SAVE BGWMC

I was inspired to paint this scene of the outside of the Bethnal Green Working Mens’ Club (BGWMC) after reading about the threat of closure the venue faced at the hands of property developers.

Me painting the venue happened to coincide with the group ‘Friends of Bethnal Green Working Mens Club’ launching their campaign to save the venue – including an initial Crowdfunder appeal to raise a ‘fighting fund’ to try and protect this icon of queer East London night life. I was really pleased to be able to offer a series of limited edition Giclee prints of this piece to campaign to give away to the backers of the fundraising campaign – and I was delighted when that initial fundraiser quickly smashed its goal and brought together the funds needed to begin the legal fightback to protect BGWMC.

And, this was a really fun piece to paint! Adding in all the little visual stories of people on a night out, and the everyday night life of East London is exactly the kind of thing I love to include – from the takeaway delivery rider, to the Black Cab, all iconic graffiti, and that random dog walker you always see too.