Between September and December 2026, The People Speak is collaborating with the Haggerston and Kingsland Estate Residents Collective to reflect on the last 10 years, following the premiere of an award-winning film Estate: the Reverie (2015). 

Estate Talks is a project close to our hearts. It brings together residents old and new, young and old, for a series of free events designed to do one simple thing: get people talking to each other again.

Where it all began

Our connection to this community goes back further than most people realise. Filmmaker Andrea Luka Zimmerman lived on the estate for years, and it was there that she made Estate: A Reverie – a remarkable portrait of a community living through the long, slow process of regeneration. Rather than a story about buildings being knocked down, the film focused on the people still living behind the hoardings: their routines, memories and small acts of care for one another as the world around them changed. It’s a film about what gets lost, and what somehow survives, when a place is transformed.

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Why letting conversations flow naturally reveals the heart of a community

A Perfect Day for an Impromptu Wedding

Everything was ready: the bride and groom, the dress, the sunshine, and plenty of willing guests. What we didn’t expect was that our afternoon discussion about the future of the Barbican and Golden Lane estates would turn into wedding poetry and creative neighbourhood activation. But that’s exactly why we love The People Speak approach – you never know where genuine conversation will take you.

We were invited by the Barbican and Golden Lane Neighbourhood Forum to their annual Summer Party to chat with residents about the future of their estates. Armed with our Talkaoke setup, we spent the afternoon discovering what makes these iconic London neighbourhoods truly special.

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