The Magnetic Spirit of the Tower

Draw with us in Hackney’s oldest building. The Tower is a familiar landmark and is the symbol of the Hackney coat of arms. 

Elizabeth Robinson writes: “The spirit of St. Augustine’s Tower seems to have a magnetic and inviting quality which offers this immediate environment an opportunity for breath, space and reflection. Such qualities, which come from a space which has been prayed in for centuries, have an immense transforming and healing expression. These speak loudly into a community heart which struggles to find a comprehensive and complete identity and meaning.”

What does it mean to draw together in a space made for collective reflection?

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About The Travelling Drawing Club

Founded in 2011 by Gilles & Cecilie Studio, The Travelling Drawing Club is a roaming creative practice led by Cecilie. What began as a way to meet old and new friends through drawing wherever work and life took them has grown into a series of workshops offering simple, expressive techniques for seeing and mark-making. The club welcomes everyone: beginners, professionals, and anyone seeking to reconnect with their creative self.

Drawing as Belonging

For the third year, The Travelling Drawing Club proudly joins the London Festival of Architecture 2026, responding to the festival's theme of Belonging. Across seven venues, these two-hour sessions frame drawing as a shared, social act one that fosters awareness, exchange, and a deeper sense of place. By observing and interpreting the city together, participants contribute to a collective understanding of how we connect to our environments and to each other.

Join Us

We invite you to slow down, look closely, and experience London through drawing. Each session begins with a short introduction to the club, followed by warming up exercises designed to build confidence and loosen the hand. From there, we'll explore the specific materials, atmospheres, and rhythms of each location whether waterside, church, park, or new-build.

No experience is necessary. Bring curiosity, an openness to observe, and a willingness to share the page with others. We ask all participants to bring their own sketchbook and drawing tools of their choice. Cecilie will bring some drawing materials as a back up.

Aligned with the festival's aim to plant lasting seeds, these workshops encourage ongoing creative practice, fresh perspectives, and meaningful connections long after the session ends.

The Travelling Drawing Club at LFA2026

Founded in 2011 by Gilles & Cecilie Studio, The Travelling Drawing Club is a roaming creative practice led by Cecilie, welcoming beginners, professionals, and anyone seeking to reconnect with drawing.

For the third year, the club joins the LFA, responding to the theme of Belonging. For us, belonging means doing something we love together not through conversation, but through mark-making. Drawing side by side allows us to be slow, silent, observant, and absorb our surroundings collectively.

Across seven venues, each two hour session includes warm ups and location specific exploration. Bring curiosity, sketchbook, and a willingness to share the page.

An ambitious line up at this years London Festival of Architecture

The Travelling Drawing Club is proudly part of the program for the third year.