The Quigney Culture Festival will make history in East London with The Table of Belonging, a unique Sip & Paint experience that invites art lovers to explore identity, memory and connection through art.
The Quigney Culture Festival presented by House 87 in conjunction with Sip & Paint East London will take place on January 31, and will see participants reaching into their creative sides, and paint handmade ceramic heritage plates that reflect personal stories and connections to Quigney as a place of culture and community.
Once completed, the plates will form part of The Quigney Table, a collective festival installation symbolising shared stories and belonging.
House 87, hosts of this first ever festival with partners, Sip & Paint East London will present the Table of Belonging activation as part of the programme, making an important moment for the city’s creative community.
Sip & Paint East London co-founder, Anelisa Mbokomba told the Go! On Wednesday, the experience is designed to be accessible to all.
“You don’t need to be an artist,” she said.
“Participants are invited to come open-hearted, connect, create, sip and experience a shared cultural moment filled with music, warmth, creativity and storytelling.”
Participants will paint on handmade ceramic plates created by Claystation founders, John Steele and Cheryl Reum, who will also guide the painting process.
Live music entertainment will be provided by SA jazz trumpeter, composer and teacher Keitumetsi “Tumi” Pheko, with additional special performances planned.
Over the years, Sip & Paint East London has hosted experiences at venues such as Ann Bryant Gallery, Roziju Beauty Bar and Buffs Club, with a strong focus on meaningful collaborations that uplift the local creative economy.
Mbokomba explained that while The Table of Belonging will take place at House 87, the broader Quigney Culture Festival will be hosted on the streets of Caxton and Burns.
“These streets have long been a cultural home of House 87 before it became a venue,” said Mbokomba.
“The venue has functioned as a meeting point for artists and community members, making them a natural anchor for the festival.”
She said the festival’s vision is to reclaim, celebrate and reimagine Quigney as a living cultural precinct rooted in community participation.
“Culture is not something we only consume, but something we participate in together,” Mbokomba said.
Reum said the ceramic plates were inspired by everyday household items that carry cultural meaning.
“Clay-making has been around for millennia and is deeply connected to heritage and storytelling,” she said.
“The plate is a simple expression of containment, just as culture serves as a backbone in our lives.”
Reum said each plate features a hand-drawn spiral created by Steele in wet clay, symbolising cultural energy, life cycles and transformation.
Steele said inclusivity and mass participation are central to the project.
“It’s exciting to guide participants through the creative process knowing each plate will become part of a collective installation,” Steele said.
“Collaborating with local creatives strengthens cultural heritage through shared ideas and storytelling,” Steele added.
The festival is scheduled for February 28.
