Passing Clouds

Passing Clouds is a music venue in Dalston, Hackney, located on Richmond Road in the London Borough of Hackney. The space functioned as both a performance hall for live music and a community center hosting gatherings and cultural events.

The venue opened in 2006 under the direction of Eleanor Wilson and operated for about a decade before closing in 2016. The closure came after property developers purchased the building and began pursuing development plans for the site.

The venue became a hub for African music performances and hosted film screenings, workshops, and dance classes that drew people from across the area. These gatherings created a meeting point for the community to share arts and creative expression together.

Hackney Council designated the building as an Asset of Community Value in 2016, which gave the community a voice in any future property changes. Following local protests and negotiations, the space reopened as The Jago and continues to operate as a music venue today.

The community's determined fight to save the building revealed how deeply locals valued having a space to gather and celebrate together. The successful reopening under its new name demonstrates that grassroots activism can prevent the loss of cultural spaces in the city.