On 25 March East London Music Group will launch their most ambitious, exciting, and inspiring project yet. Nellie Cressall, a new opera telling the story of the Poplar Rates Rebellion, written by Lucy Armstrong and Olivia Bell.

Click here to go to Eventbrite to register for a free ticket to the event (limited availability).

In 1921, thirty councillors from the London Borough of Poplar took a defiant stand against the government’s unfair tax policy. It was a decision that resonated down the generations, but one that they would pay for with their liberty.

Under the rules of the Poor Law, local authorities were obliged to raise money to support their poor citizens from their own population. As Poplar was the country’s poorest borough at the time, it meant the council had great difficulty raising the money it needed.

In response to this, Poplar Council decided to withhold the money it was supposed to pay to the government, and spend it on supporting their citizens instead. The Poplar Rates Rebellion, as it became known, was a landmark event in UK politics and showed what can be achieved when politicians are willing to selflessly stand up for their constituents.

This launch event will include the screening of a short film about the project, a talk from Janine Booth, author of Guilty and Proud of it!: Poplar’s Rebel Councillors and Guardians 1919-1925, a discussion with the creative team behind the project, and a live premiere of a song from the opera.

The project has been developed in two phases. Phase one covers the cost of the opera commission and some initial prepatation and planning. We are extremely grateful to Cockayne Foundation, Arts Council England, Vaughan Williams Foundation, and Golsoncott Foundation, all of whom have generously supported the first phase, already helping us to raise £45,000, and enabling us to commission the new opera.

We still have more than £100,000 to raise before we can bring the second phase of the project to fruition, and perform the new work. As guests of the launch this evening you can help us to reach our target by giving or pledging what you can to help us on our way. Some of you may wish to cover the cost of a specific aspect of the production, so we have some sponsorship opportunities to share with you if that appeals to you. Otherwise, a donation would be most welcome.