Brassworks is back!
The festival of horns returns on Saturday 6 September and will feature a parade through Woolwich, and a full day of free outdoor concerts in the Woolwich Works courtyard.
Liat Rosenthal, Head of Creative Programming at Woolwich Works stopped by to tell us more about it.
Where: Woolwich Works
When: 6 Sep
Details: https://www.woolwich.works/brassworks-2025
The festival of horns is back in Woolwich next month! What’s going to be happening?
Lots! Brassworks heads back with a celebration of all things brass. We start the day with a parade at 12pm from General Gordon Square, drifting through Woolwich, Dial Arch, Royal Arsenal, and ending up in the courtyard, in the heart of Woolwich Works.
The main music programme includes The Crystal Palace Brass Band, Bollywood Brass, Brassic Parp and the London Afrobeat Collective, there will be workshops, food and drinks, and it will be open to all.Â
You don’t charge for tickets and even have the chance for people to have a go themselves at playing. Is it important to you that Brassworks is open to all?
Absolutely. Free events like Brassworks keep music democratic, visible, and alive in public spaces and in our imaginations. When music pops up in a courtyard, a high street, it suddenly animates everyday life. And that’s exactly how it should be.
Music’s always been a glue – whether it’s a brass band in Woolwich, steel pans in Notting Hill, or a busker in Camden, and free events can act as a gateway, introducing audiences to new artists, sounds and styles.
Keeping events like Brassworks open to all is a really important part of developing audiences, especially with the ever-evolving range of artists that are embracing brass.
I’m from a brass band family a couple of generations back, with a big contest culture in Yorkshire. Tell me about the brass scene in London!
It’s dynamic, diverse and evolving – the scene spans from traditional brass bands, to community bands, and to the many artists that are bringing brass into bold, high-energy, genre-crossing forms – a great example being Bollywood Brass.
I’m really inspired by the community driven groups, like Enfield, London Metropolitan, and Hounslow, who champion accessibility by offering everyone a chance to play – opening their doors to newbies, holding mixed rehearsals and making all players feel that warm ‘brass band family’ welcome.
Do you have a favourite brass band tune – will we hear it on the parade?
Brassic Parp live shows always make me laugh so much – and any big brass cover of Britney will never fail to make my day!
I’m not sure if you’ll hear it on the parade, but keeping my fingers crossed for the live stage performances taking place in Woolwich Works.
Brassworks is now a regular event in London’s arts calendar. What makes it special and why should people come and join in?
It’s the kind of event that reminds you what public art is meant to be: loud, inclusive, and joyful, volume turned up and dancing shoes on!Â
In a city like London, finding that kind of feel-good, low-barrier, high-quality experience is gold dust.
And the best bit? No one’s taking themselves too seriously. It’s brass, it’s bold, and it’s built on fun, and of course, it’s accessible to everyone.