ABOUT — GLUH

About Us

GLUH CIC [glue] champions independent creatives and small businesses in London, shaping the future of contemporary culture, by increasing access to resources, visibility, and professional networks.
Founded as a grassroots zine, GLUH has grown into a Community Interest Company responding to urgent sector challenges including the rising cost of living, reduced access to creative spaces, and increasing social isolation.
Through storytelling, events, resources, and mentoring, we strengthen independent practitioners and grassroots collectives, providing tools, networks, and support needed to overcome structural and social barriers for creatives to sustain and grow their practice.

• GLUH project set-up
• Publication issue #1
“HOME” creation begins

2023

• “HOME” publication & launch at Reference Point (London)
• “Connect” documentary & launch at Reference Point (London)
• Creative workshops series at The Art House by Acrylicize with Clara Chu, Tiana Esparon and Yo Kesh

2024

• Issue #2 “Parallel 42” & two launch events at Photobook Cafe (London, UK) and ko-op (Sofia, Bulgaria)
• Group exhibition at Filet Space, London
• GLUH becomes a CIC

2025

2026

• GLUH receives workspace bursary at Somerset House Exchange
• Third publication WIP
• Creative session, Somerset House with Coby Sey
• Research: survey and focus group inform new offering

• Coming Soon…

2027

Public events & shows

Publication launches
GLUH#1 &#2

GLUH opened its doors with a launch event for the project as well as its. first publication "HOME'' in April 2024. Reference Point hosted a talk panel and performances curated by GLUH, including artists and creatives such as Coby Sey, Clara Chu, Moeed Majeed, Soni Soni-Mohammed and ARCCA Magazine .

GLUH's second publication "Parallel 42" focussed on Bulgaria's creative diasporas and was launchedthrough a dedicated event at Photobook Cafe in London, as well as ko-op in Sofia, Bulgaria in November 2025. The events displayed selected footage and photography from the publication.

Cultural Events
Screening & Exhibition

Responding to brand-driven, community-focused events in a period of increased social isolation, the interview series "CONNECT" with practitioners active on a community level was filmed in summer 2024. The documentary was screened at Reference Point, followed by a talk panel and music.

Inspired by independent arts movements, the group show RE-BODYING was held at Filet Space in October 2025. Featuring Tyrone Williams, Greg Orrom Swan and Sabina Plamenova, the show looked at the living world through a lens of reconnection, calling for a re-celebration of nature in the wider sense.

Creative workshops

Workshop Series at The Art House
Clara Chu, Tiana Esparon, Yo Kesh!

Responding to a wish and conversation with attendees at one of GLUH CIC’s events, a series of affordable creative workshops was hosted at The Art House by Acrylicize in London over three months in early-mid 2025.
Clara Chu offered a session about sustainable bag and charm making, Tiana Esparon gave an introduction to embroidery timed with the spring equinox, and Yo Kesh! provided a still life installation and materials to paint on nails, experimenting with the medium and that scale of detail.

RE-FUTURES at Somerset House
Coby Sey

Informed by research on ways of building community, GLUH CIC decided to experiment with a playful creative session aimed at facilitating connection and conversation. In a time where the current global landscapes are affecting artists and creatives of specific backgrounds’ wellbeing, the aim was to think about possible futures in a free and positive way. Artist Coby Sey provided the inspiration prompts for the first session in June 2026. Thanks to Somerset House Exchange’s bursary, GLUH was able to host the session at its premises.

Publications

GLUH’s printed publications highlight stories of independent creatives, makers and collectives making a positive impact on community and culture, inspired by a collective wish for belonging.
Beyond honouring the featured stories, the project aims to motivate individuals who might feel a lack of representation or tangible examples of success stories to pursue or establish their creative practices.

Working with independent retailers in the UK and Europe, GLUH’s zines and photo-books are currently self-published and distributed. These can be found in stores such as Reference Point, Tender Books, Rova Books, Good News, Good Press and more.

Bibliography

GLUH #1: HOME (2024)
GLUH #2: Parallel 42 (2025)
Call to Saya x GLUH: Ode to the Greens
*GLUH #3: Currently in production (2026)

Digital storytelling

“CONNECT” (2024)

Through a collection of interviews presented as a short-form documentary, "Connect" examines the impact of post-lockdown changes and world politics on social connection.

The interview series was filmed in summer 2024 and screened on September 30th the same year at Reference Point in London with a dedicated talk panel, group discussion and live music.

Interviewees

Karl Sadler, Mr Redley (Black Wine Club), Nathaniel Telemaque (pesolife), Olivia Abando (Community Curates, grapevine), Sade English (ANTICLONE Gallery), Sophie Ruston, Suren Seneviratne, Syd The DiiSCLAIMER.

ISLA Berlin (2024)

ISLA established itself as an independent, female owned and led brand, becoming a reference point for fashion and creative cultures in Berlin. Starting off as a nail-shop by Charissa Chioccarelli in 2017, the brand has elevated and supported independent designers, musicians and artists, becoming a leading voice in global cultural trends.
The photo-documentary and interview cover the history of the project and the artists it collaborated over the years, before closing the doors to its stable shops and developing into a pop-up and consultancy brand.

Research

Social Connection & Community

GLUH CIC ran a study on community and social connection, aimed at informing its upcoming programme and offering, in order to better support and grow its community.
A first survey was posted on GLUH’S social media channels in early 2026, aimed at collecting a first bulk of data, as well as screening participants for a potential focus group.
A focus group was held in person in May 2026 with four participants: the first half expanded on the questions and some of the findings obtained through the survey, while the second part explored a potential upcoming format, which was then used for the RE-FUTURES event.