London Libraries | Tech Ilford: Redbridge Libraries festival of creativity and innovation

Vision Redbridge Libraries’ flagship STEAM festival returned bigger than ever in 2025, showcasing how public libraries are driving innovation, digital inclusion, and community creativity.

Supported by funding from Arts Council England, Tech Ilford transformed Redbridge Central Library, and neighbouring venues and the high street into buzzing hubs of science, technology, engineering, arts and maths.

Now in its ninth year, Tech Ilford has grown into one of London’s most exciting digital engagement programmes. Hosted in one of the UK’s first public‑library makerspaces, the festival offers families hands‑on opportunities to explore coding, digital art, robotics, 3D scanning, virtual reality and more.

In 2025, highlights included:

Micro:bics Lights coding challenge featuring 51 young creators
16 interactive activities supported by 41 volunteers
VR painting, green‑screen filmmaking, anatomy exploration, engineering challenges, Braille art and geometric drawing
A roaming digital‑art performance of The Invisible Man attracting hundreds of high‑street visitors into the library
SPACE Ilford’s 3D scanning zone engaging 135 participants

The festival welcomed 1,711 visitors in a single day, drawing families from 46 schools across Redbridge and neighbouring boroughs.

A dedicated Serenity Space ensured the event remained inclusive and accessible, reinforcing the role of libraries as trusted community spaces where everyone can explore, learn and create.

The festival strengthened partnerships with local organisations such as:

SPACE Ilford
RNIB
Met Police
STEM Learning & UK Robotics
University of East London
Local artists, makers and community groups

These collaborations showcased the unique convening power of libraries, bringing together expertise, creativity and technology for the benefit of local communities.

Tech Ilford demonstrates the Digital Universal Offer at its best by:

Opening up digital creativity to families of all backgrounds
Building confidence with emerging technologies
Growing audiences for STEAM learning
Championing innovation across the public‑library sector

Tech Ilford continues to show how libraries can spark curiosity, develop digital skills and bring diverse communities together through playful learning. Its combination of innovation, partnership and purpose makes it a leading example of how libraries can shape the future of digital culture in London and beyond.

Watch the 2025 video here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hFmPbUodUsw

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