- By
- Oscar Ralf
Gathering around something as universal and understated as joy feels like a radical act.
Joy, as an emotional response, is a vital resource - one that fuels resilience, pats us on the back, gives us purpose. JOY, as an event, was a deliberate, human-centred intervention, certainly not blind optimism or naïve escapism.
"JOY was about stepping in and making something. Feeling something. And connecting with others through the process."
Connor Rankin, Head of Creative Programmes at Acrylicize
Born from the belief that creativity should be inclusive, playful, and shared, JOY opened up space for engagement, experimentation, and community. A place that stripped away rigid formality and replaced it with an organic jumble of everything from kite making, sculpting, and cahoots, to talks, live music, and performance.
It was an articulation of our ethos. As much about celebrating culture as it was about cultivating it - from the grassroots up. It was a showcase of the range and depth of London’s creative scene, and a key example of our programming offer at Acrylicize and The Art House, giving space to emerging voices and local collaborators and bringing them into our ecosystem.
Working Class Creatives Manifesto Screenprinting on Screens Supplied By Print Club London.
From Hands-on Crafts and Workshops...
...to inspiring international performances.
Emulsional Support Club Screenprint Workshop
JOY Exhibition
Vintage Spirograph Workshop
"Make Play" by Charlie Boyden
"Sculpting Joy" by Wilfrid Wood
"Brutalist London" Workshop by Theo Chaudoir
Holly Hendry Artist Talk
Helmut Smits Artist Talk
Harriet Richardson's "Quit your job and break up with your weird boyfriend"
"Plants Can Dance" with Brian d'Souza
"In a creative landscape often dominated by dull networking events and industry panels, JOY offered something rare: permission to be human, to be present, and to find connection through the simple act of making things together."
Creative Boom
WCCD's Manifesto Screenprint Printing
SPF50's Kite-making Workshop
Tummy Ache's Life Drawing
Tommy Sisson of GRASS Magazine, in conversation with Stack Magazines.
WCCD's Class Cahoots
Worms Magazine's Spoken Word
Montanera
Salomé Wu & Band
Gludo heads the night out.
Across both days, The Art House was electric - with energy, movement, noise, and an underlying, humming sense of collective presence. It was a reminder that creativity isn’t exclusive. It’s a universal language, one that cuts across backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives.
Real connection. Renewed curiosity. A sense of possibility. And perhaps most importantly, an affirmation of what happens when we lead not with polished outcomes, but with purpose. In a time when it’s easier than ever to be cynical, we chose to create a space for joy.
“This experience was about being ourselves, inviting our clients, collaborators and friends into our world, and connecting through joy.”
James Burke, Founder at Acrylicize
Salomé Wu & Band
Our Thanks
JOY was a collaborative endeavour. The creative force of our Head of Creative Programmes, Connor Rankin was integral to the inception, curation and overall success of the show. Our Programme Partners - Tummy Ache, Worms, Type&Faces and WCCD - were with us every step of the way as we navigated what was our largest-scale set of events at The Art House ever.
A massive thank you goes out to each artist featured in the show, as well as our contributing speakers and community for hosting the creative workshops.
Thanks also to our production partners OKTOCOLOUR, and Kunstraum. And also to our drinks partners throughout the show, Mikkeller Beer.