Funding will support a three-year programme, shaping Havering as a vibrant cultural place. Credit: Stuart Harper
This funding will support a three-year programme from April this year, shaping Havering as a vibrant cultural place.
This programme will be catalysed by £500,000 of National Lottery Place Partnership funding from Arts Council England, enabling new partnerships and innovative ways of working to meet the borough’s cultural needs, and £250,000 from The National Lottery Heritage Fund, celebrating and promoting Havering’s diverse heritage.
A fundraising initiative to secure public and private sector support for ‘A Good Life’ was launched in March 2024, following the campaign to become London Borough of Culture. This initiative builds on the momentum of 50 organisations and 1,000 members of the public who collaborated to develop the bid.
‘A Good Life’ is a bold strategy to grow Havering’s cultural landscape, empowering communities to shape a vibrant and equitable cultural life.
By placing local people at the heart of decision-making, it fosters wellbeing and belonging. Through participatory initiatives, networks, and co-designed programmes, residents will gain the skills and opportunities to influence the borough’s creative future.
At the heart of ‘A Good Life’ are 30 projects structured around four key themes:
Havering: Unearthed – Celebrating and promoting the borough’s diverse history through a new heritage trail, a landmark public event in Romford market, an immersive club culture archive, and a Heritage Projects Officer to help build crucial capacity (supported by Historic England).
Havering: Common Ground – Establishing a new network of community venues with refreshed facilities to enable shared programming, new community celebrations, public art and craft exhibitions.
Havering: Empowered – Nurturing creative talent by establishing a new artist studio, skills development programme, and an innovative digital website.
Havering: Thriving – Embedding culture in wellbeing through artist-led health initiatives, a green-focused public talks programme, environmental activism, and creative projects by Deaf, disabled and neurodivergent artists.
Whilst £1.6m has been secured to date, Havering London is now launching the Cultural Investment Fund as part of raising a further £800,000. This initiative invites local businesses and philanthropists to contribute towards match funding for artists and organisations, further strengthening Havering’s cultural ecosystem.
Central to ‘A Good Life’ is the newly formed People’s Panel, comprising 20 dedicated residents who will collaborate with the Partnership Panel of organisations delivering the programme. Key partners include Creative Health Havering, Fuse (Local Cultural Education Partnership), Havering Changing, Havering Museum, London Borough of Havering, New City College, Romford BID, and the Centre for Performance, Technology, and Equity (PTEQ) at the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama.
Dr David Shearing and Mathew Russell, Directors of Havering London, said:
“We are immensely proud of the collaborative efforts that have brought this historic investment to Havering. The funding will enable a step change in cultural provision, ensuring the people of Havering can access and contribute to a thriving cultural life.”
Cllr Gillian Ford, Deputy Leader of Havering Council and Cabinet Member for Adults and Wellbeing, said:
“Havering London is delivering on providing greater access to our arts and culture which are pivotal in supporting our ambitions to improve social connectivity and promote greater physical, emotional, mental health and wellbeing for our residents.”
Michelle Walker, London Area Director, Arts Council England, said:
“We’re proud to support A Good Life through National Lottery Place Partnership funding: a collaborative initiative that invests in the borough’s long-term cultural growth, aligning with our commitment to ensure that culture plays a central role in communities. We look forward to celebrating how the new partnerships fostered by A Good Life will help Havering thrive in the years ahead.”
Stuart McLeod, Director of England – London & South at The National Lottery Heritage Fund, said: “We are delighted to support this project, which thanks to money raised by National Lottery players, will mean that more people will be able to get involved with, protect, and learn about the exciting heritage right on their doorstep. Heritage has a huge role to play in instilling pride in communities and boosting local economies, and this project is a fantastic example of achieving those aims.”
Julie Frost, Director, Romford BID, said:
“Romford BID is excited to be part of this transformative journey. Culture plays a key role in enhancing the vibrancy of our town centre, which will be animated in new ways throughout this project.”
Tom Foxall, Regional Director, Historic England, said:
“Havering’s rich history holds many untold stories, and we are excited to bring these to life by funding a Heritage Projects Officer role. By reanimating heritage sites and making them accessible to growing communities, we can ensure that heritage remains a living, breathing part of the borough’s identity.”
James Jackson, Director of Havering Changing, said:
“Havering Changing is proud to support A Good Life. This bold new strategy will continue to make creativity more accessible through community-led projects and local collaborations to ensure that everyone in Havering has a voice in shaping our cultural future.”
Professor Bryce Lease, Royal Central School of Speech and Drama, said:
“Through the Centre for Performance, Technology, and Equity, we are committed to advancing digital access and equity in cultural participation. By exploring the creative potentials of technology, we can empower diverse communities to engage with and shape Havering’s cultural landscape.”
