Hammersmith & Fulham Council is asking residents for their views on making the borough’s arts and culture scene even more vibrant.
To help, the council has released a draft version of a new arts strategy, which hopes to build on the strong arts and culture scene that already exists in the borough and boost local employment and businesses. But now the council wants to hear from you.
“We are determined to make H&F a more popular destination,” said Cllr Andrew Jones, H&F Cabinet Member for Economic Development and Regeneration, “where creativity thrives and the arts are enjoyed by even more people from a wide range of backgrounds.”
“To do this, we are working with residents to drive how the council supports the arts so that every penny of arts funding is focused on resident priorities. Hammersmith & Fulham could be an area where the arts help drive a dynamic local economy, leading to new local jobs and businesses.”
The draft arts strategy sets out the council’s approach for achieving these aims, grouped into three themes: destination, creation and access.
“We already have a thriving arts scene,” added Cllr Jones. “But we are missing some significant venues, such as a concert hall and space for the visual arts. So we will seek new arts facilities as part of the major regeneration work that is taking place across the borough.”
The council is also committed to work with landowners and developers to provide access to affordable studio space, as well as create an artist-in-residence scheme for the borough if it can attract the funding.
Three themes
There are three core themes: destination, creation and inclusion.
Destination: To enhance the contribution of the arts to the local community and economy by developing Hammersmith & Fulham as a thriving borough for the arts and promoting it as a creative and exciting place to live in, do business in and visit from within London, across the UK and overseas.
Creation: To enhance the experience of living and working in the borough and boost the local economy by stimulating artistic achievement and supporting adults, children and young people from a wide range of backgrounds to create, produce and perform excellent art of all kinds.
Inclusion: To ensure that residents from diverse backgrounds get more opportunity to enjoy and participate in a variety of types of art which challenges and inspires them and promotes their health and well-being.
We’ve been talking to lots of local arts organisations already. Now we’re keen to reach as many people as possible, whether you’re involved in producing art of any kind, or you just enjoy listening, watching or viewing.
The consultation closed on 29 February 2016.
