The Pomona Festival painting
We have big plans to boost arts and culture in Hammersmith & Fulham – and we’re inviting you to tell us what you think.
Hammersmith & Fulham Council’s emerging Arts Strategy is packed with ideas to support local artists, introduce more residents to the arts – and to make more use of the borough’s unique collection of artwork donated over the years.
It includes loaning two eye-catching paintings from our Cecil French Bequest – The Pomona Festival (1879) and Interrupted (1880) by Sir Lawrence Alma-Tadema – to exhibitions in Holland and Vienna.
They will return to go on display at the renowned Leighton House Museum in Kensington in July next year. Reproductions of the artworks by the renowned Victorian artist Sir Lawrence will also be placed on display in Hammersmith Town Hall’s foyer this in the coming weeks.
We’ll be discussing this plan – and many others - at a public meeting of the Economic Regeneration, Housing and the Arts Policy and Accountability Committee on Tuesday 7 June. The meeting will be held at Hammersmith Town Hall from 7pm.
“We consulted residents earlier this year and, with their help, we’ve come up with plans to help the arts thrive in H&F,” said Cllr Andrew Jones, H&F Cabinet Member for Economic Development and Regeneration.
“Our strategy is nearly complete. But if you didn’t have a chance to have your say before, or even if you did, this public meeting will enable you to share your views before the strategy goes ahead.”
The Arts Strategy is packed full of ideas thought up by residents and H&F Council. They include:
- Working with artists to improve public spaces
- Bringing in more art fairs and exhibitions to H&F, particularly in parks and open spaces
- Joining in more with Open House, Totally Thames, Open Studios and other London-wide festivals
- Holding more cultural events at libraries
- Working with the NHS to create activities beneficial to people’s health
- Working with the Lyric Theatre, the charity A New Direction and others to create a Cultural Education Partnership, creating more opportunities for young people
- Creating more opportunities for local artists to be part of events such as Playday
You can find out more and have your say about these and other ideas at the meeting.
