Dates:

11:00 am — 8:00 pm, Sat 20th Sep 2025

Price:

Free

Booking Closed

To celebrate our eleventh birthday, we are hosting a full day of maker open studios, make-it-yourself workshops, and special tours – all culminating with our annual birthday party bash and a hobby horse race!

Whether it's to improve wellbeing, resist mass production, learn a new skill, or start a creative career, we believe everyone should have access to making and creating. So, we’ve designed an empowering metalwork taster, DIY workshops for total beginners – plus a free drop-in Family Make Stuff Club making hobby horses to race at our party. Running all day, our Makers' Open Studios are an opportunity to discover and celebrate the makers honing their craft in your creative neighbourhood.

Plus: our free guided tours will take you throughout all corners of our metal and wood workshops, with forge and turning demonstrations, live work, and insights into the creative processes.

Come and try something new, in a safe and encouraging environment.

Download the day's programme at glance here

THE PROGRAMME

Except for our workshops, there is no need to book – you can just show up! All activities are free unless a price is listed.

9.30am–12.30pm, 1.30-4pm: DIY Surgery: Intro to Home Decorating & Repairs (£5*): Led by tutor Pen Phillips, learn the basics of home decorating and repairs, using simple tools and woodwork techniques.

*This low-cost DIY Surgery is designed to support people on low income, single parents, and carers etc., by providing the knowledge and confidence to tackle DIY projects.

11am–4pm: Makers' Open Studios (drop-in) — Step inside our members’ studios as they open up their workspaces to showcase their diverse talent, skills and products.

11am–1pm, 1.30-3.30pm: Family Make Stuff Club: Hobby Horse! (drop-in, all ages) — Use reclaimed materials to make your very own hobby horse, and compete in the race at 4pm!

12.30-1.30pm, 3-4pm: Guided Workshop Tours and Demonstrations — Led by our knowledgeable and skilled technicians, see special demos of our wood lathe and blacksmithing forge, and get special peek at work being made.

1-3pm: Rosette-making with our Responders & Activators — A making session responding to our surroundings in innovative, thoughtful, and creative ways. All ages.

1-4pm: Empowerment through Metalworking (£35*) — Guided by our recent maker-in-residence Nina Ołtarzewska, this session is designed to build your confidence in metalworking in a safe, fun and encouraging environment. *This session is inspired by our ongoing collaboration with Feminist Welding Club – founded and delivered by Anna Zimmerman – which offers welcoming spaces to those who often face barriers in male-dominated crafts such as welding. As such, priority will be given to those who identify as women, transgender, non-binary, and genderqueer.

2-3pm: 'Designing Collaborative Spaces’ – Q&A with Assemble — Our director Jo Clarke will interview our founders, Turner Prize-winning collective Assemble, discussing how they went about setting up Blackhorse Workshop, how it’s informed their practice since – plus an opportunity for audience questions. Part of Open House Festival.

4pm: Hobby Horse Race! — Come and race the horses made in our free family Family Make Stuff Club – everyone’s a winner, so we’ll be preparing 11 fabulous prizes. The race will be commentated by our very own studio member George Exon, known for his router course and one half of design duo Chunky Boys. Everyone is welcome to take part or simply join the crowd and cheer on our horses.

4-8pm: Blackhorse Workshop 11th Birthday Party — Kicking off with our hobby-horse race and prizegiving, expect an evening of fun and celebration, with a bar, raffle, our resident DJ on the decks, face-painting, a delicious menu, and a special cocktail.

Part of Open House Festival, an annual celebration of London's architecture and neighbourhoods, and the people and communities that make them.