Culture Strategy

Culture is an essential ingredient for our cities. As well as generating tourism and boosting the economy, culture brings us together and helps define the places we love. Having great transport and efficient roads alone isn’t enough – cities also need a soul, so threading culture through all aspects of city life is key. Team Bridge’s culture strategy brings businesses and cultural organisations together, to make sure thrives as a vital part of our capital.

Justine Simons OBE, Deputy Mayor Culture and the Creative Industries, Mayor of London Culture Strategy 1

Our Vision London Bridge will be the front stage that creates our favourite memories of the city through innovative and contemporary cultural programming.

The ambition of the culture offer and programme is to become the destination for everyone to experience what makes London the world leader for culture and creativity. Whether coming here to work or take in the iconic vistas, enjoy some respite mid journey or to celebrate the best that the capital has to offer – the area will become the destination for everyone to savour the essence of contemporary London. When you imagine London, you will think of London Bridge. 2 Culture Strategy

Culture and arts professionals As many of the area’s long-term are experts at creating stories, development plans complete, Culture perspectives and memories it is the perfect time to consider through experience of both how to welcome a greater, familiar and new places. diverse, and dedicated audience. Through the focus of this Through a culture programme Landscape Strategy the resulting memories balancing experiential changes will develop our sense of place of our public spaces and a London Bridge is the city’s Front Stage. It is the oldest and positively affect our desire commitment to support of continuously inhabited part of the city and has been a to stay and return. commercial dynamo for centuries. culture and creative industries, The Low Line development of London Bridge sets forth historic railway arches will unite a vision and approach that Today London Bridge is home London Bridge boasts a the exceptional food trade of inspires stakeholders to to a community of businesses riverfront with iconic views of through to stay, invest and attracts new that range from multinationals historic and HMS Maltby Street, enhancing the followers. We invite you to to art galleries and seats Belfast, alongside contemporary gateway to the boutiques, share in our open secrets. of government. A thriving architecture of Renzo Piano’s restaurants and pubs of commercial hub and destination, The Shard and Sir Norman Street. it buzzes with an energy Foster’s More London, that The returning synonymous with London. In visually define ‘London’. The Playhouse and new Bridge order to achieve its vision of new Shard Quarter and London Theatre join the Unicorn ‘a globally significant, historic Bridge Station’s redevelopment Theatre to make a solid and vibrant place of modern have brought many new retail destination for innovative commerce, enterprise and and hospitality resources to productions. King’s College creativity,’ Team London Bridge the area; adding new public London Guy’s Campus boasts sets forth an ambitious Culture spaces and complementing the new Science Gallery Strategy that makes it an Hay’s Galleria and shops London and neighbours the international exemplar of occupying beautifully restored historic and intimate Old a Business Improvement industrial infrastructure. Operating Theatre Museum. District engaging culture and creative industries. At the Unicorn we’re proud to be part of an amazing Southwark hub – a melting pot of the emerging and the established, the old school and the wildly iconoclastic. Through the work on our stages and in front of our audiences, we want to continue to reflect the rich diversity and exuberance of our global capital city. London Bridge hosts a truly world class cultural offer, and we’re thrilled to be part of it. Anneliese Davidson – Culture Strategy 3

1 Hay’s Galleria 50,000 2 Unicorn Theatre local employees 3 Science Gallery London Exhibition 400+ businesses located here 350,000 1 2 travellers pass through the every day 3,000 residents call London Bridge home 10 million visitors a year take in 3 the sights

When King’s College London opens Science Gallery London in 2018 it joins the likes of HMS Belfast, Borough Market, Tower Bridge, and the in an area of rich cultural importance. The new Strategy will ingrain the values and aspirations of this community into future plans and capture the imagination of artists and scientists to showcase the area to the world. Daniel Glaser – Science Gallery London 4 Culture Strategy

How do we How do we We are excited at the prospect of being defineculture ? define our part of a strategy which will raise London Bridge’s profile as a cultural hub of London. We use ‘culture’ definition audience? from the Improving Places This is such an exciting time for the area and report commissioned by Arts We live in a time where Council England and the residents, employees and we look forward to joining together with Mayor of London. visitors explore cities as urban adventurers in other nearby landmark assets to help create “As an umbrella term, it includes search of distinctive and something really special. the creative industries, arts and authentic experiences. cultural organisations, and Kimberly Speyer – Broadgate Estates sectors from visual and digital London Bridge’s Culture Strategy art, to theatre, film, music, dance, seeks to create experiences and literature and fashion. Cultural access that brings the traditional, organisations play a key role in disparate audience profiles Tower Bridge is symbolic of London and defining the character and identity together in a new, united profile. of the places we live, work and The objectives to make London brings diverse influences together. This visit. They bring us together, help Bridge a place to go to (rather us to enjoy our cities and flourish than through) focus on audience Culture Strategy for the London Bridge area personally. They also foster profile based upon times of day will share these virtues and build a stage to creativity and innovation, provide and cultural experiences in jobs and celebrate heritage”. public spaces. showcase the very best of the capital here. Chris Earlie – Tower Bridge

Science Heritage Design Theatre

11 2 3 4 Culture Strategy 5

1 Guy’s Hospital

2 Emblem House

3 Fashion & Textile Museum

4 Bridge Theatre

5 Fashion & Textile Museum

6 Alex Monroe Jewellery

7 Maltby Street Market

8 Gibbon’s Rent

Museums & Enterprises Food Public Realm Galleries

5 6 7 8 6 Culture Strategy

Our Cultural Mission We commit to engaging the city’s cultural sector to creatively and continuously reveal the diverse landscape of London Bridge as the epitome of a global capital.

The Culture Strategy The public programme is the area’s long-term will shift perceptions by commitment to provide revealing new experiences a consistent creative day and night throughout heartbeat. the public space Platforms: By supporting existing assets, 1. Front Stages offers and platforms, Team The River London Bridge commits to Gateways keeping the identity of London Gatherings Bridge synonymous with the city’s dynamism. Additional 2. Intrigue guidance will be made 3. Corridors available to create ambitious new experiences with cultural 4. Insiders partners and artists. 5. London Bridge Hive Partnerships will be sought to bring major celebrations for See definitions pp. 8– 11 the city here and to capture relevant moments for the area, while future change in London Bridge will be kept appropriately ambitious through planning guidance. Culture Strategy 7 8 Culture Strategy

Platforms 1 Front Stages of London 2 These larger open spaces invite spectacle, statements and engagement that reflect the important moments for London through temporary artistic innovation of static and performing arts. These will affect positive displacement that surprises both the regular and once-only visitor to look up and take in 3 their environment.

1 The River

This stage has the greatest visibility and framing of iconic landmarks that identify the city.

1 HMS Belfast

2 Tower Bridge

3 The Scoop

4 London Bridge City

5 London Bridge Station concourse

6 King’s College London colonnade

7 Hay’s Galleria 4 8 Potters Fields Park Culture Strategy 9

Gateways

The entrances into the area are grand (London Bridge Station, London Bridge and Tower Bridge), and are perfect frames to create drama.

5 Gatherings

These slightly closed areas offer a sensation of respite and provide more focus or intimacy. They can facilitate curated programmes of screenings, special performances and sculptural environments.

6

7

8 10 Culture Strategy

1 Kentish Buildings

2 Gibbon’s Rent

3 Bermondsey Tunnel

4 Unicorn Theatre 2 5 7 London Bridge Hive Intrigue

Yards and plazas which draw the audience through portals and concentrate attention for installations or performance. Presenting unexpected content and drawing people off their routine walks, taking them on new journeys – highlighting heritage interests that may have gone unnoticed.

1 2 3 Corridors

There are vital connectors of the area between boundaries of the station, roads or from behind tall buildings. These areas should be canvases for permanent or semi-permanent art works that make a commitment to the community that the area remains open.

3 Culture Strategy 11 4 Insiders

The institutions in the area represent innovation of purpose: Southwark Playhouse redefines amateur and professional performers; Unicorn provides adventurous and highly literate youth theatre; Bridge Theatre rolls out a new commercial model outside the West End. Science Gallery London engages youth in curation; Fashion & Textile Museum explores the making of Design; the Old Operating Theatre exemplifies the micro-museum. Repurposing of unexpected stages that can be interpreted for cultural use, including commercial buildings and virtual engagement.

4 5 London Bridge Hive 5 This street-front dedicated space will be programmed for further exploration and interpretation of cultural offerings, through exhibition, talks or intimate screenings to provide depth of engagement related to the public realm programme.

6

7 12 Culture Strategy N 9 London Bridge W London Bridge City Pier E 8 River Path S 1 2 River Thames

HMS Belfast No.1 London Cathedral London Bridge 13 Hospital Cottons Centre The Queen’s Walk Borough Hay’s Market Tooley St Galleria

News Hay’s Ln London Bridge City Building

Tower Bridge London Bridge St

Battle Bridge Ln The Scoop 15

Shard 6 City Hall Quarter 14 11 London Bridge 17 Borough High St The Shard Station King’s College London 22 Potters Fields Park

St Thomas St Bermondsey St Science Gallery Unicorn London Theatre Tower Bridge Rd Tooley St Bridge Magdalen St Theatre

Shad Thames One Tower Bridge 12 Guy’s Hospital 18 The LaLiT Holyrood St London

Horselydown Ln

Guy’s Memorial Garden Great Maze Pond Southwark Council Gainsford St

Shand St Newcomen St Melior St

Fair St Curlew St

Weston St Barnham St 23 London

Bridge Hive Crucifix Lane Tooley St St John’s Snowsfields Druid St Churchyard Park Lafone St

Tower Bridge Rd

Fashion & Textile 1 Museum Front Stages The River Gateways Gatherings

of London 1 London Bridge 6 London Bridge Station 10 Potters Fields Park

2 The Queen’s Walk 7 Tower Bridge 11 King’s College London / Science Gallery London 3 The Scoop 8 London Bridge courtyard 4 HMS Belfast 9 London Bridge City Pier 12 Guy’s Memorial Garden 5 River Thames, Pool of London

Tower Bridge Rd Culture Strategy 13 N

London Bridge W London Bridge City Pier E 5 River Path S

4 River Thames HMS Belfast No.1 London Southwark Bridge Cathedral London Bridge Hospital Cottons Centre The Queen’s Walk Borough Hay’s Market Tooley St Galleria 7

News Hay’s Ln London Bridge City Building 3 Tower Bridge London Bridge St

Battle Bridge Ln The Scoop

Shard City Hall Quarter 10 London Bridge Borough High St The Shard Station Potters Fields Park King’s College London 20 St Thomas St Bermondsey St 19 Science Gallery Unicorn London Theatre Tower Bridge Rd Tooley St Bridge Magdalen St Theatre

Shad Thames One Tower Bridge Guy’s Hospital The LaLiT Holyrood St London

Horselydown Ln

Guy’s Memorial Garden Great Maze Pond Southwark Council Gainsford St

Shand St Newcomen St Melior St

Fair St Curlew St

Weston St Barnham St

London 16

Bridge Hive Crucifix Lane Tooley St St John’s Snowsfields Druid St Churchyard Park Lafone St 21

Tower Bridge Rd

Fashion & Textile 2Museum 3 4 5 Intrigue Corridors Insiders London

13 Hay’s Galleria 17 Bermondsey Street tunnel 19 Bridge Theatre Bridge Hive

14 Inns and Yards 18 The Low Line; 20 Unicorn Theatre 23 London Bridge Hive St Thomas Street 15 Shard Quarter 21 Fashion & Textile Museum 16 The Low Line 22 Science Gallery London

Tower Bridge Rd 14 Culture Strategy

Core Values London Bridge sets out to collaborate with partners on ambitious programming that engages with these core values of identity.

London Bridge is already thriving with a 1 3 cultural pulse. As the new station opens in 2018 it is more important than ever that Innovation Bridges the area retains its integrity as it becomes

Innovation is reflected in the Bridges literally define the the capital’s front stage. ingenuity of government, area’s boundary and connect Ian Hanson – Network Rail commerce, medicine, people. Metaphorically, the science, culture, and programme will explore transportation at iconic partnerships and proportion that encourages collaboration, as well as similar ambition of thinking, joined-up thinking, sectors scale and freshness. and audiences. 2 4 London Heritage

London is diversity – a Heritage is evident through joyous, quirky and eclectic tangible preservation and mix. The inns and yards programmed celebration off Borough High Street, and interpreted through futuristic commercial office print, performance and landscape, large military digital interface. vessel, surrounding residential populations, and railway platforms as long as The Shard is tall. Programming should explore 5 a diversity of creators, scale, opportunity, duration and audience to reflect Contemporary eccentricity. Contemporary issues, perspectives, and design should be showcased at London’s front stage. Whatever is important in the country’s capital should be reflected in what is presented in the area that holds London’s instantly identifiable urban skyline. Culture Strategy 15

Our Commitment The Culture Strategy will maintain a balance between the temporary, experiential shifts that excite and challenge our perspectives, and the embedded support of the area’s cultural organisations, to maintain our front stage status. 16 Culture Strategy

Experiential shifts in the perception of place... Team London Bridge will support partnerships and collaborations through brokering relationships with stakeholders, enhancing communications to new audiences, seed funding when appropriate, curatorial support and building creative sector relationships that actively engage our CORE VALUES across our PLATFORMS to create:

• London Bridge Station as • An engaged audience that a concourse of creative participates both day and intervention through night, week and weekend. temporary engagement in • A strong identity as a performance, installations destination; somewhere and video art. with a variety of propositions • Potters Fields Park, King’s that are bound by a shared College London Memorial cultural context. Garden and Science Gallery • A cultural offer that is London courtyard become free to the public so that it important community opens access for creation, spaces through sculptural participation and enjoyment and performance or for our audiences. media presentation. • Small-scale events with niche styles are presented across the Intrigue platforms. • Space at the London Bridge Hive for exhibition, talks and screenings. • Major festivals and celebrations as partners to create new, ambitious collaborations at London Bridge City. • Experimentation with heritage interpretation and wayfinding.

1 2 3 4 Culture Strategy 17

...and sustained delivery through our London Bridge Plan Culture will be embedded throughout the London Bridge Plan against the four priorities:

Identity & Economy Placeshaping Partnerships We will encourage We will creatively enhance We aim to sustain our sustainable enterprise and our environment by: innovation by: Insider offerings and • Celebrating boundary- identity by: • Working with Southwark breaking design and • Supporting creative Council for cultural support public art of stakeholders. for all development and industries and partnership • Assisting creative maintaining importance of for greater visibility. approaches to sustainability quality and diversity of the of the natural environment. • Collaborating on promotion cultural offer. and communications to • Supporting creative • Building opportunity better inform day and night- industries presence in along the Low Line for time audiences. the area. the food industry linking • Championing quality Borough Market to Maltby • Encouraging innovative and restraint in selecting Street Market. wayfinding that promotes cultural partners. 24-hour activity. • Encouraging creative • Establishing a culture clusters; creative enterprises • Keeping the street-level stakeholder network and innovative SMEs. business diverse and that is accessible, easy intriguing to pedestrians. to work with and open to creative challenges • Supporting high-quality encouraging innovative public realm commissions in interpretation of the area’s major corridors that connect heritage and identity. the district. 1 St John’s Churchyard • Matchmaking with 2 Hay’s Galleria businesses for audience development promotion. 3 Maltby Street Market 4 Borough Market • Enhancing place branding through dynamic digital 5 London Bridge City Summer Festival representation of programming as a part 6 London Bridge Station of the district’s identity. 7 Fresh Air Square

8 Snowsfields

5 6 7 8 18 Culture Strategy

Nothing ever becomes real till it is experienced.

John Keats 17th Century St Thomas Street resident Culture Strategy Design by London Bridge

Team London Bridge London Bridge Hive Cover by 1 Melior Place London SE1 3SZ

T: 020 7407 4701 Photos by E: [email protected] Georgina Piper Cover, 4,5,11,14 Laura McGregor It all happens... Cover, 2,9,16,17 @atlondonbridge Mickey Lee 5,6,9,10,11,17,18 #atlondonbridge Specular www.atlondonbridge.com 4,8,9,16