Docklands comes alive at UEL After Dark

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27 February 2026

The University of East London Docklands Campus was brought to life this week as UEL After Dark transformed the waterfront with fire, light and striking live performance.

Thousands of visitors from across East London and beyond gathered at the Royal Docks for the free public festival, inspired by the four elements — Fire, Water, Air and Earth — and designed to bring creativity and community together in a shared space.

Six smiling people stand together outdoors at dusk, holding glowing lantern sculptures on sticks. They pose near a waterfront with buildings behind them, wearing coats and jackets, as colorful illuminated shapes light up the evening sky.

As the sun set, performances began across the campus. Aerial artists from Gorilla Circus performed high above the crowd to a powerful soundtrack accompanied by a spoken-word piece written by a UEL Arts student, a striking example of the festival’s co-creative approach.

Two aerial performers dressed as illuminated winged figures fly above a crowd at night. Suspended by wires, they glow in blue and purple lights against a smoky sky, with a lit building below.

The Royal Docks provided a striking backdrop, with light and sound carrying across the water as audiences moved between performances.

Across campus, Fashion Design students brought the Four Elements theme to life through illuminated window installations lighting up the East Building corridors, while a dedicated Student Committee supported every aspect of planning, delivery and evaluation, mentored by 18 Hours, UEL’s event delivery partners.

Two performers hold flaming torches aloft during an outdoor evening event. One man smiles upward with both torches raised, while another stands beside him in a patterned shirt, as a crowd gathers around near a building at dusk.

Sport, movement, and careers

Although UEL After Dark is a cultural festival, movement and physical performance were central to the evening.

The athleticism on display in the aerial and acrobatic acts reflected the values at the heart of UEL Sport — confidence, teamwork and resilience.

It also demonstrated UEL’s careers-first ethos in action. From storytelling and design to live production and event delivery, students and staff gained industry-relevant experience, reinforcing the university’s commitment to practical skills development alongside meaningful community impact.

Performer in a red jacket with gold trim leads a hula hoop activity under a large white canopy. She spins a glowing green hoop around her waist while a crowd of adults and children behind her try LED-lit hoops and watch the demonstration.

Hilary Lissenden, Executive Director of Sport Strategy and Growth at the University of East London, said,

At UEL, we are committed to creating spaces where everyone feels they belong — whether that’s in our facilities or at a community event like UEL After Dark.
The athleticism and movement we saw across the festival reflect what we champion through UEL Sport: participation building confidence, confidence developing into leadership, and leadership opening doors to future careers.
Events like this are about more than performance. They give our students real-world experience and industry exposure, showing how sport, creativity and community can combine to create opportunity and impact.”

Hilary Lissenden standing behind a lectern at VIP After Dark Event

Professor Amanda Broderick, Vice-Chancellor and President of the University of East London, added,

“Together, we are not just witnessing a festival of light - we are strengthening a shared mission to build a healthier, greener and more inclusive future for our communities.”

UEL’s sport strategy focuses on widening access, increasing participation among women and girls, creating leadership pathways and supporting student-athletes to balance academic success with performance. That same inclusive energy ran through UEL After Dark, where arts, culture and movement came together to encourage people not just to watch, but to take part.

Partnership and pathways

Behind the scenes, UEL After Dark also reflected the university’s wider partnerships and community work. VIP hospitality was delivered by Beyond Food Foundation, which supports vulnerable individuals through mentoring and hospitality training at the E6 Kitchen within West Ham United Foundation’s £5m hub, The Foundry in Beckton. Joseph Lyons, CEO of West Ham United Foundation, said,

“Here at The Foundry, the charity is providing local young people in need with free, nutritious meals — but also with opportunities that extend far beyond the plate. It’s a live training centre, right at the heart of a club that is deeply rooted in the community.”

The hub provides daily free hot meals for under-18s in Newham. The collaboration forms part of UEL’s partnership with West Ham United Foundation, including the co-delivered BSc (Hons) Sports Coaching and Performance degree and student placements across club and community facilities.

2026's festival is also being documented by former UEL Global Football Journalism Masters graduate Vlad Andrejevic and final-year Sports Journalism student Paul Simon, capturing the impact of After Dark as part of a live storytelling project supported by UEL Journalism lecturer Rodney Hinds.

With thousands in attendance and strong feedback from visitors, UEL After Dark once again showed how opening up campus space for culture, sport and participation can make a lasting impact beyond a single evening.

Find out how to take part in future UEL events and community activities.