Bankside News & Views | 10th Anniversary Edition

Front cover: © Bob & Roberta Smith TURNS TEN

12-16 May 2010 promises to be an action-packed celebration of Tate Modern’s first ten years in Bankside. As part of the festivities, we’ll be celebrating some of our longer term community partnerships and everyone is invited. To commemorate our official opening on12 May, over a hundred local children will take part in a special procession from via Clink Street to the gallery. The School of Samba will be playing and there will be a cake inspired by the building. Pop along and cheer them on. To celebrate our partnership with Bankside Open Spaces Trust (BOST), we’re having a wheelbarrow parade around the green spaces in the area. Working with architecture collective Exyzt and Coloco French landscape designers, we’ll be customising wheelbarrows in workshops for some of the green spaces. Setting off from the top of the Turbine Hall bridge on Saturday 15 May at 1.45pm or at 2.00pm outside the community gardens front lawn (riverside), we’ll take the parade to Mint Street Park, Little Dorrit Playground and Red Cross Gardens. Bring your scooter, buggy or mobility vehicle and follow the fun! And to round things off on Sunday 16 May, we’re holding a party for local residents in the east room, level 7 of the gallery from 2-4pm led by artist’s collective Black Dogs. Drop by to meet your neighbours and enjoy the celebration.

To find out more, call Synthia on020 7401 5176 or email [email protected] Tate local

Knowing your neighbours Involving residents Open to ideas “As we reach our tenth anniversary, “ I wanted Kurban Haji has lived locally for A good relationship is two-way and we can fully appreciate the central decades and chairs Southwark Arts the gallery welcomes approaches from role that Bankside, Southwark and their them to know Forum’s Senior Creative Network (SCN). groups. However, Marion Marples recalls communities have played in making He remembers Tate Modern opening the ‘trepidation’ she felt when she first Tate Modern the success it is today,” that art is for and says, “Many had no faith in it. People came along to ask if we’d support her says Sir Nicholas Serota, Director of Tate. were asking why they were throwing all idea for a social forum for local residents. “I am delighted to be able to celebrate this money at art instead of hospitals.” Tate Modern’s Community Film Club some of our local partnerships as part of everyone and But over the last ten years, more was born as a result and celebrates its the No Soul for Sale birthday weekend. than 45 million visitors have come to 5th anniversary in 2010. It’s gone from As we now work on the Transforming Tate Modern is Tate Modern and Kurban is really proud strength to strength, with a thousand Tate Modern development, these of doing his bit to introduce groups registered members and regular audiences partnerships with the community will there for them” of local people who’d shied away. of about 120 people, watching films with continue to create a foundation for work His visits opened their eyes to art as a strong local flavour. with all our audiences.” a ‘living breathing thing’ and many The club attracts people of all ages, Bankside Residents Forum (BRF), for now attend regularly. including the youth charity SE1 United. which Sir Nicholas is patron, is key to our At the other end of the scale, They are not only film followers, but film strong community relationships. Julian newcomer Rev Kes Grant from St. Hughes makers. When Tate Modern first opened, Cooling and Anne Radford, the current church recently introduced young people Akiema and Scarlett, were just five. Their and previous chairs of BRF, told us: “Tate under the age of ten to the gallery via personal highlight is the recent showing Modern has regularly engaged with the the Quicksilver project. “I wanted them of SE1 United’s ‘We are the boys’. Bankside Residents Forum, through telling to know that art is for everyone and Tate As Marion notes, “It’s been very positive residents of its future projects, gathering Modern is there for them,” she says. to see young people grow up over three to local people’s views, and fully discussing “To see the kids’ faces as they listened four years and become amazingly mature its plans with people living close by. to someone explaining the art was the and ambitious.” “A large organisation in a local community, best part for me. Now they know about it has created room for dialogue which it and have taken part in something, Your stories has been important for the BRF to develop they feel connected to the gallery and Now it’s your chance to turn movie a meaningful communication between Tate are starting to take ownership.” and story maker. We’re asking the public and the community.” to send us their stories from the last From galleries to gardens ten years and invite local neighbours Remembering the opening Bankside Open Spaces Trust Director, to contribute, too. The gallery’s arrival in Bankside Helen Firminger, has worked closely with brought about a lot of change for Tate Modern on creating and maintaining Please share your pictures, video clips people living in the area. But one our community garden and the Edible and memories via the Tate Modern blog thing has always been the same – Estates garden commissioned as part at: http://blog.tate.org.uk/ our desire and determination to be of the Global Cities exhibition 2007. She a good neighbour. We caught up with also reflects on how our involvement in people who’ve been living and working the community encourages locals to visit here for many years to find out what the gallery who wouldn’t go otherwise. it was like suddenly to have a big, “Some of our volunteers had never famous neighbour on your doorstep. been to the Tate, even though it’s really “I remember how Bankside used to close. So we welcomed the opportunity be in the days when the power station to bring them to the opening of the was closed. Quiet and atmospheric. Global Cities exhibition, encourage A place that you could be alone with them to use the garden, and generally your thoughts by the river,” says Councillor encourage more circulation in the area.” Adele Morris, (Lib Dem) Cathedrals Ward. Gardens provide a unique way of “Then Tate Modern arrived with a connecting with the community. Laura bang. The Queen came to open it and Ivill from the Community Garden Steering local residents were invited to put on Committee says: “All the work we do is their finery and join in. And since the not only fun for us but also welcomed beginning, local residents have been and appreciated by other local residents invited to events, to activities, to share and school children.” She sees the gardens the space in the ‘secret’ community as a place to ‘slow everything down’, garden and, in my case, to chair the especially important in a city in summer. Community Liaison Group, for the Transforming Tate Modern project.” Falcon Point resident, Edith Richter, feels ‘very lucky’ that she moved here in the 80s and Tate Modern moved in “ The gallery’s arrival in Bankside next door. She says: “Tate Modern are very good neighbours, very considerate. They always ask us. They’ve never just brought about a lot of change taken over.” for people living in the area”

A DECADE OF BUSINESS TEN YEARS OLD IN SOUTHWARK

Forster, leaders in communications for positive change, have been Tate Modern has hosted a million school visits since 2000, including based at 49 Southwark Street for ten years. They’ve generously pupils from Cathedral Primary School. For them, Tate Modern has teamed up with Tate Modern to bring this 10th anniversary edition always been part of their community. We talked to ten year olds about of Tate Modern & You to as many people as possible. art, life in Southwark and 10th birthday celebrations. We caught up with founder, Jilly Forster, to see what attracts a communications agency to Southwark, and what keeps it here. How did you celebrate your 10th What’s the best thing you’ve ever birthday? seen at Tate Modern? “My 10th birthday was on 22nd May “Either the massive metal box or the Forster works across the UK, what 2009. I had a birthday party in an massive slides.” – Louie Holbrook about locally? adventure playground.” – Jabin Ali National campaigns, like Bike Week, “I love the metal slides and the fun art.” trickle down and take on a local angle. What is your favourite thing about – Jude Mackinlay We also work with Southwark and living in Southwark? Lambeth councils and Borough Market. “One of them was the big sun – an all-time “My favourite thing is the graffiti art.” We’re working with the London favourite.” – Bamidele Oke – Chamekir Hunte Development Agency to help small and medium enterprises to improve “There is always a lot to do like taking their environmental performance. part in festivals.” – Samson Woodley Forster moved from central London to Southwark in 1998 – why? Forster invests a lot in the community. “The different variety of parks where Who do you partner with? Why do it? Firstly, it was easy to commute. I’ve I play and have freedom to choose always liked being close to the river. Better Bankside, Acting Up, The Big what I want to do.” – Ellis Jones You feel the sense of community and Issue and Southwark Playhouse are close I’m fascinated by the odd surprises partners. Renaisi for work placements. around every corner e.g. signs telling We use Novas Cafe, the Ragged School you to ‘Commit No Nuisance’. or Menier Chocolate Factory for business events. Opening up our facilities is the What’s changed in the last ten years? equivalent of popping round to borrow a Arts, definitely – from the big iconic cup of sugar from your business neighbour. Tate and Globe, to the smaller fringe venues, like Southwark Playhouse, the The Sunday Times named you Best TRANSFORMING TATE MODERN Chocolate Factory and the Ragged School. Green Company – what are your top Better Bankside has been really positive. tips for the environment? – LATEST NEWS There’s a thriving group of independent- Less car, more feet. Drink tap water. thinking businesses. Noticeably more Turn your heating down a degree. green spaces, trees and plants. Sign up to 10:10uk.org What do you think of Martin Karlsson’s What’s going on behind artwork on the new perimeter fence the hoardings? Forster does a lot of work around age, How do you see the role of art – hoardings? That’s the big question. Thanks health, equality and sustainability – in business and in the community? To celebrate the beginning of the to our live webcam, you can now see why these topics? Art doesn’t tell you the meaning Transforming Tate Modern building what’s going on behind the 100 metre Our reason for being is to be a force for of life, but it makes you ask questions. project, Swedish artist Martin Karlsson has hoardings, as well as enjoying the art positive change. Social and environmental Art inspires community cohesion among created a new artwork for the hoarding as you walk past them. issues cut across all sectors – corporates, diverse groups. It’s a communication form that encloses the construction site. charities and government – they like our requiring participation. More businesses Entitled London: An Imagery 2008-9, Visit: www.lobstervision.tv/ innovative thinking and strong track record. need to make use of everything we have the artwork takes its inspiration from transformingtate# for updated on our doorstep. Gustav Doré images that appeared in 1872 images every 15 minutes. in a book called ‘London: A Pilgrimage’. Walking the routes and visiting the Look out for the new Transforming locations depicted by Doré and Jerrold, Tate Modern display opening on the Karlsson has updated their portrait of level 1 concourse (near the cloakroom). the city and its inhabitants. Visit the website to find out more about the project www.tate.org.uk/modern/ “ Art doesn’t tell you the transformingtm/ meaning of life, but it makes you ask questions. Art inspires community cohesion among diverse groups” Remembering a 2004 2008 • Louise Bourgeois’ Maman spider returns • Street Art at Tate Modern is the first decade together “The children cried when the spider first exhibition to use the front of the building went. They jumped up and down when • Mounted police in the Turbine Hall Looking back over the past it came back again” – Edith Richter, for Tania Bruguera’s Crowd Control decade, Tate Modern and SE1 resident • Boris Johnson becomes Mayor of Forster look at key moments • Norman Foster’s Swiss Re Tower London and brings the Olympic Flag renamed the ‘gherkin’ officially opened from Beijing to City Hall that have shaped us and – London’s first ecological skyscraper • Forster celebrates 10 years in Southwark our neighbours in SE1. • Forster works with British Wind Energy with an exhibition of local street life at Association on promoting wind power the Menier Gallery 2000 2005 2009 • 12 May Tate Modern officially opened • Tate Community Film Club launches • Local residents perform Quicksilver with by HM Queen Elizabeth II. Stars attend with The Blue Lamp dance company The Cholmondeleys launch of ‘the cathedral of cool’ • Frida Kahlo: An exhibition devoted • Southwark Council gives the • Maman, Louise Bourgeois’ giant spider, to Mexico’s great artist. Kahlo’s The Transforming Tate Modern plans greets Turbine Hall visitors Two Fridas is the star of the show the green light • Millennium Wheel (aka ) alongside Self Portrait With Monkey, • John Harvard Library re-opens opens on 1 March loaned by Madonna • Forster’s AgeShift manifesto • Will Alsop’s Peckham Library opens • 1,000 children create the Shrinking for communications for older • Forster launches government’s first Childhoods exhibition with Kids people republished ‘Mind Out for Mental Health’ campaign Company reflecting inner-city neighbourhoods • Live8 concert ahead of G8 Summit 2010 2001 • London Eye turns pink as it hosts • Tate Modern celebrates 10th anniversary • Over 5 million visitors to Tate Modern first civil partnership • 2 July BOST celebrates 10th birthday in the first year • Forster publishes Walking the Talk, family showcase event in partnership • Royal Festival Hall celebrates 50 years its first public review into what it with Blackfriars Settlement, Better • Armed police outside all public does for the environment and society Bankside and Bankside Residents Forum buildings after 9/11 • Forster holds Southwark Inside Outside 2006 Part II photo exhibition. 2002 • Carsten Höller’s Test Site slides • All night marathon opening for transform Tate Modern into ‘madcap Matisse Picasso exhibition playground’ () • George Melly & Tim Marlow give • Tate Modern Community Garden late night guided tour opens: “Our secret garden gives extra • Millennium Bridge re-opens breathing space to our hard-pressed • Queues stretch along SE1 riverside residents and is our most popular to pay respects to Queen Mother project for volunteers to work on.” • Forster’s ‘Seeing is Believing’ campaign – Helen Firminger, BOST for Sightsavers restores sight to • Whale spotted in Thames 1 million people • Power cuts as heatwave and droughts continue • Forster works with ActionAid to create 2003 their HungerFREE campaign, aiming • Here comes the sun... 3 million to halve world hunger by 2015 come to see Olafur Eliasson’s The Weather Project “It’s the best thing I’ve seen at Tate Modern” – Jacob 2007 Whittingham, SE1 United • Global Cities Edible Estates exhibition • A million anti-war protestors march “I had just one month to find a space through London to Hyde Park and 30 volunteers to create the garden • Heatwave temperatures hit 41ºc with artist Fritz Haeg over two days. • Forster creates a new brand for Working on the project has been London’s Royal Parks phenomenal.” – Carole Wright, BOST • UK Climate Change Bill aims to reduce CO2 by 60% • 100s join Lambeth walk marking bicentenary of 1807 Abolition of the Slave Trade Act • Forster starts 3-year contract with Bike Week Martin Karlsson, London: An Imagery 2008-9

Tate Modern and You – Bankside News & Views is produced by Tate Modern, Bankside, London, SE1 9TG.

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