Thamesmead Cultural Plan

Of Many Circles founder, Rebecca Blackwood, worked with a team of curators, researchers and project co-ordinators alongside the housing association management team and architects to create the Cultural Strategy and Delivery Plan for Thamesmead (a major area of growth in South East London). The project involved developing the cultural vision, a resource and delivery plan, a cultural prospectus, the engagement of leading cultural organisations as partners and a programme of artists commissions to demonstrate good practice whilst mapping the cultures of Thamesmead.

 

The vision developed  embedded cultural commissioning in the regeneration of the area and outlined a 21st century new town ‘Celebrating Culture in Daily Life’.  The team began by mapping formal and informal cultural activity within Thamesmead and with a familiarisation of the regeneration aspirations of the community and Peabody. The project involved a series of advocacy and training sessions with Peabody staff, the production of sample artist and partner organisation briefs and the development of a programme for a cultural festival in Thamesmead. We introduced and brokered relationships between Peabody and renowned London cultural organisations.

 

Artists commissions included creative mapping of the area through a photographic portrait series, a radical heritage project by a young performance duo, active engagement of local young people through spoken word workshops with a leading rap artist, and an artist embedded in residence in the regeneration team for the first public realm improvement scheme.