The Modern Cockney Festival 2026 was a success! The programme featured a wonderful array of in-person and online events – click below and find out more…
Full listing for the Modern Cockney Festival 2026
Exhibition – viewed in-person
Being Cockney: An intimate lens
1st March – 25th March 2026
10am-8pm
Venue: Rich Mix Gallery, Shoreditch
This exhibition at Rich Mix showcased Eileen Jamieson’s photography documenting her shared Cockney identity with her father alongside Saif Osmani’s lockdown series, Framing Banglatown. The project served as a platform for human reconnection following the isolation of the pandemic.
Exhibition – opening night
Being Cockney: An intimate lens
Wednesday 6th March 2026
6.30pm
Venue: Rich Mix Gallery, Shoreditch
Outdoor exhibition
Shifting Narratives
Monday 2nd March-Friday 13th March 2026
6pm-11pm
Venue: Mallon gardens, Toynbee Hall, Aldgate East
This exhibition presented the journey of the festival from a lockdown project to a major local event. It featured reflections from East End residents on the impact of globalisation on Cockney culture.
Online talk
Outclassed
Monday 2nd March 2026
4pm
Professor Joan C. Williams discussed her research on how the left can reconnect with the working class and overcome social polarisation. The conversation examined powerful lessons from America and how the “Modern Cockney” identity serves as a prescription for British unity.
Watch the recording here:
Online talk
The Changing Voice of Cockney
Thursday 5th March 2026
12pm
Dr. Christopher Strelluf and Jonnie Robinson presented sociolinguistic research showing that Cockney is not dying but evolving into Estuary English and MLE. They utilised the Cockney Conversations Oral History Project to demonstrate that the dialect remains a living identity practice.
Rehearsed reading in costume
I, Minnie Lansbury
Thursday 5th March 2026
7pm
Venue: Tate Institute, Newham E16
This costumed reading of Bren Gosling’s play told the story of Minnie Lansbury’s fight for social justice during the 1921 Poplar Council rebellion. The performance highlighted her sacrifice and her refusal to accept injustice within the political establishment.
Family fun day
‘Cockneygami’, Design a Cockney kilt & Rhyming slang for Kids
Saturday 7th March 2026
11am-3pm
Venue: London Museum Docklands E14
Families joined artists and the Pearly King of Woolwich at the London Museum Docklands to design Cockney-themed garments and kilts. Children learned about the “secret language” of rhyming slang while creating their own Pearly-inspired bowlers.
In person memorial service
Bethnal Green Tube disaster
Sunday 8th March 2026
2pm
Venue: St. John on Bethnal Green church,Bethnal Green, E2
A commemorative service was held at St. John on Bethnal Green to remember the 173 civilians who died in the 1943 air-raid crush. Attendees honoured the victims and survivors while discovering the disaster’s enduring importance to Cockney history.
Note: British Pie Week 2026 runs the week before 2 March – 8 March 2026.
HOT OFF THE PRESS… read our Pie ‘n’ Mash Futures report below.
Online Talk and Presentation
The Battle of Cable Street 90th anniversary event
Monday 16th March 2026
12.30pm
With Author Michael Rosen, Dr. Glyn Robbins and Dr. Abdullah Faliq
Michael Rosen and community activists explored the myths and realities of the 1936 clash against fascism. The online presentation examined why the “Battle of Cable Street” continues to inspire modern artists and political movements.
Watch the recording here:
Online talk + in-person gathering
In Search of the Pearly Moon of Eid
Online talk date: Wednesday 18th March 2026 Time: 12.30pm -1.30pm
This two-part event featured an online panel discussion regarding the history and evolution of Eid celebrations within Cockney communities. The following day, a group gathered in East London to observe the new crescent moon together.
Watching the recording here:
Online talk
Cockney Roots: How to discover your Cockney ancestors
Thursday 19th March 2026
12.30pm
Patricia Sears MSc, a member of the Register of Qualified Genealogists, shared expert tips and clever shortcuts for tracing East End family histories. Attendees discovered how to navigate genealogical sources effectively and avoid common pitfalls when researching their Cockney ancestors.
Watch the recording here:
Free walking tour
Walk the Poplar Rates Rebellion
This 60-minute walking tour traced the steps of the 1921 local heroes from the Hale Street mural to the Old Poplar Baths. Participants explored the history of Poplarism and visited key sites like the old workhouse and the rebellious town hall.
Transforming The Stories Of Us
Monday 23rd March 2026
Time: (5.30pm arrival) 6pm-8pm
Venue: Museum of the Home, 136 Kingsland Road, Hoxton, E2 8EA
Author and campaigner Caroline Lucas joined attendees at the Museum of the Home to discuss how inclusive national narratives can reshape society. The evening featured exclusive gallery tours that examined the museum’s collection through the lens of social class.
Project launch
Nellie Cressall: A New Opera
Date: Wednesday 25th March 2026
6.30pm
Venue: Oxford House, London
The East London Music Group launched their upcoming opera at Oxford House, celebrating the life of the suffragist and Poplar Councillor Nellie Cressall. The launch included a short film, a live song performance, and discussions with the creative team and Cressall’s descendants.
In-person live performances
Songs, Poetry & Dance of the People
Date: Sunday 29th March 2026
6pm(start) – 9pm
Venue: Hason Raja Centre, Whitechapel
This evening celebrated working-class poetry and resilience through a fusion of Bengali and British song, dance, and imagery. The event also marked the official launch of the ‘New School of Cockney Poets’ project.
Watch the recording here:
The full MCF26 is available to view on the Modern Cockney Festival 2026 webpage.
This year’s festival unites two East End female legends: Minnie Lansbury in a script-in-hand performance, and Nellie Cressall with the launch of a new opera project.
Meet the team
This year’s festival reflects the care and creativity of skilled individuals and emerging practices. It has been a true labour of love for our team.
Andy Green
Co-founder
Saif Osmani
Co-founder
Eileen Jamieson
Photographer
Talented students
University of Westminster
We’ve teamed up with brilliant companies, community organisations, writers, and activists – and this year’s line-up is bigger and bolder than ever.
Want to work with Modern Cockney Festival, volunteer your time, or pitch a cracking idea? Email [email protected] — we’d love to hear from you.
Some of the fantastic organisations that we have worked with:
FAQs
What is the Modern Cockney Festival?
The Modern Cockney Festival, held annually in March, is a month-long celebration of London’s evolving working-class culture, identity, and heritage. It challenges old stereotypes by showcasing a diverse, resilient community, combining traditional elements like Pie & Mash with modern, inclusive voices.
Who is behind the Modern Cockney Festival?
The Modern Cockney Festival is co-founded and run by Andy Green of Grow Social Capital CIC and Saif Osmani of the Bengali East End Heritage Society.
Originally launched as Cockney Conversations Month as global COVID-19 restrictions began to lift, the initiative started in 2022. Its aim is to celebrate the evolving, diverse, and inclusive nature of Cockney culture and identity, with a particular focus on Londoners who identify as proudly “non-posh.”
How do I get involved with the Festival?
To get involved with the Modern Cockney Festival in March of each year, attend in-person and online events, participate in National Pie ‘n’ Mash Week, and engage with, or contribute to, the virtual museum. Run by Grow Social Capital CIC and the Bengali East End Heritage Society, the festival invites you to celebrate modern, inclusive Cockney culture, with opportunities to join workshops, walking tours, and donate to support the initiative.
Can I apply to be a part of the team?
Yes, you’re very welcome to join the team. Just send us an email at [email protected], and we’ll take it from there!