Who are the big names coming to Wimbledon BookFest this October?
Plus: A local artist is making waves at the Royal Academy Summer Exhibition 2026
Good morning, Wimblers.
In 2024, two lovely things happened in quick succession: The Wimble launched, and we received an email from a local artist, Fiona Wyse. Fiona ran (and still runs) a textiles and sculpture studio in Wimbledon called Ryka Designs — now, two years later, Fiona is among a handful of tapestry artists to have her work shown at this year’s Royal Academy Summer Exhibition.
This week, The Wimble met with Fiona at her home to talk about her selected work, “Summer Dive”, and what it takes to make it as an artist.
But before that: Merton council gets ready to tighten up on HMOs for the foreseeable; a broadcaster, a cricket commentator and a comedian are amongst the first names announced for Wimbledon BookFest 2026, plus why New Malden station now has a Korean-language station sign — all in our news briefing.
News snippets 🗞
🧑🏼🚒 A fire broke out at Belgrave Walk in Mitcham on Saturday. Twenty fire engines and around 125 firefighters responded to a fire involving a row of townhouses converted into flats. The fire spread across all three floors and into the roof spaces of the buildings. At 6.15pm, it was reported that the council opened a rest centre at Mitcham Parish Centre in Church Road, Mitcham (opposite St Peter & St Paul Church), where council officers and councillors provided support for residents who had to leave their homes. On Sunday, the roads in the area were reopened whilst council officers worked alongside firefighters to assess the structure of the building. The rest centre was closed later that day, with the council offering temporary accommodation to residents who were unable to return to their homes. The cause of the fire has not been established yet. Read more here.
📚 Clare Balding, Sir Ian Botham, Julian Clary and Celia Imrie are among the new names announced for Wimbledon BookFest 2026. Wimbledon BookFest has announced that broadcaster and author Clare Balding will appear at this year's festival for a special live recording to launch the National Literacy Trust's brand-new podcast – The Joy of Reading – during the National Year of Reading. The new programme also includes conversations on science with Jim Al-Khalili, stories of survival and resistance in Afghanistan with Zahra Joya, medieval history with Janina Ramirez, fiction with Alexandra Potter and M. John Harrison, and much, much more. Keep your eyes peeled in the coming weeks for updates and tickets. The festival will run from Thursday 15–Sunday 25 October.
⚽️ AFC Wimbledon beat Charlton at home with a 2-0 win. This was a pre-season friendly, with goals from academy graduate Kai Jennings and Trialist B. Read the match report here.
🎉 A Korean-language station sign has now been permanently installed inside a new waiting room at New Malden station. The sign, written in the Korean alphabet, Hangeul, is the Korean transliteration of New Malden. The waiting room on Platform 4 also features Korean artwork. With 20,000 of Korean heritage living in New Malden, the area is home to the largest Korean community in Europe. Councillor Robert Kim said, “There was a time in Korea’s history when our language and even our names were suppressed. To now see Hangeul proudly displayed in our town and to celebrate Korean culture and art freely in this space reflects how far we have come.” Read more in ianVisits.
🏡 Merton Council are set to make borough-wide HMO planning rules permanent. The council has approved a recommendation to permanently ensure that anyone converting a home into a House in Multiple Occupation (HMO) will require planning permission. According to the press release, “This means the council will be able to check new HMO proposals properly before they go ahead, looking at things like whether homes are well designed, with enough space and facilities for the people living there.” The decision follows a six-week public consultation, in which 82% of the 50 responses received supported making the rules permanent.
The Wimble’s sponsor of the week 💎
This week’s sponsor is The Little Gym in Wimbledon Quarter. The Little Gym is kindly offering Wimble readers 20% off all bookings when you use the code WIMBLE20. All you have to do is click the button below.
Property of the week 🏡
This five-bedroom period house has clearly undergone some renovations. The kitchen is the undeniable jewel in this property’s crown. It’s filled with light and opens up onto a well-sized garden. But at £1.825 million, it’s hardly a cheap property. Check out more photos here.
The Wimble’s to-do list 🎯
🖌 Art Below Summer Show 2026: Ad Lib Gallery, in collaboration with Art Below, is showing artworks by numerous artists on billboard posters at Pimlico & Hyde Park Corner tube stations. To coincide with this, they are also showcasing works by many of the participating artists at their gallery in Wimbledon Village, along with some favourite Ad Lib Gallery artists and previous Art Below exhibitors.
Where: Ad Lib Gallery, Wimbledon Village
When: Thursday 16 July – Sunday 2 August
👚 Goldsmith Vintage X Wimbledon Quarter Kilo Sale: Join Goldsmith Vintage at Wimbledon Quarter for a weekend packed with the best branded and designer vintage clothing, all for just £20 per kilo. Expect rails bursting with your favourite labels, including vintage sportswear, denim, jackets, knitwear, graphic tees, dresses, accessories and loads more. Admission is £2 per person.
Where: Wimbledon Quarter
When: Saturday 1 — Sunday 2 August, 11am
🦋 Butterfly and dragonfly walk: Wimbledon Common is rich in butterflies and dragonflies. Join local expert volunteers, Simon Riley and Les Evans-Hill, on this two-hour walk as they teach you about these beautiful insects. This event is free, but donations are always encouraged.
Where: Ranger’s Office, Wimbledon Common
When: Saturday 1 August, 2-4pm
💧 Children’s workshop: Where does our water go?: Have you ever wondered where our water ends up when we flush the toilet or turn the tap on? Well now your children can find out at this free hands-on science and engineering workshop designed for children ages 7-14. This event is free but you must book a space.
Where: Wimbledon Museum
When: Saturday 1 August, 10.30am–12.30pm & 2–4pm
🥗 Love Wimbledon’s Monthly Market on The Piazza: Think artisan stalls, hot food, and baked goods, plus homeware, art, clothing and accessories. Each market is different and brings with it new traders and seasonal goods. Pop along and have a gander.
Where: The Piazza, Wimbledon
When: Saturday 1 – Sunday 2 August, 11am–6pm
✈️ Summer Passport Trail at Wimbledon Quarter: Head to Wimbledon Quarter this summer and pick up your “Holiday Passport”. The Quarter’s self-guided trail invites children to visit participating shops across the Quarter and collect stamps along the way. But how does it work? Pop in anytime between 10.30am–4pm, pick up your Holiday Passport from the ground floor via the M&S or Boots entrance, follow the clues to visit the shops and collect your stamps to claim your sweet treat at the end. This event is free and is for children ages 3–12 years old.
Where: Wimbledon Quarter
When: Saturday 15 August – Sunday 30 August, 10.30am–4pm
The local textile artist selected for this year’s Royal Academy Summer Exhibition 🖼
Fiona Wyse founded her local textile studio, Ryka Design, in 2020, creating large-scale abstract wall hangings, rugs and mirrors inspired by landscape, colour and texture. Over time, however, Fiona has found herself increasingly drawn to tapestry. Back in 2024, The Wimble joined Fiona in her studio and home to talk about the design of her property. You can read that article here. But today we’re celebrating Fiona for a different reason.
This year, Fiona’s tapestry “Summer Dive” was chosen out of 18,000 submissions to be exhibited at the Royal Academy Summer Exhibition 2026. The tapestry is a large, hand-woven artwork inspired by the simple pleasure of plunging into a cool pool on a hot summer’s day. This week, The Wimble sat down with Fiona to talk about the process and her advice to other local artists looking to expand their portfolios.
Let’s start with the art itself. How did this tapestry come about?
The design of this piece was actually created in lockdown. Initially, I created a rug from the design. But then last year, I broke my wrist, and I couldn’t do any more tufting because my [tufting] gun is too heavy. So I decided to go back to tapestry, which was also a really good therapy for my fingers. What’s interesting about tapestry is its slowness. Unlike tufting, where ideas can develop quickly, tapestry requires patience and commitment. Every decision is woven in by hand. And tapestry was actually the discipline I studied at Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art and Design, though “Summer Dive” was my first big tapestry since the 2000s.
What does the selection process for the Royal Academy’s Summer Exhibition look like?
The title for this year’s summer exhibition is “interconnectedness”, but it’s a fluid title. It’s really up to the curator to interpret your work. Artists apply in January or February, and the RA has a cap of around 18,000 submissions. Then they whittle that down to 4,000 pieces. At 4,000, the artists are invited to bring their work to the RA for further consideration, and then you wait. I’ve applied four times and never been accepted, so it was a little surreal to see the email.
What is your process for creating art? What is it that draws you to tapestry?
My process is often high energy. I take inspiration from the world around me, from nature, from friends, from music. Today, my practice explores tapestry as a process of translation. In terms of the process, it usually starts with sketches, photographs, painted gestures and lino cuts. These are all translated into woven form.
But in terms of recent inspiration, I’ve also been really interested in the stories behind my friends’ tattoos. Finding out the history behind a tattoo and incorporating a person’s story, emotions and thoughts into the artwork is something I’m looking into at the moment.
What does this achievement mean for you? And what advice would you give to other local textile artists looking to make similar waves in the art world?
Being selected by the RA is a huge honour, and I’m beyond delighted. I think it’s really important to remember that a lot of artists work independently, so it can be hard to know if you’re moving in the right direction. This RA’s recognition is just a lovely affirmation that my work is moving in the right direction. Although, saying that, I did manage to track down my old art tutor from 30 years ago on Instagram and ask him a few questions, which was lovely!
When it comes to textile art, keep trying new things and keep applying to different exhibitions. You’re going to face rejection. I’d had a few rejections earlier this year, so the RA’s acceptance really came at the perfect time. But rejection is part of the process, especially for textile artists. There are something like 1,800 pieces on the Royal Academy Summer Exhibition’s walls. About 1 per cent of those are textile designs. But we are really beginning to weave our way into these spaces! I’d also really recommend joining a few organisations. I joined the British Tapestry Group and the Society of Designer Craftsmen. It’s groups like these that can help you to feel less alone. These groups also put on exhibitions, so it’s a great way to showcase your art.
Head to Fiona’s website here to see more of her work. Her upcoming projects are:
Wimbledon Art Trail and Open Studios
Saturday 12 – Sunday 13 September 2026
Society of Designer Craftsmen – Uncommon Ground
Oxo Gallery, London
Wednesday 4 – Sunday 15 November 2026
Plus: are there more local artists we should be covering? Let us know in the comments.
Question of the week 🔍
Last week, I asked you what makes the Buddhapadipa Temple so special? The answer: It was the first Thai Buddhist temple in the UK.
Q: Which figure is said to have written parts of a world-famous handbook while staying by the Wimbledon Windmill?
You’re up to date 👋
Thank you for reading this week’s edition of The Wimble. As always, do get in touch if you have any local stories or features: zak@thewimble.com. Other than that, have a great rest of the week and we’ll see you next time!