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Eastside's Director, Rakhee Jasani recently spoke at the Goethe Institute in the Netherlands as part of an international literature seminar exploring the ways in which poetry is taught in Europe and what purpose it serves. The other speakers included representatives from Belgium, Holland, Poland, Germany and Spain, all of whom had unique perspectives on how to make poetry a core essential in the lives of young people.

Hazel Bergeron-Stokes (15) from Fortismere School representing Eastside, London and the UK at the European Y'Poetry finals in Amsterdam has been awarded second prize (silver) for her poem entitled 'Promise'. First place went to Cato Roelandt a student from Antwerp and third place to Rika-Marie Ghulan from Berlin. The special performance prize was presented to Belgian student Safia Zine.

In May and early June we will be hosting singing auditions run by Zoe's Gospel Promotions to find talented community members that would like to perform on the mainstage of the O2 Arena. We're looking for singers, choir members, local groups and schools who would like to develop their vocal ability and song writing in celebration of The London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

We are proud to announce that as from 1st April 2012, Eastside has become part of Arts Council England's new National Portfolio of funded Organisations. Eastside has been awarded funding for the next 3 years towards our literature programme for 2012 - 2015. We are grateful that the Arts Council continues to recognise and support the contribution we make to arts education in London.

If you know any young people aged 13-18 that want to gain a bronze or silver Arts Award, then please tell them to come and join Eastside's new Arts Award group, starting soon. We will be running regular after school sessions on Tuesday or Thursday evenings from May-July 2012. The focus will be on gaining the Arts Award and there will also be time to put together their portfolios and plan how to submit their evidence.

Following on from Eastside’s consultation and pilot of Performing for Success in 2009 and 2010, we are delighted to host a conference at Eastside today in partnership with Rex Hall CIC, for a delegation of twenty project managers from the Netherlands who have come to London to find out more about Playing for Success and how to develop Performing for Success projects for young people in their own country.

Today (1st March, 2012) is World Book Day and to help celebrate books and reading we have made a film featuring some of our celebrity patrons reading short extracts from their favourite books, but just how many of these well-loved stories, plays and books can you name? Join us on facebook or twitter to let us know, and why not also recommend your favourite book or tell us which great books you are currently reading.

To tie-in with World Book Day, we are proud to announce that Eastside's newest patron is author, poet, broadcaster and former children's laureate, Michael Rosen. We are delighted that Michael Rosen will be championing our work and helping us to make art happen for children and young people across the capital. Do you have a favourite Michael Rosen story or poem? - if so, please share it with us on Facebook.

Eastside will be hosting a four-day training course from 12-15 March, 2012 for anyone wishing to study The Bowen Technique simply to help family and friends. Your tutor for this course, Jihan Adem (pictured) will lead you through four days of tuition, demonstration instruction and observation. The group will be kept to a maximum of twelve students per course to allow ample time for practice and plenty of tutor : student time.

Eastside is proud to announce the eight London finalists of Y'Poetry 2012, selected from the thirty young people who competed in the semi-finals of the European poetry project for young adults, at The Unicorn Theatre on 21st February 2012. All eight London finalists will now go on to represent London and the UK at the Y'Poetry finals in Amsterdam in April, where they will enjoy an all-expenses paid weekend.