Boost for London culture in Mayor’s £24m regeneration drive

New cultural venues will be created across London and others upgraded, as part of a £24m regeneration drive announced this week by Mayor Sadiq Khan.

The selected projects aim to enable local people “to take an active role in the regeneration of their communities”. They include the redevelopment of an arts and learning centre in Herne Hill, and the creation of a National Centre for Urban Culture in east London and a new mixed-use cultural space in Peckham.

Khan said: “I am using this funding to challenge preconceptions about how regeneration takes place. I want to give all Londoners – regardless of background – the opportunity to be actively involved in their city and have more places to live, learn, work and play.

“The projects I announced funding for today will help us to tackle inequality, strengthen civil society, and ensure the benefits of regeneration are felt by all.”

‘Good growth’

The money comes from the first round of funding delivered through the Mayor’s Good Growth Fund by the London Economic Action Partnership. 27 bids have been successful, which will deliver social and economic improvements.

The fund offers capital grants of up to £5m to deliver place-shaping and development projects, as well as repayable capital grants and revenue grants worth £500k to £2m.

198 Contemporary Arts and Learning in Herne Hill has received £475k to increase and improve its gallery space and provide industry skills training.

Other successful projects include:

• £1.8m for The Spark for a number of projects in Redbridge town centre, including the refurbishment of the listed town hall as an artist workspace
• £500k for Somerset House to provide affordable space and support for creative businesses and recent graduates
• £450k to implement “innovative delivery and management models” for two workspace projects in Hackney, and help secure affordable space for artists and those in the creative industries
• £200k for Volunteer it Yourself, which will work with 35 grassroots community arts, culture and music spaces in areas of deprivation to support community volunteers and skilled tradesmen to carry out improvement works
• £150k for Battersea Arts Centre to provide an edible sustainable community garden with “artistic interpretation” in Clapham.

In addition, £700k has been granted to the Southbank Centre and campaigners Long Live Southbank to create a dedicated headquarters for the Centre’s new education programme, and to expand and improve the skate space in the Queen Elizabeth Hall Undercroft.

A spokesperson for the Southbank Centre said the projects would benefit both local residents and wider communities, including visitors to the capital.

New spaces

Two new cultural spaces will be created with the help of the grants. Mountview drama schools has received £845k towards the creations of a new mixed-use cultural space in Peckham, south London.

Another successful bid, to support the creation of the UK’s ‘first’ National Talent House for Urban Culture, will be coordinated by East London Dance and Urban Development.

The two organisations will use the £1m grant from the Mayor, and a matching £1m grant from Arts Council England, to fit out a historic warehouse and modern extension as part of the Sugar House Island Development in Newham. It aims to unlock the potential of young musicians, composers, dancers and producers, by providing affordable workspace, facilities and teaching space.

Building is already underway and the internal works will commence later this year. They are estimated to finish in Spring 2019.

Commenting on the funding, Polly Risbridger, Director of East London Dance, said: “This building will not only provide a new home for East London Dance and Urban Development but will be an authentic space that listens and responds to artists, young people and the local community.

“It will spearhead the creation of a vibrant new creative hub at Sugar House Island and create a home and meeting point for the urban arts community.”