2024 – two important and cherished community organisations that depend on the festival's support to continue their vital work in our community.
Keats Community Library
When the Council closed Heath Library, local residents formed a charity to take it over. Funded entirely by the community, Keats Community Library is much more than a place to borrow books.
In a beautiful Grade II listed building, there are exciting children’s activities to encourage an early love of learning, free internet access, large print and audio books for the disabled. It’s a safe, quiet place for students to study with free Wi-Fi.
Every week there are activities in the Children’s Library such as Rhyme-time, Chess classes, Ballet and an afterschool club, with occasional visits from magicians and popular authors.
Once or twice a month there are affordable and accessible events for grown-ups with authors and actors such as Sir David Hare, Simon Callow, Sir Derek Jacobi, Dame Janet Suzman, Michael Palin and Simon Russell Beale.
The library is run entirely by volunteers, with a placement for an apprentice; it’s a hub for volunteers to keep active and their skills up to date, and for young people to gain work experience.
It’s your library, run by the community for the community
Do pop in to see us or visit the web site for more information about the library and the ways you can support our work.
www.keatscommunitylibrary.org.uk
10 Keats Grove NW3 2RR
Hampstead School of Art
Unleashing the artist in everyone
Hampstead School of Art was founded in 1946 as a community art education charity by Jeanette Jackson and Bernard Gay with the patronage of Henry Moore, Lord Cottesloe, Oswald Milne and Sir Kenneth Clark. Their vision was the establishment of a centre where the appreciation and enjoyment of art could be shared by people, whatever their age, background and ability.
This vision inspires the HSoA community to this day and the school continues to provide artistic activity and tuition in a wide range of skills by practising artists. Located in a beautiful part of London, close to Hampstead Heath, HSoA is steeped in the vibrant cultural and artistic tradition of the area, following in the footsteps of John Constable, Lucian Freud and many others who have lived and worked in Hampstead.
The mission of HSoA is to be an independent centre of artistic excellence, providing first class, affordable tuition in traditional and experimental creative skills.
Furthermore, our outreach programmes aim to bring art to the local community, including children, the elderly, people with physical disabilities and those with learning difficulties.
Isabel H Langtry (Principal)
Visit the website for more information on the school and how you can give a donation to help our work.