Huck’s Alternative Election Party
- Text by HUCK HQ
- Photography by Katy Bauer
The UK’s general election is days away and we’re already sick of the stage-managed debates, mind-numbing party political broadcasts and messages from the Designated Bastards.
If you’re tired of all the spin, head down to Huck’s Alternative Election Party at our 71a Gallery on Wednesday May 6, 7-11pm. Free tickets here.
We’ll be screening Russell Brand and Michael Winterbottom’s great new film The Emperor’s New Clothes and sticking around afterwards for a fun talk about activism, how young people can influence politics and alternatives to the ballot box.
Should you even vote? Vote with your feet, join us and make yourself heard.
We have an exciting lineup of special guests, including artists, activists and people power legends. The event is totally free and it’s BYOB – so expect the conversation to get a bit rowdy.
Confirmed speakers:
Lindsey Garrett became one of the stars of The Emperor’s New Clothes after helping Hoxton’s New Era estate to come together and fight a successful battle against predatory landowners, whose proposed rent rises threatened many in the tight-knit community with eviction.
Lisa Mckenzie is an LSE research fellow, author of Getting By: Estates, Class and Culture in Austerity Britain which challenges the demonisation of the working class and is standing against Iain Duncan-Smith in the 2015 general election in protest against his welfare ‘reform’ agenda.
Katy Bauer is a Bristol-based artist whose work addresses activism, radical politics and community engagement. Her How Does an Activist Eat Potatoes series at Bristol’s Bear Pit outdoor gallery in 2013 celebrated progressive thinkers and change makers from Hunter S. Thompson to Nelson Mandela to Albert Einstein.
More tbc.
Get your free tickets here. Find us at 71a Gallery, Leonard Street, Shoreditch, London, EC2a 4QS.
7pm Doors
7.25pm Intro
7.30pm The Emperor’s New Clothes Screening
9pm Q&A
Thanks to STRIKE! Magazine and artist Katy Bauer for providing artwork and Studio Canal for The Emperor’s New Clothes.
You might like
The last days of St Agnes Place, London’s longest ever running squat
Off the grid — Photographer Janine Wiedel spent four years documenting the people of the Kennington squat, who for decades made a forgotten row of terraced houses a home.
Written by: Isaac Muk
As salmon farming booms, Icelanders size up an existential threat
Seyðisfjörður — The industry has seen huge growth in recent years, with millions of fish being farmed in the Atlantic Ocean. But who benefits from its commercial success, and what does it mean for the ocean? Phil Young ventures to the remote country to find out.
Written by: Phil Young
How Japan revolutionised art & photography in the ’60s and ’70s
From Angura to Provoke — A new photobook chronicles the radical avant-garde scene of the postwar period, whose subversion of the medium of image making remains shocking and groundbreaking to this day.
Written by: Miss Rosen
Artifaxing: “We’ve become so addicted to these supercomputers in our hands”
Framing the future — Predominantly publishing on Instagram and X, the account is one of social media’s most prominent archiving pages. We caught up with the mysterious figure behind it to chat about the internet’s past, present and future, finding inspiration and art in the age of AI.
Written by: Isaac Muk
The lacerating catharsis of body suspension in Hong Kong
Self-Ferrying — In one of the world’s most densely packed cities, an underground group of young people are piercing their skin and hanging their bodies with hooks in a shocking exploration of pain and pleasure. Sophie Liu goes to a session to understand why they partake in the extreme underground practice.
Written by: Sophie Liu
What we’re excited for at SXSW 2026
Austin 40 — For the festival’s 40th anniversary edition, we are heading to Texas to join one of the biggest global meetups of the year. We’ve selected a few things to highlight on your schedules.
Written by: Huck
