What are the opening hours?

Monday 10am - 6pm Tuesday 10am - 6pm Wednesday 10am - 6pm Thursday 10am - 6pm Friday 10am - 6pm

Ugly Duck

Name: Ugly Duck
Address: 47-49 Tanner Street, London, SE13PL, GB
Telephone: +447826854146
Price range: £
Rating: 4.6

Ugly Duck is a London based arts organisation that supports under-represented voices and emerging a
(46)

Established in October 2012, their programme enables makers, community groups, professionals and the public to come together around unique cultural experiences and curated events. They have converted a beautiful empty Victorian warehouse in SE1 into a busy creative space which became, and still is, the home to countless rising artists.

25/06/2024

Don’t miss Les Nuages coming to Ugly Duck on the 13th of July, for one performance only. 💭💫

A 30 minute version of this otherwordly piece directed and performed by , with original music by Mayah Kadish and costume design by Shanti Bell.

Come and be mesmerized by a fictional landscape, bodies filled with air and smoke, heavy clouds. Drift through the liminal space between dreams and reality.

This is an opportunity for Bea to present her work and for us to help her raise funds for the further developement of Les Nuages.
Tickets in bio!

29/04/2024

We’re super excited for the London showing of Get Off by iconic Katy Baird at Battersea Arts Centre
From 8 to 25 May. Join self-proclaimed ‘hot mess’ Katy Baird as she fearlessly unveils her journey into
the pursuit of pleasure. With trademark humour and honesty, Get Off offers a raw and unfiltered glimpse into the human need for distraction, exploring the depths of our desires and questioning the autonomy we have in choosing where we seek it.
Brace yourself for an evening that challenges, captivates and ultimately brings us all closer together.
🫡

05/04/2024

Come and visit ‘Atenti…’ this Saturday 6th April by Kat Kai Kol-Kes for their “Spring Immersion” artist in residence.

‘Atenti...’ presents a multi-faceted exhibition featuring three distinct installations, a captivating live performance, and immersive video screenings.

During her residency, Botswana-born interdisciplinary artist, Katlego K Kolanyane-Kesupile, embarks on a transformative exploration of decoloniality through a multi-disciplinary artistic lens. Katlego’s work delves into the intricate intersections of borders and boundaries, offering a profound reflection on how these physical divisions inspire disruptive and hybrid art-making practices. Her residency becomes a canvas for breaking down societal constraints, revealing the potential for unity and shared humanity.

Katlego’s “Spring Immersion” is a creative journey that not only ventures into decolonial discourse but also serves as a poignant continuation of her contemplation on grief, loss, temporality, and archiving

Schedule :
2 pm : Live performance
3 pm - 7 pm : Exhibition is open
7 pm : Live performance
8.30 - 9.30 pm : Drinks

Tickets can be found in our bio

02/04/2024

Atenti... A performance / Installation by
We’re delighted to invite you to witness and discover the work and creative explorations made by artist Kat Kai Kol-Kes during her residency at Ugly Duck.

Atenti… presents a multi-faceted exhibition featuring three distinct installations, a captivating live performance, and immersive video screenings.
Based in Botswana, Kat ’s work delves into the intricate intersections of borders and boundaries, offering a profound reflection on how these physical divisions inspire disruptive and hybrid art-making practices.

Join us for a transformative exploration of decoloniality through a multi-disciplinary artistic lens on Saturday 06th April from 2 pm at Ugly Duck.

Schedule is the following

2 pm : Live performance
3 pm - 7 pm : Exhibition is open
7 pm : Live performance
8.30 - 9.30 pm : Drinks

Tickets (from 3£) can be found here

Hope to see you there and please spread the word with your network and on social media +)

.track.collective

19/03/2024

‘Talking Textures’ is an opportunity to connect, learn, and celebrate the richness of SWANA culture and hair diversity.

Join Yasemin Hassan for a launch night to remember for Talking Textures, an analogue photo series shot by Yeliz Zaifoglu delving into the hair, beauty, fashion and culture of Southwest Asian and North African regions. Talking Textures is dedicated to providing the SWANA community with the representation they deserve. They will host thought-provoking discussions and workshops, tackling important issues surrounding hair.

Join us for an evening of cinematic delight and meaningful reflection as we celebrate the bonds that unite us all. Don’t miss this opportunity to experience the warmth and authenticity of Caramel and to explore the themes of love, friendship, and trust that resonate with their Talking Textures series.

Date: Saturday 13th April
Time: 6pm
Location: 49 Tanner St, London SE1 3PL

Doors open at 6.30pm

Graphic Design by .richardson__

15/03/2024

Spring Creative Program
Ugly Duck presents:

Attenti...
Performance / Installation by
Resident Artist Katlego K Kolanyane-Kesupile
6th April 2-9pm
 My Blood Is My Voice
Live Gig Performance / Installation
10-11th April 7pm

Talking Textures
Analogue Photography Exhibition
12-14th April 
Q***r East Festival
East and Southeast East Asian q***r
cinema, arts and cultures
19-28th April

More information and tickets can be found through the link in our bio

15/03/2024

‘Talking Textures’ is an opportunity to connect, learn, and celebrate the richness of SWANA culture and hair diversity

Join Yasemin Hassan for a launch night to remember for Talking Textures, an analogue photo series shot by Yeliz Zaifoglu delving into the hair, beauty, fashion and culture of Southwest Asian and North African regions. Talking Textures is dedicated to providing the SWANA community with the representation they deserve. We will host thought-provoking discussions and workshops, tackling important issues surrounding hair.

Doors open at 6.30pm

There will be:
- Exclusive access to the photography exhibition
A panel hosted by Dalia Al-Dujalli (Founder of Road to Nowhere) .roadtonowhere
- Free food, henna, and tarot card readings.
- Free curly hair care starter packs provided by Only Curls
- Dj set from Zaytoona
- Performance from ‘Cypriot Goddess’, Tahini Molasses .molasses
Closing time: 10.30pm

The exhibition continues from 12th – 14th April, with workshops to be announced soon at Ugly Duck.

Graphic Design by .richardson__

20/02/2024

Ugly Duck’s 2024 overarching theme is ‘Tactics of Resistance.’ Here, Deen Atger, the Creative Director, says “Repeatedly, I’ve seen the significance of artists engaging in activity beyond their usual realms, stirring voices within protests, action groups, online and outside.

The use of boycotts, expressions of outrage, and sharing of information serves as a reminder that even at the grassroots level, we can all contribute to political dialogue. Increasingly, it’s becoming clear that it’s up to us to devise strategies of resistance within our communities and genuinely support one another.

Since 2012, Ugly Duck’s creative seasons have centred on the intersection of art and social change. Once more, this year, we are dedicated to delving deeply into and honouring the theme of ‘Tactics of Resistance’ as the focal point of our programs. We are determined to implement this commitment through the framework of our collaborative relationships with artists and creatives, as well as within our own collective. Recognising that resistance and care are collective responsibilities, we pledge to embody these principles in all aspects of our work.

Through a diverse range of programming, including partnerships, collaborations with new curators, and in-house shows, we aim to explore and amplify those ‘Tactics of Resistance.’

Together we want to re-invent a new art world by nurturing creative resistance through artistic provocation and political unrest. A place to see, to meet and to be whoever we are. Ugly Duck dedicates it’s core to be a safer space for LBGTQ+ community, constantly celebrating, exploring and redefining intersectionality, q***rness, disability through our programs.

Let’s try out new approaches, build new foundations, offer nuanced points of view and imagine a new world together.”

Images courtesy of Marco Berardi and Baiba Sprance, 2023

Image 2 - Performance by

Image 4 - Sculptures by

Image 6 - Painting by

All images from Pretty Doomed exhibition curated by and ***rartprojects at

16/02/2024

Last week ‘Something Don’t Feel Right’ took place at Ugly Duck. It was a collaborative sonic performance curated by and .tabasom

This piece was developed by BIPOC musicians, movement artists and visual artists to raise awareness and to evoke conversation about the diasporic experience.

This project aimed to cultivate an understanding of diversity as an authentic aspect of the human experience within a socially and politically dynamic world, in motion and transformative, rather than static and predictable.

The project portrayed differences as a potent force with the capacity to bring about significant social and political transformations. In practical terms, this shift in perspective holds crucial significance for shaping our theories and actions in the realms of peace, peace-building, and conflict resolution. Rather than being perceived as obstacles, differences are now recognized as vibrant expressions of ‘otherness,’ embodying a positive influence for societal change, emancipation, and transformation.

These images by capture live painting, music, spoken word and movement, happening simultaneously.

14/02/2024

As inhabitants of the world, we are part of an interconnected system.

We influence the people, places and entities around us in discreet and obvious ways, and ultimately disrupt each other’s lives.

This exhibit will expand this moment of inevitable disruption, and explore its impact on our bodies and our sense of self.

Through VIOLENT BODIES, we will examine our web of relationships through the lens of a single, violent, moment. Here, we do not use the term ‘violent’ to refer directly to brutality, physical hurt or pain, but rather to highlight the intensity of these connections and these shared moments that we often do not want or summon but that happen regardless.

VIOLENT BODIES is therefore an investigation on the topic of trust, both towards other bodies as well as our own.

The exhibition will feature interactive artworks, workshops, talks and performances.

Femanifesto is an open-source collective for emerging interdisciplinary artists, performers and more. As a radical platform, we host live events and exhibitions exploring vital topics through a feminist lens.

Saturday 24th February Doors open from 11am – 10.30pm  Performance times TBD
Sunday 25th February Open from 12pm – 6pm
Tickets can be found in our bio

23/01/2024

Martin O’Brien’s and Future Ritual present DISCHARGE Symposium and Performances
Saturday 2nd March at

Curated and hosted by , DISCHARGE is a day of performances, talks and conversation facilitating us to think q***rly about living and dying.

Early bird tickets available now through the link in our bio

Photos by
Graphics by

18/01/2024

Narrating Structures: Projection Mapping Workshops

Where: Ugly Duck 47/49 Tanner Street SE1 3PL, London Bridge When: Saturday 9th and Sunday 10th March 2023, from 11 am to 5 pm. Tickets and price - 12 people maximum - £180 for the weekend Ex-alumni 10% discount applies

Narrating Structures is a projection mapping workshop led by Dr Blanca Regina and assisted by Pierre Bouvier Patron.

Throughout a hands-on weekend workshop, we introduce projection art, video mapping and multimedia design.

We will look at diverse techniques for producing audiovisual projections in architectural spaces and objects and their application in artistic and creative practice.

This workshop is for artists, graphic designers, architects, and anybody interested. Supported by Garage Cube & MadMapper.

Suitable for beginners and intermediates; we adapt to different levels.

Course breakdown and ticket link is in our bio

18/01/2024

The Flat last minute hire offer
Monday 22nd - Sunday 28th January
Suitable space for rehearsals, R&D, meetings and small workshops

£60 per day
8am to 6pm
*Ts & Cs apply
email [email protected] to secure

10/01/2024

It’s a joy to present our next spotlight artist: 💡Anouska Samms’ practice draws on matrilineal memory, women’s bodies in relationship to domesticity, and the intersection between design and fine art. She produces distinct ceramic sculptures, tapestries and moving image work. Human hair is her primary medium, sourced from strangers and family. It is bleached, cut and sewn as individual strands are bound together; all before it is woven into a textile with a domestic floor-loom.

Animated by the unforeseen qualities and unpredictable nature of the materials themselves, Samms’ sculptures are characterised by a ceaseless experimentation with structure, functionality and archetype. She draws on a breadth of references from classical Greek and Roman vases with their antiquated ideas of the female form, to biomorphism, and the abstract painting style associated with the Art Informel movement of the 1960s.

She works with synchronicities and accidents, where nothing goes to waste or is discarded. Here perceived ‘failures’ - breakages in the kiln, unintentional rips in the cloth - are reimagined as deconstructions of traditional forms. Neither technique or material is prioritised over the other, yet their distinct errors and waste dictate the shape of their final form.

Samms alludes to the complex relationships between women’s bodies and domestic function. Her vessels, tapestries and most recently pieces of furniture; intentionally retain the shadow of their former domestic purpose. Yet the additional layering of materials such as sand, scraps of leather and recycled silk evoke a harsher reality of daily life. Here refined materials are combined with something more industrial, bridging a dichotomy between the soft and abrasive, the pretty and the disagreeable.

One particular preoccupation is the different ways intergenerational knowledge is passed down, and the ways individual memories and habits become entwined within one household. Hair is a physical representation of these concerns, as mitochondrial DNA is found within the hair shaft and is passed down specifically to a child from their mother or pregnant parent.

04/01/2024

2023 has been an amazing year at Ugly Duck, in February we had Brown Pound, the South Asian visual and performing arts showcase, then Tough Boys and Sophie Brain’s sharing, Second Skin, the screening of the Ballad of Genesis and Lady Jaye by Marie Losier, Amelier Action ‘Meet me at the Pulse of Dawn’ hybrid performances, we created our first Disturbance publication, hosted the Camp Trans fundraiser, Pony Boy book launch, James Johnson’s durational performance ‘Something is Trying to Disappear me’, BJ McNeil’s Rewire, Dolls by John Lee Bird, Illustrious Company ‘It’s always ourselves we find in the sea’, Lost + Found residency, Do you buy this, Claudia Palazzo, Rally festival, Kallida festival, and Pretty Doomed, just to name a few. We can’t wait to share our season for 2024 with you soon!

Image 1 - by
Image 2 - Brown Pound
Image 3 -
Image 4 -
Image 5 - publication
Image 6 -
Image 7 - Rally festival Trans Memorial
Image 8 - Ponyboy Launch
Image 9 - Lost and Found
Image 10 - Pretty Doomed

19/12/2023

Our next spotlight artist: Ana Lipps ! 💡 (they/them) is a Lithuanian-German artist (b. 1997, Vilnius).Through large-scale interactive installations combining objects, smells, tastes and sound, Lipps aims to q***r predominant reality narratives and create cracks in which liminal spaces can flourish. They understand the liminal as a spacial tool through which ideas of resistance to normativity can be channelled, facilitating a shift in perception.

Lipps graduated in 2019 from Brighton University (BA in Fine Arts Sculpture) and earned their Master’s at the Dirty Art Department of the Sandberg Institute in 2022. Lipps has been part of Rupert Residencies Alternative Education Programme. They also ran a three month workshop for the Lithuanian Union of the Blind and Visually Impaired at Kaunas Artists’ House. Most recently, they initiated a DIY artist residency space called Ubiškės3.

To be our next spotlight artist, send your bio, images of you and your work to [email protected] so that we can share your work on our page.

14/12/2023

Our next spotlight artist: ! Joshua Woolford is a transdisciplinary artist working between performance, painting, sculpture, sound, video, and installation. Woolford’s work is rooted in extensive cultural research, drawing from literature, music, and art, as well as personal experiences of being a member of the q***r Black Afro-Caribbean diaspora living in London.

Through their practice, Woolford acknowledges and confronts experiences of violence, aggression, and misalignment through abstract forms and sounds, verbal language and the body. They embrace reflection, transition and movement as powerful and disruptive states that actively challenge prevailing narratives.

Website: www.joshwoolford.co.uk
Instagram:

Image 1
Collaboration with Anna-Lena Krause (.lena.krause) Photography by Anna-Lena and Mika Kailes ()

Image 2
Live Performance at Tate Britain () Photography by Eugenio Falcioni

Image 3
Collaboration with Chadd Curry () Photography by

Image 4
Live Performance at Tate Britain () Photography by Mika Kailes ()

Image 5
Collaboration with Anna-Lena Krause (.lena.krause) Photography by Anna-Lena and Mika Kailes ()

Email [email protected] to be our next spotlight artist with a photo of you, images of your work and a bio

22/10/2023

Ugly Duck stands in solidarity with Palestinians. We believe in self determination.
Here’s an extract from the open letter from the art community to cultural organisation:
“The arts community is diverse and crosses borders, nationalities, systems of faith and belief. We as artists, writers, curators, filmmakers, publishers and workers who produce work, collaborate and communicate, create the core around which institutions and organisations revolve, need to be assured that these are not just safe but humane spaces.

We support Palestinian liberation and call for an end to the killing and harming of all civilians, an immediate ceasefire, the passage of humanitarian aid into Gaza, and the end of the complicity of our governing bodies in grave human rights violations and war crimes.

We demand that the institutional silence around the ongoing humanitarian crisis that 2.3 million Palestinians are facing in the occupied and besieged Gaza Strip be broken immediately. In the words of the UN resident humanitarian coordinator for the occupied Palestinian Territory, “it’s about the loss of our humanity if the international community allows this to continue. What we are seeing now is simply inhumane.”

Artwork by artist Larissa Sansour extract from their film In Vitro

Also reposting in our bio an article from on Palestinian Voices in the arts written for .art in 2021.

Address

47-49 Tanner Street
London
SE13PL

Opening Hours

Monday	10am - 6pm
Tuesday	10am - 6pm
Wednesday	10am - 6pm
Thursday	10am - 6pm
Friday	10am - 6pm

Telephone

+447826854146

Website

http://uglyduck.org.uk/

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Ugly Duck posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Business

Send a message to Ugly Duck:

Videos

Come and visit ‘Atenti…’ this Saturday 6th April by Kat Kai Kol-Kes for their “Spring Immersion” artist in residence. ‘Atenti...’ presents a multi-faceted exhibition featuring three distinct installations, a captivating live performance, and immersive video screenings. During her residency, Botswana-born interdisciplinary artist, Katlego K Kolanyane-Kesupile, embarks on a transformative exploration of decoloniality through a multi-disciplinary artistic lens. Katlego’s work delves into the intricate intersections of borders and boundaries, offering a profound reflection on how these physical divisions inspire disruptive and hybrid art-making practices. Her residency becomes a canvas for breaking down societal constraints, revealing the potential for unity and shared humanity. Katlego’s “Spring Immersion” is a creative journey that not only ventures into decolonial discourse but also serves as a poignant continuation of her contemplation on grief, loss, temporality, and archiving Schedule : 2 pm : Live performance 3 pm - 7 pm : Exhibition is open 7 pm : Live performance 8.30 - 9.30 pm : Drinks Tickets can be found in our bio

Get your tickets for @Disturbance 4 in our bio to see artists like the incredible Orlando Myxx !⁠ ⁠ https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/disturbance-4-11-12th-nov-tickets-411854175927

Sophie Hoyle’s video art explores post-colonial, queer, feminist, critical psychiatry and disability. They will be showing Hyperacusis at @Disturbance: Two films about mental health, trauma, gender and sexuality, access to healthcare and transcultural psychiatry. Sophie’s work has previously been shown at Newcastle’s Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art, London’s Science Gallery and the Arnolfini, Bristol as well as internationally.⁠ ⁠ Get your tickets here: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/disturbance-4-11-12th-nov-tickets-411854175927

Get your tickets for @Disturbance 4 here https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/disturbance-4-11-12th-nov-tickets-411854175927 Orlando Myxx - one of our esteemed disturbance artists! Myxx is an Italian-born London-based multidisciplinary artist whose practice encompasses photography, ﬁlm-making and performance. As a non-binary trans-masculine person, they mainly focus on the exploration of transness as a mental, physical and cultural experience. Myxx explores how gender non-conforming people are not only questioning the gender norms but are actively opening up awareness and opportunities gender subjectivities and for a cultural change. They will be presenting their film The Plastic Drag, a visual and sound work that investigates how a new wave of underrepresented gender-non-conforming and diverse drag artists are redefining the art of drag and its subversive potential.

Disturbance is a programme championing LGBTQIA+ physical and digital artists, of which are are so excited to introduce @gisougolshani as one of our performers for #Disturbance4 on the 10th-12th November! Disturbance is going to be incredible, get your tickets here: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/disturbance-4-11-12th-nov-tickets-411854175927 Gisou Golshani will create a multi-sensory, immersive performance and installation via ritualistic movement, visuals and sound. Gisou also references the Bittern; a bird that has inspired the artist previously, the theme continuing in this forthcoming work.

On the 10-12th November we will be showing 'Hug Me Properly' by @oliviagmorrison⁠ which follows the lives of a young, queer community on a night out. Tickets and more info here: https://disturbance.info/

Disturbance is a programme championing LGBTQIA+ physical and digital artists, of which we are so excited to have @joy.kincaid as one of our performers for #Disturbance4 on the 10-12th of November! Disturbance is going to be incredible, get your tickets here: ⁠https://disturbance.info/

"Debates about trans and non-binary people in the media are super toxic because they are always so polarised and are presented without any nuances. There are as many trans stories and experiences as there are trans people and this is never transcribed. Shon Faye author of ‘The Transgender Issue’ explains this so well by saying: “Typically, trans people are lumped together as ‘the transgender issue’, dismissing and erasing the complexity of trans lives, reducing them to a set of stereotypes on which various social anxieties can be brought to bear.” All @Disturbance artists are proposing a unique representation, incorporating contrasts and oppositional dialogues which helps us move away from this tiresome debate – a debate which shouldn’t be there in the first place." What a joy to hear @deen_atg talk about the very real importance and impact of disturbance @disturbanceldn as a showcase and as a community. Read here: http://www.run-riot.com/articles/blogs/artistic-director-ugly-duck-deen-atger-discusses-2022s-lgbtqia-programme-0

On the 10-12th November we will be showing 'Hug Me Properly' by @oliviagmorrison⁠ which follows the lives of a young, queer community on a night out. We will have a film archive, a live stream and irl performanc⁠es, so where ever you are, you can get involved! Tickets and more info here: https://disturbance.info/

Here is some work from our Disturbance artist Noam Youngrak Son! ⁠ More info and tickets: https://disturbance.info/disturbance_4.html ⁠ We are showing their video piece 'Yummy Body Truck'. It is about a fictional food truck selling edible human body parts. In this chilling and creative film, they discuss the human body in the world we live in. Noam has previously shown work with the Queer Institute of Ecology in Amsterdam.