Camden - bidding for the London Borough of Culture
Future Cities Forum has invited Camden Council to discuss the impact of the London Borough of Culture competition at our Art Investment in Cities event on 25th January 2018 at RIBA, London.
Camden Council is one of the 22 councils who have entered bids and Councillor Jonathan Simpson, Cabinet Member for Promoting Culture and Community Services, will be explaining what the competition means to the borough.
Jonathan has been working with cultural stakeholders such as the Roundhouse, British Museum, Koko, Clean Break and Green Man Festival. He has sat on the Roundhouse Trust's fundraising board and is a Trustee of the Amy Winehouse Foundation.
Two winning boroughs will be named London Borough of Culture, one in 2019 and another in 2020. Up to six other boroughs will receive support to deliver bespoke cultural projects.
Camden Council says it wants through the bid to support its existing venues and bring culture out onto the streets so everyone can benefit - not just a programme of events but something that brings wider benefit to residents and beyond.
A large part of the bid is inspired, the Council suggests, by Camden's heritage - the history of radical theatre and alternative culture, looking back at what can be drawn from this to create the borough's future. Residents have also been asked for stories about places in the borough that hold significance in their lives and what 'culture' means to them.
Iconic cultural venues, a long history of innovation and a connection to the rest of Europe through Eurostar, is being put forward as some of the reasons Camden should be chosen.