FOREWORD

Tower Hamlets is a borough immersed in culture; a place with a rich cultural heritage. It has had a consistent history of cultural diversity for over hundreds of years and has been a place where people from all over the world have come to live, work and visit. This diverse population is a unique feature - and one which the community can feel proud of.

Tower Hamlets is very much a global borough, with economic and social activity that influences international capital and local communities alike. From Bethnal Green in the North to the Isle of Dogs in the South, Poplar in the East and to the Tower of London in the West, the borough spans a diverse community that makes Tower Hamlets what it is today.

The borough has an extremely rich and diverse range of cultural attractions - from household names like the Tower of London and Petticoat Lane Market, to the numerous artists and craftspeople working largely unseen across the borough.

It is one borough, made up of a wide mix of different people from all over the world, and the cultural strategy outlined on the following pages will demonstrate the full range of cultural provision that seeks to enhance the quality of their lives.

Through cultural activity and opportunity, the Council and its partners, are seeking to fulfil the commitment to community cohesion by offering everyone activities and leisure opportunities through which they can achieve greater fulfilment and personal development.

Culture in Tower Hamlets can be defined in many ways, but the abiding principle of culture in this community is its people. Cultural activity and opportunity brings people together, respects their diversity and celebrate differences. In doing so, culture contributes to making Tower Hamlets:

• A Better Place for Living Safely. • A Better Place for Living Well • A Better Place for Creating and Sharing Prosperity • A Better Place for Learning, Achievement and Leisure • A Better Place for Excellent Public Services

So what exactly is ‘culture’? The word encompasses a range of activities. It can include sport, the arts, festivals, play, watching television, reading, learning, attending church, mosque or synagogue, going on holiday and visiting a restaurant. At a wider public level, the availability of cultural opportunities can attract people to visit or live in an area, or encourage business to locate there.

Participation in cultural activity can also produce a range of benefits - including social and personal development, education and learning, health and well-being, employment, a sense of feeling safer, community cohesion and empowerment and local regeneration.

Together, the variety of cultural activities make a valuable contribution to the health and well-being of local communities, and are often the instigator, mover and shaker in developing sustainable communities.

1 Culture is particularly important to Tower Hamlets. Many people, both residents and non-residents, associate the borough with poverty and environmental stress, both of which are very real factors affecting the area. However despite this, Tower Hamlets is emerging as the cultural engine room of London, and the community of Tower Hamlets are seen as one of the most vibrant and culturally exciting in Europe.

With such a lively cultural environment, it is hardly surprising that a number of the major regeneration programmes currently operating in Tower Hamlets have arts and leisure as an important aspect of their delivery.

New Deal for Communities, Leaside and Cityside Regeneration are amongst the projects specifically targeting cultural activity and opportunity as key tools for regeneration.

The following strategy is based on the principle that cultural activity is one of the most powerful tools available to promote the well-being and social cohesion of a community. Through this strategy, the Council affirms its absolute belief in multiculturalism and the ability of disparate communities, and people from diverse ethnic backgrounds, to live together in harmony and to prosper.

This strategy will celebrate the uniqueness of Tower Hamlets, identifying what it is like to live, visit and enjoy the varied cultural activity available across the borough. It is also about highlighting ways that culture is delivered, and it will seek to establish the most appropriate cultural ‘offer’ for Tower Hamlets.

Finally it sets out an action plan that takes on board the findings of research and community consultation, to identify how services can be improved for the benefit of local people.

Furthermore, the strategy demonstrates that the cultural offer is made up of many elements which, when brought together, provide a holistic service that is greater than just the sum of its parts.

Clearly, the Council has the lead responsibility for effective co-ordination of this strategy. It will, however, need effective partnerships with many local agencies and organisations to deliver the challenging agenda set out in the action plan.

I hope you will take the opportunity to read this document, and will continue to take part in the many cultural activities provided in Tower Hamlets.

Your feedback and future contributions to the document will be welcomed as part of our continuing review of culture in the borough.

Councillor Ataur Rahman Lead Member for Leisure Services

2 CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION

1.1 What do we mean by culture?

From a walk in the park, to enjoying a local festival, visit to a cinema, restaurant, art gallery or museum, from borrowing books from a local library or Idea Store, playing football with friends, participating in a lifelong learning class, to assisting with a theatre production or taking the children to the playground, culture can mean different things to different people who live and work across the borough.

The “scope of culture” has been recognised by the DCMS as having both a material and value dimension.

It’s dimension is material through:

¾ The performing and visual arts, craft and fashion ¾ Media, film, television, video and language ¾ Museums, artefacts, archives and design ¾ Libraries, literature, writing and publishing ¾ The built heritage, architecture, landscape and archaeology ¾ Sports events, facilities and development ¾ Parks, open spaces, wildlife habitats, water environment and countryside recreation ¾ Children’s play, playgrounds and play activities ¾ Tourism, festivals and attractions ¾ Informal leisure pursuits

It has a value dimension through:

¾ Relationships ¾ Shared memories, experiences and identity ¾ Diverse cultural, religious and historic backgrounds ¾ Standards ¾ What we consider valuable to pass on to future generations

The intrinsic value of culture is central to the development of provision in Tower Hamlets. The strategy will seek to reinforce the positive role that cultural activity and opportunity plays in bringing people together, celebrating links between past, present and future; and by virtue of this creating a sense of community pride and cohesion.

In addition, the local cultural and creative industries help to form the distinctive character of a local area and engender a real sense of local pride. Industries such as fashion, publishing, arts and music support a number of jobs and help to regenerate local communities, as well as playing a key role in encouraging education and learning, providing career paths, promoting healthy living and the well being of local people.

1.2 The process for developing the strategy

This is a strategy developed through public consultations that took place between January and September 2002.

Every effort has been made to prepare a strategy that truly reflects the aspirations of the whole community of the borough. With this in mind, it particularly aims to

3 address the concerns and issues of the voluntary (3rd) sector, the unique multiethnic population of the borough and key regeneration partners.

To this end, it set up a Steering Group to inform and oversee the strategy. Members were drawn from minority ethnic groups, local educational organisations, the urban regeneration sphere and the cultural and creative industries.

It seeks to recognise the importance of partnership and collaboration in delivering a truly effective, responsive and innovative cultural agenda in what is fast becoming the cultural engine room of the nation’s capital city.

The policy statements and actions within it therefore seek to address, as a priority, key issues affecting partnership and collaboration across the cultural spectrum.

The strategy represents a clear statement of leadership by the Council. It also strongly reflects priorities established in consultation with Tower Hamlets’ people, as set out in the Community Plan, and has been developed with the help and co- operation of a number of organisations across the borough.

1.3 Who is the strategy aimed at?

The reader should be aware that the document deliberately targets Council partners, prospective partners, the Voluntary (3rd) Sector and Government Officers. It does this to reflect the guidance given by the Department of Culture Media and Sport (DCMS).

An executive summary will be produced for the public and will be available from Council offices, libraries and other facilities across the borough.

4 CHAPTER 2: SETTING THE SCENE

2.1 The Big Picture

Cultural activity in Tower Hamlets cannot be separated from the wider political and social agendas, which drive national, regional and local policy. Over the past five to ten years, there have been significant changes in central governments approach to policy delivery that has had a direct impact on arts and cultural activity.

• Regeneration Programmes have moved away from their initial focus on financial capital and investment in infrastructure, and become increasingly directed towards people and the developing ‘social capital’ and community empowerment. This has resulted in increased interest in the contribution of arts and sporting activity to urban renewal agendas.

• Schools have been required to work to an increasingly demanding national curriculum, which has resulted in a lower priority for music, art, drama, dance and sport. There has been growing desire on the part of central government to redress this imbalance with funding for extra-curricular activity (New Opportunities Fund) and other initiatives encouraging schools to introduce arts and cultural activity. A report produced by the Department for Education and Skills (DfES) and the Department of Culture, Media and Science - on arts and education, for example – argued that creative and cultural education is essential.

• Provision for Young People has moved away from traditional youth club provision. The new Connexions approach focuses on outcomes: reduction of truancy, exclusion, drug use, teenage pregnancy and youth crime - and on supporting the achievement of national learning targets. In other words, youth provision is following the agendas of schools and regeneration.

• Social Cohesion - The MacPherson Report not only resulted in the establishment of Connecting Communities, a Home Office Race Equality Support Programme, but has also underlined the need for improved access for whole communities to cultural activity and opportunity. The Council has recently completed its Race Equality Scheme and is embarking on a Community Cohesion Plan. Within these documents, there are specific targets for community cohesion that will support the promotion of racial equality and good race relations between people from different racial groups.

• Housing Management has increasingly shifted from public sector ownership to Registered Social Landlords (RSLs), or Housing Associations. The need to address inner city housing deprivation has resulted in major upheavals for many areas including refurbished housing estates, changed management arrangements and, significantly, new ways of involving tenants in planning these changes. Many RSLs have included community development as part of refurbishment programmes, and this has opened doors for cultural activity– as a tool for community development; as a means of involving people in planning physical development; and as a way of improving the environment.

5 • Neighbourhood Renewal is now the key theme for regeneration - seeking to address issues such as health, housing, jobs, better educational attainment, crime reduction and improved environment. Policy thinking on regeneration has placed increasing emphasis on partnerships that should involve local communities, setting their own agenda for the regeneration of their neighbourhood. Leisure and culture can make significant contributions to the renewal agenda, and can certainly contribute to the reduction of crime, improved health and educational attainment and potentially even employment.

2.2 The National Policy Agenda

The DCMS is the government department charged with responsibility for leisure and cultural services, and has as its key aim “to improve the quality of life through cultural and sporting activities and to strengthen the creative industries”.

The DCMS has asked all local authorities to develop their own Local Cultural Strategy by 2002. According to the guidance, a Local Cultural Strategy will “cover a wide span of cultural activities in a specific geographical area, taking into account the cultural activities of the voluntary and private sectors and other public agencies and making reference to those natural and man-made features which help to shape the cultural identity of the local authority and localities within that area. It should help to strengthen and develop links between services, which should be viewed in a holistic manner”.

2.3 The National Cultural Agenda

Government has demonstrated its commitment to culture by setting up the DCMS and the subsequent volley of reports, white papers and initiatives. It has reviewed the way it sets out the agenda for a range of cultural activity and opportunity.

The previously autonomous Museums and Galleries Commission and the Library and Information Commission have been merged to form the Museums, Libraries and Archives Council, now renamed Resource. This will give both synergy and a unified approach to the delivery of these important cultural services.

In terms of urban parks, The Urban Agenda: Urban Parks and Social Renewal is a key national document. This report identified that parks are predominately local facilities used by local people on a frequent basis, from all social backgrounds, diverse communities and all ages.

The Government has shown a significant commitment to Children’s Play in the Community, including the development of Homes Zones. Children’s play providers have been challenged to demonstrate, in a definable way, how play is delivered. This has led to the Outcomes for Play framework, which is intended to guide those operating, managing and funding play facilities. In particular, it links play provision to reflect the local communities it seeks to serve.

There has been a variety of Government legislation and strategies in the area of Sport and Recreation. This includes A Sporting Future for All, which was produced by DCMS in April 2000. This highlighted the need for partnership arrangements to increase participation, especially through schools, encouraging children to continue to play, lead and manage sport.

6 In March 2001, the Arts Council of England (ACE) announced plans to streamline arts funding and development in England. More recently, research was commissioned by the Arts Council and Regional Arts Boards into responses received to proposals put forward in the paper “Working together for the Arts”, and structured opinion research on the proposals was carried out.

The Connexions Strategy was first set out in Learning to Succeed and Bridging the Gap and brings together, across Government, existing and future policy initiatives for youth in a single coherent strategy. The intention is to provide a stable service that supports young people in making competent decisions about their own lives and to take up learning opportunities that will enable them to flourish and succeed.

All of these agendas have significant impact on the local services delivered in Tower Hamlets and this cultural strategy seeks to address these.

2.4 The Regional Context

2.4.1 The London Development Agency

The London Development Agency (LDA) has identified the cultural and creative industries as a crucial contributor to the economic and social regeneration of the East End. From the City fringe to the Lower Lea and through other local cultural and creative “zones”, it will be the role of the Cultural Strategy to reinforce the potential for inward investment, job creation and training opportunities for local people.

2.4.2 The Thames Gateway

The Thames Gateway has been identified as a priority for Government and London as a whole. It is the biggest single regeneration project in Britain and represents a substantial proportion of London’s development opportunities. Based upon this focus, The Thames Gateway London Partnership has identified the creative industries as an essential component of the economy and recognised that their role is central to unlocking and reflecting the talents of East London’s diverse communities.

2.4.3 Draft Plan for London

The Mayor has launched a draft London Plan that forms the basis of the way the capital will develop in the future.

East London is a priority area for the GLA. It is seen to have many of the capital's ‘Opportunity Areas’, coupled with a large number of Areas for Regeneration. Much of the forecast growth should happen in areas close to the City - including the City Fringe, Isle of Dogs, Stratford and along the Thames Gateway. In addition to a high level of economic development, East London will accommodate significant new housing.

East London and the Thames Gateway also have significant scope for developing public transport, international links, economic development and cultural activity. Through the creation of this cultural strategy, Tower Hamlets will ensure that it is part of this.

7 2.4.4 A Cultural Strategy for London

“London is the world capital for culture and the creative industries, and an exciting and diverse range of activities make an important contribution to make to the quality of life for those who live and work in London. These industries and activities play a large part in maintaining London's status as a major tourist destination, and are an important source of revenue to the capital.” GLA 2002

A Cultural Strategy Group is working on the strategy and it is anticipated that a draft will be produced early next year.

2.4.5 Olympic Bid for East London

The GLA is supporting a bid for the Olympics to be staged in East London.

"Bringing the Olympics to London will boost every aspect of the Capital. It will create jobs, homes, sports facilities and is an opportunity to celebrate London's unique cultural diversity. I believe East London has terrific potential to accommodate an Olympic Stadium and village with individual events taking place at other venues across London. It could play a leading part in the redevelopment of the Thames Gateway." Mayor of London

This could have a significant impact on a range of services delivered within Tower Hamlets.

8 CHAPTER 3: MAPPING THE BOROUGH

3.1 Tower Hamlets in context - History and Heritage

The first detailed history of Tower Hamlets dates from the Roman invasion of AD43, after which the area rapidly developed as a port and commercial centre.

The Tower of London, the area’s greatest historic building, was started by William the Conqueror and began life as a fortress. In later years it became a place of imprisonment where many people were held generally prior to their beheading!

As early as the 16th century Whitechapel was a thriving suburb and a centre for trades not allowed in the City because of danger, noise or smell. Blackwall, Poplar, Ratcliffe, Shadwell and Wapping developed as centres for the building and repairing of ships. Lime kilns were established at Limehouse, while Bow and Bromley also grew to become important industrial centres.

After the dissolution of the monasteries in the 16th century, land was made available for building, and around this time the split between the East and West End of London became marked. The West attracted the gentry and professional classes and the East the trades, industry and commerce. As the riverside hamlets developed, they contributed to England’s rise as a seafaring nation.

In the late 17th and early 18th century the maritime character of the area contrasted vividly with the French atmosphere of Huguenot Spitalfields. The Huguenots excelled in several trades and sciences but it was in silk weaving that they specialised in - and which continued to flourish throughout the 18th century.

London’s black population was also notable in East London and 212 Whitechapel Road, currently the home of the Whitechapel Mission, has recently been identified as the site of the White Raven Tavern, where intrepid pioneers drawn from London’s Black population set out to settle in what became known as Sierra Leone in 1787.

By the 19th century the riverside hamlets had undergone further change, with the construction of huge warehouses and high walled docks. The West India Docks opened in 1802, providing local employment and attracting large numbers of Irish labourers who settled mostly in Wapping.

The docks became the major point of arrival for thousands of Jews escaping the pogroms of Eastern Europe, and a large Jewish community settled in Whitechapel and Spitalfields. Like the Huguenots before them, many Jewish immigrants worked in the clothing industry, and in 1898 the former Huguenot church at 59 Brick Lane became the largest synagogue in the area.

By the turn of the 20th century, about 125,000 Jews lived in East London out of a population of just over half a million. Working in “sweat shops” and trading in Wentworth Street and Petticoat Lane Markets, the Jewish community became the target of a new political force: Sir Oswald Mosley’s British Union of Fascists who had their East End headquarters at the top end of Brick Lane. Jewish defence organisations grew in turn, culminating in the Battle of Cable Street in 1936 when thousands of East Enders – Jewish and non-Jewish- massed in Whitechapel to prevent a march of fascists led by Mosley.

9 Since the early days of the East India Company, Asian sailors, many from Sylhet, part of what is now known as north-east Bangladesh, had been coming to East London. They worked as cooks and galley hands on board ship and some set up tea-houses and cafes along the waterfront or traded in the markets. By the early 1950’s many settled in and around Cable Street moving to Brick Lane and Spitalfields in the 1960’s as Cable Street was developed.

3.2 Tower Hamlets today

Following the tradition of previous migrant communities to the Brick Lane area many Bangladeshis in the 1970’s worked in the clothing trade and have increasingly made Brick Lane the home of authentic Bangladeshi cuisine renowned throughout London. The synagogue at Brick Lane ( which was the former French Huguenot Protestant church) is now the largest mosque in East London reflecting the changing religious beliefs and cultures of the diverse communities that have settled around.

The river and docks have therefore played a major role in shaping the Tower Hamlets of today. Now, for the first time in over 500 years, people living along the waterfront no longer depend on the river for their livelihood. Docklands today has presented the borough with a raft of major opportunities, including the celebration of our heritage through major projects like the Museum in Docklands, the Women’s Library and the Rich Mix Cultural Foundation.

Tower Hamlets has a history of courageous women, of philanthropy, of trade union activism, of social reform, of theatre and music halls. This is well documented in the wealth of material in the Local History Library and Archives - representing both the public and corporate memory of Tower Hamlets.

Throughout its history, Tower Hamlets has been the gateway for migrant populations, each bringing its distinct character and culture to enrich the East End. One of the challenges for the cultural strategy is to harness this diversity, and open up the widest possible range of cultural opportunities to residents and visitors alike. In so doing, we are committed to build community cohesion, and to foster a wide set of services which meets the needs of all the borough’s population.

3.3 Key priorities for the borough

Inner city communities such as Tower Hamlets are more ethnically diverse than ever before. Migrant communities, such as the Bangladeshi and Somali communities, are often concentrated in lower paid, semi-skilled occupations, and in poor quality housing in inner city neighbourhoods.

These communities often experience higher rates of unemployment than other communities and suffer significantly worse health.

This experience is also felt by some members of the white community (old and young alike) who have failed to get access to the new jobs that have been created in the borough over the last ten years.

Whilst some parts of the borough have experienced an influx of young affluent professionals, many people in Tower Hamlets still experience levels of poverty and social exclusion and associated poor health.

10 No single organisation or sector can tackle these challenges alone. For this reason Tower Hamlets has established the Local Strategic Partnership (LSP), which brings together all the key interest groups and service providers across the borough.

3.3.1 The Community Plan

In order to address these issues, the first Community Plan for Tower Hamlets was launched in May 2001. It set out both a vision for the future of Tower Hamlets to 2010 and a list of priorities to be tackled in the first year.

Despite a range of improvements that have taken place this year, residents still see some issues as major areas of concern. Service providers share the feeling that more needs to be done, and partner organisations intend to accelerate the rate of improvement.

The Community Plan seeks to make Tower Hamlets:

A Better Place for Living Safely – reducing crime, making people feel safer and creating a more secure and cleaner environment.

A Better Place for Living Well – improving housing, health and social care and promoting healthy living.

A Better Place for Creating and Sharing Prosperity – bringing investment into the borough and ensuring that all our residents and businesses are in a position to benefit from growing economic prosperity,

A Better Place for Learning, Achievement and Leisure – raising educational aspirations, expectations and achievement, providing the widest range of arts and leisure opportunities for all and celebrating the rich diversity of our communities.

A Better Place for Excellent Public Services – improving public services for local people to make sure they represent good value for money and are provided in ways that meet local needs.

The Cultural Strategy contributes to a number of the themes of the Community Plan and these are highlighted in the Action Plan. Examples are in the areas of health improvement, community well being, crime reduction, lifelong learning and the provision of excellent cultural and leisure opportunities.

3.3.2 Strategic Plan

This document sets out a strategy and action plan through which the Council intends to achieve its vision, taking as its framework for development, the priorities identified in the borough’s Community Plan.

In seeking to improve the quality of life in Tower Hamlets, the Council is well aware that it can achieve little by itself. The agenda must be one that is shared through the Tower Hamlets Partnership.

The objectives set out in the Strategic Plan are related to each of the key elements of the Council’s vision and Community Plan. The Council will use the Strategic Plan as a vehicle for monitoring and reviewing Council-wide performance and will ensure that future decisions are informed by the results.

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Twelve priorities have been identified and these are used as the Tower Hamlets Index:

• Increased Community Safety • Cleaner, Safer Streets • More Homes of a Decent Standard • Improved Outcomes for Vulnerable Children and Adults • Developing the Local Economy • Reducing Poverty • Improved Educational Attainment • Increased Participation in Leisure and Cultural Activities • More Effective Staff • More Effective Council Services • Improved Equality of Opportunity • Increased Democratic Participation and Engagement

Cultural activity makes a direct and indirect contribution to each of these key strategic priorities and this strategy, through its action plan, seeks to provide the strategic focus and direction for this to be achieved.

3.3.3 Third Sector Strategy

Tower Hamlets’ voluntary and community organisations have a long history of providing essential services to the most vulnerable individuals as well as providing employment opportunities for local people.

Tower Hamlets’ Third Sector Strategy recognises the important role the Third Sector continues to play in the economic and social development of the borough’s neighbourhoods. The strategy aims to increase the role of the Third Sector in planning and delivering excellent public services.

New and substantial sums of government finance are available to lower the barriers for third sector organisations to participate in community planning, developing and improving partnership arrangements. One of the ways that the Council and its partners can move local agendas forward is to develop strategies and action plans together, formulating a framework to clarify roles and responsibilities for the delivery of local services.

The Third Sector Strategy will help enable the Third Sector to play a more active role in the Local Strategic Partnership, Community Plan and the direct delivery of services resulting from these planning arrangements. The main thrust of the Strategy is to work with the Third Sector to jointly establish the rules of engagement between partners. These include improved methods of consultation and feedback, as well as methods for commissioning services delivered by the sector.

The Third Sector Strategy is leading the national agenda to improve local services by working with local Third Sector organisations, as well as supporting representation and participation.

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3.3.4 Equal Opportunities and Community Cohesion

Tower Hamlets has an interesting and diverse population profile. It is one of the youngest boroughs in the capital, and clearly one of the most diverse. Based on population estimates from the London Research Centre, the borough’s population is made up of 193,878 people (98,400 female and 94,114 male). The borough's ethnic profile is as follows:-

White 55.8% Bangladeshi 28.6% Asian other 1.3% Black Caribbean 3.6% Black African 3.2% Black other 1.8% Chinese 1.1% Indian 1.2% Pakistan 1.2% Other 2.2%

The population profile currently shows that 55.8% is white (UK), with the remaining population coming from a range of ethnic groups. The growth in ethnic minority communities over recent years is expanding and the youth population, in particular within the Bangladeshi and Somali communities is growing.

Within five to ten years the borough will have a white minority population. The provision of services and cultural activity needs to reflect this changing demographic profile, and providers will address the needs of all the minority communities in the borough including the white community.

Tower Hamlets has been at the forefront of equal opportunities. It continues to strive to achieve equality in every area of its work. It has embarked on an extensive integrated approach to equal opportunities which seeks to meet the borough's responsibilities under the Race Relations Act 1976, Race Relations Amendment Act 2000, the Disability Discrimination Act 1995, the Sex Discrimination Act 1975, the Equal Pay Act 1975 and the Human Rights Act 1998.

The commitment to community cohesion is being driven locally but it reflects the national government position that has emerged since the drafting of 'Building Cohesive Communities' and the establishment of the Community Cohesion Review Team. Both of these were in response to the events of the summer of 2001 in Bradford, Oldham and Burnley.

This is a vitally important theme for Tower Hamlets and arguably has been for many years. It is one that is firmly carried forward in this cultural strategy. The council aims to use leisure opportunities to bring together all of the borough's diverse population.

Much work is being undertaken to audit its facilities and services for compliance against the Disability Discrimination Act and the Sex Discrimination Act. It will shortly be publishing its Integrated Equalities Action Plan, which is set to address equalities in terms of race, gender, disability, age, sexual, orientation and religion.

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Throughout the work of leisure services in Tower Hamlets there is a commitment to equal opportunities. In assessing its services and policies it will undertake a self- assessment of the equality impact of services and policies in terms of race, gender, disability, age, sexual orientation and religion.

In providing its services actions have already been developed in the areas of community consultation, promotion and marketing, translation and interpretation, monitoring service take up, having a workforce which reflects the community, achieving effective access to all services and addressing inequalities and barriers to service use and participation.

Clearly this agenda is both large and complex, but the borough believes the commitment to achieve level 5 of the Equality Standards for Local Government is a fair target and one that it is committed to achieve.

3.3.5 Race Equality Scheme

The borough’s Race Equality Scheme was completed in May 2002. It describes how the Council will fulfil its responsibilities under the Race Relations Amendment Act 2000. It also details Council policies and functions, and identifies how far these address the council’s responsibility to tackle racial discrimination, promote race equality and promote good race relations. As an action plan it goes a long way to addressing the Council’s commitment to community cohesion and to addressing the needs of all its communities.

The Leisure Services Department, like the rest of the Council, has recently collated evidence of its achievement against Level 3 of the CRE Standards for Local Government and will, by 2006, have achieved Level 5 of the Local Government Association’s Equality Standard.

This will ensure that it has established the right policies and strategies for race equality and that it effectively monitors use of services by ethnicity and race, employs a work force that reflects the community, communicates and consults effectively with all communities, translates and interprets, where appropriate, and sets standards for its contractors to do the same.

3.3.6 The Unitary Development Plan (UDP)

A review of the UDP – the main blueprint for future local development - is currently being undertaken. A number of key issues concerning cultural activity and opportunity are the subjects of public consultation.

The Plan’s Key Issues paper considers that the borough should ideally contain a wide range of open spaces, performing different functions and meeting needs at different levels. The UDP states that the emphasis will now be on improving existing open spaces and realising their full potential.

Some parts of the borough do not have much open space, while others have large areas. However, any types of open spaces are only useful if they are safe, clean and easy to get to. Some of the open spaces in the borough are under-utilised because people do not feel comfortable there, because they are not easy to get to, or because they do not have good facilities. This can be also be said for many sports and leisure facilities.

14 Because many local homes do not have outdoor space, providing safe places for children to play is also important. However, there is also an issue relating to the maintenance of play areas, both in terms of cost and supervision.

Open space land is not just beneficial for sports, leisure and recreation pursuits more traditionally associated with parks. Open spaces and green spaces also perform an important function for conservation, wildlife protection and historic preservation.

An analysis of accessibility of open space indicates that about 50% are in low accessibility zones, with close to 25% of households living further than 400 metres from metropolitan, district and local parks.

With the pressure from the Mayor of London to build new homes, the protection of open space is becoming even more important - to ensure that the quality of life of people living and working within the borough is protected.

The quality of housing is directly affected by the provision of recreation facilities and green spaces. Similarly, transport and environmental issues can be addressed by ensuring that leisure facilities are close to schools and housing, thereby reducing car journeys and air pollution.

This is especially important in relation to young people, who often cite the use of sporting, outdoor pursuits and other leisure activities as important in their lives.

In addition, with the creative and cultural industries now a priority development objective for the LDA, and identified as such in the draft London Plan, arts and creative/cultural industries would be welcomed - and this can contribute to meeting the objectives of the Cultural Strategy.

In summary, it will be crucial that planning mechanisms are used to secure adequate provision of all leisure facilities, as part of all major new residential and commercial developments. In cases of very large developments, a complete local infrastructure for leisure may be required.

15 CHAPTER 4: CULTURE AND THE CROSS CUTTING AGENDA

Cultural opportunities within Tower Hamlets can have an impact on a number of wide reaching issues, often referred to collectively as the cross cutting agenda. Cultural activities and facilities make an essential contribution to promoting and enabling healthy lifestyles for people, economic prosperity, lifelong learning and sustaining their natural environment for future generations to enjoy.

4.1 Regeneration through the cultural agenda

The map of Central London is being re-defined, with the continued development of Canary Wharf and the expansion of the City into Spitalfields. The last ten years has seen the East End of London transformed into London’s newest cultural quarter, with a wealth of design and artistic talent becoming based here.

There are a number of key cultural developments contributing to the economic and social regeneration of the borough, these include:

4.1.1 Museum in Docklands

Due to open shortly, the Museum in Docklands explores the fascinating story of London’s “River, Port and People” - from Roman times to contemporary living in London.

The Museum occupies five floors of the historic Warehouse No1 at West India Quay - amongst the bustle of restaurants and bars and expects to attract 250,000 visitors through its doors in the first year.

4.1.2 Mile End Park

Recognised in the London First Millennium awards, this project has captured the public imagination in the way it has transformed Mile End Park.

A major component is the daring and original Green Bridge, a 25 metre wide span of landscape parkland across five lanes of the A11. This has won both public and professional praise for its stylish and imaginative design. The gardens on and around the Green Bridge represent a new style for public parks in Britain, with spectacular landscaping including water cascades and fountains.

The Arts, Ecology and Children’s Pavilions offer energy efficient, earth-sheltered structures, built into the contours of the newly landscaped park to conserve power and maximise space.

All of these elements are already completed and open for everyone to enjoy.

The 90 acre park will also have “parks within a park”, reflecting the five themes of Play, Art, Ecology, Sport and Fun. Additional facilities will include a new leisure centre (25M Pool, Learner Pool, Sports Hall and Fitness Gym) and an extreme sports centre in the south of the park, offering roller blading and skateboarding.

4.1.3 Rich Mix Centre

The Rich Mix Cultural Foundation is working to create a major international education and heritage centre in the East End of London. The centre will promote the rich and diverse strands of London's cultural life and cover all aspects of the arts.

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A building has been secured on Bethnal Green Road and the project is receiving support from a wide range of agencies including the Greater London Authority.

Key facilities to be created are:

• a multi screened cinema complex • gallery spaces • recording studios and rehearsal spaces • an IT suite for training, communications and study that will house a digital cultural archive • a permanent home for two of the UK's leading music training agencies, Community Music Ltd and Asian Dub Foundation Education. • ground level café bar • affordable workspace for creative business enterprises • top floor events and live performance venue with spectacular views

Fundraising for the project is still underway. £13 million has already been raised against a target of £19 million, and an opening is planned for the winter of 2004. The new centre will undoubtedly have a significant impact on local cultural provision and help to heighten the profile of Tower Hamlets both regionally and nationally.

4.1.4 Whitechapel Sports Centre

Whitechapel Sports Centre is situated in the heart of London’s East End in an area that truly reflects the Borough’s diverse population.

This development was funded by, London Borough of Tower Hamlets, Bethnal Green City Challenge Ltd, The Sports Lottery, English Partnerships and London Marathon.

The Centre completed in February 1998 was designed to provide a secure yet welcoming environment, particularly for women, encourage non-sports users and be fully accessible for integration of disabled users.

The Centre incorporates one of the few Women-only fitness areas in London, an all- weather pitch, general fitness and training provision, a multi-purpose hall, and a Crèche.

Usage numbers have far exceeded original estimates and include a heavy daytime use by local schools.

There are a number of agencies across the borough that make these types of developments happen. Partnerships between these organisations and the Council will be critical for future success. This strategy seeks to harness these relationships through demonstrating strategic linkages in order to take forward key cultural developments across the borough, in addition to ensuring that community and voluntary sector capacity building takes place where appropriate.

17 Some of these key agencies include:

4.1.5 Cityside Regeneration

Cityside Regeneration is the Council’s arms-length company set up in 1997 originally to deliver a Single Regeneration Budget (SRB3) programme called 'Building Business' in the western part of the borough.

Cityside Regeneration has embarked on a number of initiatives, which were essentially cultural activities. Alternative Fashion Week, Baishaki Mela, Brick Lane Festival, Women's Library, Kobi Nazrul Centre, the Rich Mix Centre and the Restaurant Support Programme are amongst the most popular. The organisation has supported much arts and cultural work as it sees a clear link between the growth of this sector and increased economic opportunities.

4.1.6 Leaside Regeneration

Leaside Regeneration Company was set up in 1999 by Tower Hamlets Council to drive forward the area's regeneration. The Management Board comprises members from the community, local business, the Council and other public agencies.

Cultural opportunity is central to developments in that, for example, the arts have been used to achieve many of the Leaside Regeneration corporate objectives. SRB6 funds have been used to support arts projects that enable local people, and in particular young people and members of black and minority ethnic communities to access training and employment in cultural industries.

4.1.7 Cultural Industries Development Agency

CIDA (Cultural Industries Development Agency) specialises in delivering creative and cultural industry business and marketing support, information and signposting services, networking, supply chain, cluster development and related services. It aims to support the growth of a culturally diverse sustainable creative industries sector and its client group includes businesses, sole traders, the self employed, social enterprise, voluntary and community sectors.

It has established over 2000 clients since it was formally established in October 1999, and has supervised, managed or participated in over 200 projects. It has also started a number of new networks and promotions for its clients.

At the heart of CIDA’s work is its belief in, and commitment to, ensuring that barriers are lifted to participation, and the acquisition of new skills and opportunities for employment among marginalised communities is maximised. It has developed a team of business advisers skilled in working with clients from a range of backgrounds and with a range of needs.

4.1.8 New Deal for Communities (NDC) on the Ocean Estate

The Ocean NDC has culture as a pivotal part of its delivery plan. Part of its vision is to make the Ocean Estate a place to be proud of celebrating and developing the culture of the diverse community.

18 Part of the process is to work with partners to harness existing and future resources placing the community at the heart of the neighbourhood renewal plan. Arts, sports and children’s play action plans have been developed to take forward local initiatives on the estate.

4.1.9 Ethnic Minority Enterprise Project (EMEP)

The aim of the Ethnic Minority Enterprise Project is to become the primary gateway for BME businesses and entrepreneurs to get quality business support services in Tower Hamlets. In particular it seeks to encourage young men and women from ethnic minority communities to undertake business development in newly emerging sectors.

4.2 Healthy Lifestyles and Culture

From strategic partnerships such as the Healthy Living Network, to practical “ground level” projects such as the healthy schools initiative, and ‘exercise on prescription’ programme, a variety of organisations are committed to reducing health inequalities and promoting healthy living in Tower Hamlets.

There are a number of ways Tower Hamlets Healthy Living Network links across the cultural agenda. For example, the Network ensures that its members are electronically “hooked” into information databases available through the Ideas Store and library network, and works with them to promote up to the minute information about the services and how to access them. This includes information about the languages spoken in different services.

Prevention rather than cure is a prerequisite for improving the quality of life and health of local people. This Cultural Strategy recognises that working with children and young people is a priority, critical to the success of local health initiatives. There is a wide range of relevant initiatives and networks relating to physical activity for children and young people. Leisure providers will continue to work closely with schools to promote and develop physical activity, for example fostering links with sports clubs or offering aerobics classes for parents.

As part of its ongoing commitment to sport and young people, the borough has received Sports Council funding for a five-year active communities programme. The main aim of the Active Communities Co-ordinator is to develop links between schools and voluntary sector sports clubs, and to encourage young people to continue an active lifestyle after leaving full time education.

The arts can also contribute to a sense of well-being – and to recovery. The Vital Arts Programme, at the London Hospital, is based on the idea that the arts can help people within an institution to transcend the negative impact of ‘institutionalisation’. This programme includes artists’ residencies, participatory projects, and provision of arts for patients and staff alike to enjoy. Work in prisons and hospitals has also demonstrated the beneficial nature of arts activity in such contexts.

Eastside arts ran a successful writers’ workshop at St. Clement’s Hospital, encouraging patients with mental health difficulties to express themselves in the written word. Women’s Health and Family Services, a health advocacy project is currently working with artists to produce a film with Vietnamese elders about their own history.

19 4.2.1 Exercise referral scheme

The Exercise referral scheme is a pilot project funded through the East London and City Health Action Zone.

The scheme offers the opportunity for GP’s and Practice Nurses across the borough to prescribe and promote exercise to patients who will benefit from a sport centre based exercise programme. 26 practices have referred 960 patients over the last two years.

The project is operated through the Sports Development division within the Leisure Services department of the Council. In order to address health needs identified across the borough, Leisure Services will continue to play a key role in bringing this important scheme to sports centres and Ideas Stores across the borough.

4.3. Cohesion and Culture

Cultural provision has always been based on inclusiveness, access and opportunity – park users for example range from casual walkers to top athletes.

Participation in arts, sports and other culturally related community projects provides a focus for social activity - and can reduce isolation - bringing together people of differing cultures and ages in a context of mutual understanding and sharing. For example, ‘Magic Me’ is a Tower Hamlets based arts organisation which runs inter- generational projects, well known for their innovative and effective approach.

Tower Hamlets College runs a Christmas event aimed at local pensioners, (primarily a white group), bringing them into direct contact with the predominantly Bengali student body.

On the Ocean Estate, SHADA (Stepney Housing and Development Agency) has used arts activity to help local people explore what they want from their area and the redevelopment of their housing. This resulted in a slide show projected onto a neighbourhood shop front, for all the community to see.

There are many other examples of the arts bringing people together, to learn a skill or ‘have something to do’, then forming cohesive groups, enjoying the social activity as much as the artistic. This can apply as much to participation in organising activity as to creative input.

Sport can also be used to provide educational opportunities for socially excluded young people. The government’s Policy Action Team 10 (PAT 10) report confirms how arts and sport, cultural and recreational activity, can contribute to neighbourhood renewal and make a real difference to health, crime, employment and education in deprived communities.

It offers a number of specific examples of good practice, including the work of one of the Council’s partners Leyton Orient Community Sports Programme. The report also points to poor links between arts/sport bodies and major ‘players’, including schools, and cites this as a barrier to be overcome.

The arts can help to raise the profile of an area, to attract visitors, and to change residents’ perceptions. The billboard campaign, produced by Docklands Community Poster Project (later becoming The Art Of Change), gave voice to community fears and hostility over the redevelopment of docklands in Wapping and the Isle of Dogs.

20 The Brick Lane archway, by artist Meena Thakor, commissioned by Bethnal Green City Challenge, reflected the identity of ‘Banglatown’.

Public art is but one expression of the impact of the arts on image and identity. Much of the archive collections of the Tower Hamlets Local History Library, and the extensive photo archive of the Island History Trust, also reflect the importance of the area and its history.

There exists a long established track record of community leaders and activists emerging from arts, festivals and sports environments in Tower Hamlets. Many people get involved in the organisation of these activities, believing they can make a difference, and will seek to establish collaborative and supportive relationships with professionals committed to promoting and delivering activities. Thus, it can be easier for cultural industries workers to fulfil a community development role than staff working in other service areas.

The Council provides support to the voluntary sector in a number of ways. One of the sources of financial support for the voluntary sector is mainstream grant aid funding of approximately £2million. This provides grants to organisations working for all sections of the community - providing activities as diverse as adventure playgrounds, mother tongue classes, community festivals, sports clubs, inner city farms and a range of community arts activities.

4.4 Neighbourhood Renewal and Culture

Most local authorities have just one or two deprived areas. Tower Hamlets is unusual in that all but one of its wards are within the most deprived 10% in the country.

Therefore, while the Neighbourhood Renewal Strategy takes account of the different needs in local neighbourhoods – and the views of residents in those neighbourhoods – it also works across the whole of the borough, tackling the themes and priorities agreed through the community planning process, as set out in this document.

There is a range of cultural developments that specifically address neighbourhood renewal, community development and youth issues, for example:

• An Anti Racism in Sport Charter that requires all clubs/organisations to sign up as a condition of hire of Tower Hamlets facilities. • The development of temperate gardens in Parks • The Mile End Park development is seeking to provide holistic and inclusive services • Amateur Swimming Association “Asian swimming scheme” and “Asians in Football” at West Ham United FC, provide activities for young Asian people across the borough • Rich Mix Centre will provide a broad range of cultural related activities • The Ideas Stores provide a learning environment for all communities with many resources provided in community languages • A range of Arts and Festivals programmes allow all communities to celebrate together in a range of cultural activities together

The Neighbourhood Renewal Fund has enabled the Council to accelerate the development of key initiatives that mainstream budgets would not have allowed. These include:

21 ¾ £95,000 for improving library stock and educational support material for young people ¾ £81,000 for Investing in young people through IDEAS Stores ¾ £85,000 for improving bookstart and summer reading schemes ¾ £40,000 for improving community safety through the Weavers Fields Art Project

4.5 Lifelong Learning and Culture

Learning starts before school. Play is not only good for children, but also for families and communities. Research by the Children’s Play Council found evidence that there are wide ranging benefits to ensuring good play opportunities for all children. Good play provision offers a welcoming space where children can meet on a more equal basis. For this reason play provision is a starting point for tackling social exclusion, and engaging with marginalised communities to build their capacity to improve their social, environmental and economic circumstances.

Play provision can also make a significant contribution to fostering a positive attitude to cultural diversity. Children are given the opportunity to explore other cultures and values, which is essential in such a racially and culturally diverse borough.

In recent years, play opportunities have been restricted by parents’ fears for their children’s safety, children’s own concerns about safety and the state of their play spaces, along with a reduction in play spaces available to them due to systematic cutbacks. The adverse effects are beginning to show - such as rising childhood obesity statistics.

Children and young people need to have places near their homes and schools where they can enjoy themselves and play with or without supervision from adults, choose what they do, experience varied and interesting environments and play in places where they feel safe. These places can be indoors or outdoors, staffed or unstaffed, and need to be of sufficient variety to suit the play time needs of children of all ages, abilities, cultures and from varied home environments.

The borough is currently undertaking a substantial capital programme of investment in schools. This gives priority to ensuring that buildings are sound and meet the needs of the modern curriculum, providing a physical environment that supports learning. In addition, the next five years’ programme includes substantial investment as a result of two PFI contracts. These will see significant modernisation programmes, including the rebuilding of two primary schools.

The use of school premises by the wider community will enable the investment in facilities to benefit greater numbers of local people. The borough has received £1.25 million under the ‘Space for Sport and Arts’ funding programme aimed at primary schools. This funding has enabled a further £580,000 to be raised for the projects.

Central Foundation Girl's Secondary, Hermitage Primary & Nursery, Shapla Primary, Columbia Primary & Nursery, Thomas Buxton Junior have all been identified as the schools that will be part of the government’s Creative Partnerships Action Research programme - seeking to demonstrate and evaluate the intrinsic benefits of arts education in improving the overall learning capabilities of children.

22 In addition, there are currently 17 projects (mainly sited on school premises) seeking approval for Stage 2 development from the New Opportunities Fund PE and School Sport Programme. This initiative aims to bring about a step-change in the provision of sports facilities for young people and their communities.

The programme will play a key part in helping to increase the levels of physical activity among young people and local communities. It will also play a vital role in developing the relationship between schools and their communities.

The Education Development Plan further demonstrates Tower Hamlets commitment to “education through culture”, providing for music education, development of PE and sports curriculum and the co-ordination of borough wide sports events with leisure services.

Youth service provision has recently been reconfigured in Tower Hamlets and it holds great promise for young people and the borough alike. Organised on an area based/sectoral approach to provision, the new service will develop strong links with the locality and ensure that a variety of partners and agencies contribute to this essential provision in the borough.

The provision of lifelong learning, and access to information, are key priorities for Tower Hamlets. The implementation of the Idea Store strategy - integrating public libraries and lifelong learning services and relocating to high profile sites across the borough - underpins education and enhances public access to the world’s “storehouse” of knowledge and information.

The service will continue to contribute to the UK wide Public Library Network, which seeks to ensure that everyone has access to information and knowledge in every UK library building.

4.6 Community Safety and Culture

A Community Safety Partnership was established in December 1995 to improve the quality of life of residents. Representatives were drawn from the local authority, police, probation service and groups representing local business and higher education.

The partnership is committed to developing imaginative ways of working with communities that make up Tower Hamlets. The Crime and Disorder Act, the Stephen Lawrence Enquiry and new Government initiatives, such as New Deal for Communities and Best Value, provide critical linkages for addressing issues. The Cultural Strategy will contribute to the delivery of these priorities in a number of ways: Youth crime • Provide youth work curriculum and personal and social education to meet the needs of young people • Improve access and training opportunities for young people • Enable Sport and Arts activities to work with agencies like the youth offending team and to act as diversions for young people engaged in crime. Drug misuse • Establish and implement the Government’s Guidelines on Tackling Drugs to build a better Britain.

23 Racial crimes and incidents • Develop strategies and action plans to promote racial harmony and cultural diversity, and thereby reduce racial tension. • Develop anti-racist awareness training programmes to all front line officers across all partner agencies. • Increase reporting of racial incidents and victimisation. Leisure have adopted a reporting system which enables effective reporting of incidents. This was initiated as part of the Departments Anti Racist Charter. • Adopt and implement the recommendations of Sir William MacPherson’s report, the Council’s Race Equality Scheme and the Departments Equal Opportunities Action Plan. Domestic violence • To increase awareness and understanding of domestic violence amongst staff, decision makers, young people and the community as a whole Street Crime and Disorder • To develop a strategy for the use and monitoring of CCTV technology.

4.7 Employment and Culture

The Comedia study on cultural industries in Tower Hamlets revealed that the most significant aspect of employment in the cultural industries in Tower Hamlets is in the field of publishing.

Participation in cultural activity can increase a person’s employability, and there are some aspects of cultural activity which directly contribute to employment. For example both the Council’s Film Fund, offering support for young film-makers, and the technical training programme run for a number of years by the Half Moon Young People’s Theatre provide people wishing to work in theatre with experiences and training leading directly to employment.

Other programmes have provided training and support for people engaged in arts and craft production – again, directly leading to employment or self-employment. These have included the Women’s Enterprise Project run by Account 3, and a number of initiatives developed by the Community Economic Development Team of Stepney Housing and Development Agency (SHADA).

It is important that all career advisers are made aware of the opportunities that exist particularly for young people in the cultural industries and that organisations such as the Cultural Industries Development Agency link into and promote these opportunities.

24 CHAPTER 5: TOWER HAMLETS: LONDON’S CULTURAL ENGINE ROOM

5.1. The Creative Industries

The DCMS has defined the Creative Industries as:

“Those industries that have their origin in individual creativity, skills and talent and which have a potential for wealth and job creation through the generation and exploitation of intellectual property.”

Thirteen individual industries have been defined by the DCMS as covering the Creative Industries: advertising; architecture; the art and antiques market; crafts; design; designer fashion; film and video; interactive leisure software; music; the performing arts; publishing; software and computer services; and television and radio.

The creative industries are an area of particular importance to the borough and are expected to be a growth sector over the next ten years. For example, publishing is now the largest of the creative industry employers in the borough. Not only has there been the relocation of Fleet Street to Tower Hamlets, many of the Asian national media agencies are based in the borough and play a key role, for example, in the promotion of local events. The Asian Times, Eastern Eye, Asian Express and Bengali Media all have dedicated Arts and Literature pages within their respective papers.

5.1.1 Places

There is a range of public, voluntary and private sector activity across the borough that fall within the creative sector.

The Brady Arts Centre, the Council’s flagship arts venue, is situated at the eastern end of Hanbury Street - offering performance and rehearsal space, and a wide range of arts classes including excellent pottery, photography, silk screen printing workshop facilities. This year will see the development of the basement as a digital media and music facility, a new café area in the foyer and improved dressing room facilities.

The Kobi Nazrul Centre at the western end of Hanbury Street, reopened February 2001 after a major refurbishment, is dedicated to the promotion of Bengali arts and culture. It has a growing reputation for its programme of music, poetry and dance, and runs workshops for all ages including weekly women’s and elders groups. The centre will this year be handed over to a newly formed community management board, but will continue to receive support from the Council.

Oxford House is a multi purpose community centre with a long history of arts provision and has been a key provider to the local Somali community since the late 80’s. Phase two of an extensive building programme began this year which will result in two new galleries, a 180 seat performance space, dance studio and new office space. Opening is anticipated in May 2003.

25 Eastside Arts started life in 1976 as the Tower Hamlets Arts Project and, over the years, has played an important part in the development of arts provision in the borough. Its writing workshops and publishing of local writers have resulted in a body of work that forms a major contribution to recording the history of the borough and the development of individual talent in literature. The bookshop, in addition to stocking a wide range of popular fiction/non fiction, also specialises in local history, multicultural and dual language texts.

The Whitechapel Arts Gallery was founded in 1901 and is one of Europe's leading public art galleries - presenting an international programme of contemporary and 20th century art. It is a leader in the field of gallery education programmes, and has a good track record of working in partnership with local artists and voluntary sector groups. It is one of the few facilities that attracts significant numbers of visitors, from both inside and outside the borough (an average of 400,000 people visit exhibitions per year) and as such would form a cornerstone for any future tourist strategy.

A planned expansion is set to include the Passmore Edwards Building, (the old Whitechapel Library building) - and will provide an opportunity to offer an even broader menu of art programmes, activities and amenities. It will also help to contribute to the cultural and economic regeneration of the area, bringing light and life to the area at evenings and weekends.

The Bethnal Green Museum of Childhood is the national museum of childhood. A branch of the Victoria & Albert Museum (V&A), it contains the V&A’s world-famous childhood collections of literature; games; toys; dolls; dolls’ houses; puppets; children’s clothing and furniture.

Alongside the permanent collection, the Museum presents a series of temporary exhibitions and runs a free Education Programme for schools, children and family groups. This includes direct teaching sessions; teachers resources and family backpacks; an Art Cart; and special activities such as an Artist-in-Residence, a Family Learning Day, Summer Arts Festival and a series of events to mark Black History Month.

Given the international significance of its collections, the Museum has the potential to play a critical role in the economic and social regeneration of Tower Hamlets. This has been recognised by grants from Single Regeneration Budget 5, the European Regional Development Fund and the Department of Culture, Media & Sport towards Phase1 of the Museum’s Development Plan.

Phase 1, which takes place from September 2002 to December 2003 at a cost of £2.2m, will re-display and re-furbish the Museum’s permanent and temporary exhibition galleries, taking account of visitor research undertaken by MORI.

The Ragged School Museum, opened in 1990 in Copperfield Road, delightfully recreates the Victorian Ragged School run by Doctor Barnados. One of its key functions, perhaps, is to demonstrate to modern schoolchildren the differences in approaches to teaching methods through the ages. It also houses displays on local history, industry and life in the East End and runs a range of arts based activities for all ages.

26 The Chisenhale mini cultural quarter in Bow, tucked away in a back street behind Roman Road is home to three organisations that form an important focus for arts provision in the east of the borough. Chisenhale Artplace provides the type of affordable studio space essential if the borough is to retain the community of artists who have helped to regenerate the borough. The Chisenhale Gallery is one of East London’s primary spaces for contemporary art. The Chisenhale Dance Space is crucial to the development of modern dance, offering rehearsal and performance space to a large number of artists.

All three organisations have programmes of education and community development. Alongside the premises these groups currently lease from the Council is a derelict building, the old Godsons Brewery, which is ripe for development, and the borough Arts and Events department is currently working with the groups and the wider community to investigate the feasibility of developing the whole site as an arts and cultural facility.

Spitalfields is an area of Tower Hamlets that well illustrates the many influences of the waves of newcomers throughout recent history. The premises at 19 Princelet Street are a beautiful example of the changes exacted through these changing patterns of immigration. A Huguenot master silk weavers home built in 1719, it is also home to a synagogue built over its garden in 1869. Although in dire need of restoration work it does allow limited access to the public and is a magical example of the borough’s rich heritage.

The Truman Brewery complex has played a major role in the revitalisation of Spitalfields over the last five years. More than 200 young businesses have been attracted to the area, most of who are in the music, fashion and design sectors.

In addition, there are many other local organisations, individuals and projects promoting arts and literature across the borough. These include: The Bengali Literary Society, Somali PEN and Multi-Cultural Arts Consortium (MAC), Half Moon Theatre, Bow Arts Trust, Trinity Buoy Wharf to name just a few.

27 5.1.2 Festivals and events

Festivals and events are centre stage when it comes to assessing the ‘cultural life’ of the borough. By the end of 2002, more than 200,000 people will have enjoyed an outdoor festival or event in the borough.

Festivals are not just an excuse to party. According to almost every “social indicator”, festivals play a role – they increase participation, improve social cohesion, celebrate cultural diversity, improve the reputation of the borough, increase opportunities for young people ...the list goes on.

These points are not particularly new; indeed some very positive conclusions were reached in recent work to produce a Festival Strategy. On completion of this strategy, the borough will confirm that festivals are a primary feature of what Tower Hamlets is about culturally, socially and in some terms economically.

With over 30 festivals reflecting a range of cultural influences, it could be said that a “language of festivals” has emerged in the borough – speak festivals and people listen. It’s a language that straddles cultural differences - whether it’s an arts festival in Docklands or a community festival in Stepney. It’s about recognising that festivals have common principles and values. They achieve objectives, they focus energy, they bring benefits, and above all they celebrate cultural diversity.

Baishaki Mela, the Bengali New Year festival, is the biggest Bengali celebration outside Bangladesh & West Bengal. Baishaki Mela was established to promote the rich cultural heritage of Bangladesh, to raise the profile of the area, to increase business for the local traders and to market the diverse products of Brick Lane and the surrounding area. Every year Baishaki Mela brings the very best of Bengali arts, music and culture to one of London's most vibrant cultural quarters.

The Brick Lane Festival captures the flavour and excitement of an area that has welcomed immigrants for over 2000 years. From its community led roots in the summer of 1996, it now promotes Brick Lane and Banglatown to around 50,000 people from all over London and the UK.

The Festival is an amazing display of free music, dance and performance - combining the excitement and buzz of a street festival with the relaxing atmosphere of an outdoor music concert. Add to this the huge diversity of cultures, and the vibrant neighbouring street markets, and the festival always proves to be a resounding success. Other examples of festivals held throughout the year include: Refugee Week, Black History Month, Disabilities Day, Gay Pride, Chinese New Year, International Women’s Day, Martyrs Day, Spitalfields Festival, Oxford House Somali Festival, Stepney Festival, Berner Festival, Shadwell Festival, Bethnal Green Festival, Spit Lit and the Greenwich and Docklands Festival.

The borough is now in an excellent position to develop the festivals agenda within a broad cultural strategy.

However, quality festivals and events don’t just happen of their own accord, and the sector needs co-ordination, encouragement and leadership. Within the borough there is great deal of knowledge and experience. This can be put to good use, in forming new partnerships, raising standards and reflecting an increased awareness and maturity about what festivals have to offer to a community which is diverse, but on a number of levels still very divided.

28 5.1.3 Live music

Speak of live music in Tower Hamlets and there is no single starting point.

What’s on offer appears random and disconnected, but lift the lid and a lot more comes to the surface. There also seems to be a distinct lack of professional bands in the borough - for example, bands that might play at festivals. But look again and you see a core group of musicians and singers from the Bengali community who perform regularly at local cultural events and festivals. They may not all live in the borough but are well known and have built up large local and pan London followings.

There is certainly a strong Bengali cultural scene in the borough, where music can be heard regularly, but there are also many other opportunities to hear music. The Respect Festival had at least eight music stages with all kinds of music on offer. By way of contrast, the Spitalfields Festival, in June, featured three weeks of mainly classical music in the historic Christchurch in Commercial Street. The wide variety of live music, from local artistes to world class superstars, can also be heard at venues such as the Kobi Nazrul Centre, Brady Centre, Spitz, Rhythm Factory, Cabot Hall and the London Arena. Live music in Tower Hamlets really is as diverse as the borough itself.

Music classes are run by Lifelong Learning, as well as at the Brady Centre and Kobi Nazrul Centre. There is the Saturday Music School run by the Centre for Young Musicians and Tower Hamlets Education, and a popular private music school in Wapping. The Tower Hamlets Youth and Community Band is still going strong after 20 years, while voluntary sector groups such as Atum involve young people with music technology.

A number of music organisations are based in the borough. These include Grand Union Orchestra, City of London Sinfonia, Spitalfields Festival, Cultural Co-operation (organisers of Diaspora Music Village Festival), COMA (Contemporary Music Making for Amateurs) and Broomhill Opera (at Wilton’s Music Hall).

29 5.1.4 Fashion and design

From the late 17th Century Huguenot silk weavers, to the Jewish cloth traders and Asian garment manufacturers, the fashion industry has always been a vital part of East End culture.

The "Rag Trade" as it became known was a major employer and gave rise to a number of famous street markets such as Petticoat Lane, where a lot of "cabbage" (garments and accessories made from off-cuts) was sold off.

Over the past 10 years Alternative Fashion Week has given many new young designers the opportunity to show their work to the public, buyers and the press. Held annually, in March, the event receives global coverage and has encouraged designers to take studios in the area to establish their label.

A specialist fashion market now takes place every Thursday in the Old Spitalfields Market, where young designers can sell their work directly to the public, and fashion shows have become a regular part of many East End events.

Support for local fashion and design is also available from local regeneration projects and from the Business Technology Support Centre at the London College of Fashion.

Famous designers, such as Alistair McQueen, have been attracted to show in the area. The magazine “Dazed and Confused” has a gallery in Shoreditch, Cordwainers College produced shoe designer Patrick Cox; milliner Pip Hackett first showed at Alternative Fashion Week; Nicole Farhi has all her designs made here and world famous hair stylist, Vidal Sassoon, and fashion photographer, David Bailey, both started in the East End.

Furniture design is another part of our creative culture - from a traditional local industry - and is encouraged by the London College of Furniture at London Guildhall University in Whitechapel. Local designers/makers and contemporary artists are producing a wide range of artefacts in ceramics, glass, metal and wood.

Over the past two years, with financial support from the Cityside SRB3 programme, The Ethnic Minority Enterprise Project (EMEP) has put together an intensive plan of support and counselling for designers and manufacturers entitled “Bringing Design Into Manufacturing”. This has worked to explain how local designers and manufacturers can collaborate closely together. The Sew-East Programme, an innovative project aimed at exploiting the niche opportunity that has emerged over the last few years for the clothing and leather industries, will build on some of the pilot work already carried out under the BDIM programme.

30 5.1.5 Cinema and film

Tower Hamlets has a rich history of cinema and film - at one time having more cinemas than any other London Borough. The East End is home to Limehouse studios and many popular TV and film productions like The Bill. It also provides a base for clusters of filmmakers and film activity.

The general decline in UK film production had a negative impact in the borough. However, the tradition of film has been kept alive by locally focused production companies such as Team Pictures, the film facilities at the former Island Arts Centre and, most significantly, the work of London’s only film workshop based in Bethnal Green, “Four Corners”.

For many years, the borough was without a single cinema but it now has two - and three screens are planned as part of the Rich Mix development. The independent Genesis Cinema is an example of good private/public/voluntary sector partnership, screening independent short films, the Bangladesh Film Festival, Raindance East Film Festival, and the first East End Film Festival.

Since Tower Hamlets Film Office was established in 1995, the area has been in great demand as a film location. It also houses an active sector of filmmakers, small companies and community based projects. The sector offers opportunities for employment, inward investment, and is a particularly accessible branch of the arts for young people.

The Council recognises the potential of film and ploughs back money earned from location work into the development of film projects. This includes the Tower Hamlets Film Fund, a bursary scheme that supports new film makers, and the East End Film Festival.

The future for film is bright with developments in digital technology creating easier access to the means of film production. Filmmaking is an effective tool for developing social skills, career options and facilitating cross cultural exchange.

There is a move towards greater diversification of exhibition and film education in its broadest sense – not just within schools. Economically, film production is important to the local cultural economy, and continues to create pathways for local people into the industry.

31 5.2 Built heritage - old and new

The Council is committed to conserving the historic environment of the borough, and recognises it as an important and finite asset reflecting a rich cultural past. The richness of the borough’s built heritage and townscape plays a vital role in the area's identity and people’s enjoyment of their surroundings. The Council is seeking to broaden appreciation and interpretation of, as well as access to, this heritage.

Listed Buildings, Conservation Areas, Tree Preservation Orders, Listed Parks and Gardens, Scheduled Ancient Monuments, World Heritage Site status and the Council’s UDP are all designed to preserve and improve the unique historic and townscape character of Tower Hamlets - for present and future generations. An example is the way the Council is currently repairing the seventeenth century buildings designed by Sir Christopher Wren known as the Trinity Green Almshouses.

Many fine buildings have been preserved. Examples are the Brick Lane Mosque and the Georgian Houses on Fournier Street and in Myrdle Street. New uses are also encouraged to bring about the repair of old buildings - for example, the conversion of disused warehouses into homes. Currently advice is being given on the Braithwaite Viaduct in Bishopsgate and the Boundary Estate, Bethnal Green.

A local group, the Spitalfields Historic Buildings Trust, takes over and repairs endangered Listed and other buildings in the borough, on a rolling programme, assisted by the Council. They have saved and repaired numerous Georgian houses and are currently undertaking a project to preserve the Old Mortuary Building at St George in the East. Recently the Heritage of London Trust has restored the 1910 Poplar Library in conjunction with Leaside Regeneration and is soon to start the repair of eighteenth century Bromley Hall.

Council polices call for a high standard of new development in the Unitary Development Plan. Integral to this is the encouragement of outstanding new buildings - for example the new Underground Station at Canary Wharf, designed by Foster and Partners and the Green Bridge at Mile End by Piers Gough.

It also seeks the creation of distinctive new places - including streets, squares, parks and business districts, arts and leisure uses, on both a small and large scale. These are brought about by forward planning, control and advice on the development process - and include consultation and participation with local communities and the Third Sector.

Within the borough there are 51 Conservation Areas, including the area around the Tower of London, historic docklands, Georgian squares, Victorian streets and outstanding twentieth century public housing.

Recent conservation area improvements have taken place at Whitechapel in the Market and on Myrdle Street. Repaving is currently taking place on Brick Lane. Future enhancements are planned for the Conservation Areas around Spitalfields Market and in the Fairfield Road Conservation Area.

The Council prepares guidance leaflets about the care of Conservation Areas; there are ten for Spitalfields and others are under preparation in close consultation with local groups, for example the Mile End Old Town Residents Association at Tredegar Square in Bow.

32 Discretionary grants are available to help pay for specific improvements to Listed buildings and others in certain Conservation Areas. Tower Hamlets Historic Building Grants apply to properties across the borough.

The Heritage Economic Regeneration Scheme, which has been set up with the Heritage Lottery and English Heritage, covers Spitalfields, Whitechapel and New Road. The Council also advises owners on how to raise money for the repair of buildings - for example, from Lottery Grants and English Heritage.

Grants can help with the cost of external repairs and missing or damaged architectural or ornamental features, including shop fronts. They also cover work such as re-roofing, damp protection and other essential structural repairs. Preference is given to local community groups, charities and private individuals on low incomes. There are also grants for buildings listed on English Heritage's Building at Risk Register.

The borough contains a rich archaeological heritage from earliest times through to the industrial revolution, the docks and the Second World War. Outstanding examples include the conserved Roman Wall at Tower Hill and the Roman Road.

Care of archaeological remains is an integral part of the planning process, and most new developments must fund the investigation, recording and preservation of archaeological remains. The most significant recent discovery has been the medieval Charnel House at St Mary Spital, built between 1389 and 1391, which is to be conserved as part of an adjacent new development. The Council works in close conjunction with English Heritage, the Museum of London and local amenity societies.

Through the use of planning gain, many areas of the borough have been, and will continue to be, protected and enhanced. For example a new sustainable urban quarter, with a mix of uses, will spring up on the Isle of Dogs over the next fifteen years. This has been brought about by partnerships between the developers and the Council, with the close involvement of the local community, the Isle of Dogs Community Trust. In Bethnal Green there are widespread improvements planned. In Whitechapel the Council is guiding the redevelopment of the Royal London Hospital, a Listed building in a Conservation Area. On the City Fringe, the Council is working with the Cityside Regeneration to bring about large-scale streetscape improvements.

5.3 Libraries and IDEAS Stores

The Library Service works in partnership with other services in the Leisure Division. It runs joint promotions and initiatives with the Arts Service; it houses and exhibits Horticulture’s Bio-diversity collection of materials; the Leisure Pass scheme is offered via libraries; and the Tower of London pilot concessionary ticket scheme for local residents was jointly organised with the Sport and Recreation section.

As part of the overall provision, Tower Hamlets Local History Library and Archives Service is a unique collection of material relating to the Borough and attracts users and visitors from all over the world.

Library Services are currently undergoing a major transformation by relocating to high profile sites across the borough – rebranded as “Idea Stores” - and integrating with Lifelong Learning partners. The strategy was developed following a major public consultation exercise and will see a network of seven stores launched over the coming years – the first of which opened in Bow in May 2002.

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Each store will offer traditional lending library services, free access to ICT, a café, crèche, exhibition space and a programme of recreational and accredited learning opportunities and classes.

The “Idea Stores” will act as gateways to cultural activity and community empowerment and encompass and develop wider access to information and local heritage.

The planning process is now well established and acknowledged through the Annual Library Plan, and through local and external influences on the service such as social inclusion initiatives and the People’s Network.

During the period of transition the basic lending libraries; the Reference and Information Service; Children’s Services; the Local History Library and Archives Service and the Outreach Library Services (including the Mobile Library and a home delivery service) will all be maintained, The rich and diverse programme of activities and events ranging from homework clubs, family learning, reader development programmes, exhibitions and health promotions will continue to be delivered from local libraries.

Services to Children, identified, as a target priority group for the future of the library service, have been very successful. Take-up of reading schemes, attendance at events and activities, new membership, the Bookstart initiative and Surestart projects and the development of 2 new homework clubs have all been achieved. A teenage reading group has been established and the introduction of CD-ROM’s for loan has had a major impact on service provision for young people.

The introduction of e-government, and the role of libraries in providing free access to the Internet, remains a key priority in the coming year. The Community Plan has set a framework for the library service and its key partners to demonstrate their respective input into achieving the corporate agenda.

5.4 Sport and Recreation

“Sport has the power to change the world, the power to inspire, the power to unite people in a way that little else can. It also speaks to people in a language they understand.” Nelson Mandela

Tower Hamlets has traditionally boasted many of the country’s leading sports people across a range of activities. In particular, the East End of London has been home to leading professional footballers and champion boxers.

Ashley Cole, Ledley King and Lee Bowyer are all currently playing football with leading Premiership league clubs, and Repton Boxing Club’s Audley Harrison won a gold medal at the Sidney Olympics.

These are just some of the examples of the many sporting successes that have evolved through the borough’s schools and sports clubs.

As part of its long term commitment to sport, the Council launched its sports strategy “Seizing The Moment” in 2000. This strategy was produced to provide a strategic framework for the development of sport and recreation in the borough.

34 Current sporting trends were assessed against the special economic, cultural, physical and demographic features that make up Tower Hamlets. It is also set against national, regional and local sporting contexts, and seeks to address the wider social agendas that are now attached to sport.

A Sports Development Team works closely with schools and voluntary sports clubs to encourage a greater take up of active recreation. They organise many sports events, including the borough’s London Youth Games team as well as managing the G.P. Referral Service. They also service the Tower Hamlets Sports Council by offering support in administration and grant aid advice.

In addition, the team oversees the work of other partnering organisations such as West Ham United’s “Asians in Football” project and the Leyton Orient Community Sports Programme. The latter is targeted at a number of estates, offering sports and education, football coaching sessions for 5-15 years olds, organising local events and games, working with schools and offering football and curriculum work, and providing girls football sessions at a number of venues in the borough. The programme encompasses Leyton Orient Girls Advances Soccer School and the SRB Racial Tolerance Programme in Poplar and clearly addresses issues of inequality in access to sport and also provides a platform for social cohesion.

Other partners in developing local sport include The Sports Network Council, Bangladeshi Football Association and Canary Wharf Sports Development.

In relation to other community led activity, the many bowls clubs operating throughout Tower Hamlets parks are some of the oldest established clubs in London.

Some of the major development priorities for the Sport and Recreation Service include:

• Increasing opportunities to boost local access to facilities through dual use agreements with schools, enabling community access in the evenings and weekends. • Assessing the viability of the establishment of a Sports Action Zone called “Tower Hamlets and Hackney Active Sports Partnership”. The aim of this initiative is to create partnerships with members of the voluntary, public and private sectors, to increase participation in sport and develop new approaches to social inclusion in sport.

The Council’s key capital projects (in order to support the Community Plan objective of increasing participation in sport) are the development of a swimming pool and sports centre at Mile End, the redevelopment of York Hall in Bethnal Green and the opening of a new Football Development Centre at Meath Gardens.

35 A good example of local delivery is the Island Sports Trust. This voluntary sector organisation was founded in 1994 to co-ordinate community sports provision on the Isle of Dogs.

The Trust manages sports facilities available for community use at George Green School, and co-ordinates community provision at other local schools, youth clubs and estates.

Membership of the Trust comprises all sectors of the local community - with representatives from the private sector, schools and community groups.

5.5 The Great Outdoors

Green-space is a precious and important feature of the cultural landscape. The landscape of each park and the provision within it, has generally been determined by a mix of historical usage, location, planned development, grant conditions, site capacity, and social demand - reflecting changing times and the cultural needs of the community.

The borough’s parks offer a wide range of recreational pursuits - including a variety of outdoor sports and play areas, as well as pleasant and attractive places to walk and relax. Parks are also community focal points for social interaction, and in particular have become places for community and cultural festivals, events and arts throughout the year. In addition, horticultural bedding schemes at locations such as Museum Gardens, Victoria Park and Arbour Square all add to people’s pleasure.

There are more than 150 parks and open spaces across the borough. Sites range in size from large sub-regional open spaces offering a range of leisure pursuits to small grass roadside verges of a few square meters in area. There are 9 staffed play centres and 35 equipped play areas.16 soccer pitches, a rugby pitch, an all weather pitch, 14 tennis courts and 4 bowling greens are available for club and public use. The parks support a variety of events and income generating activities, such as outdoor filming for TV and cinema productions.

Tower Hamlets has a large number of public squares and historic parks that form a fragile and finite resource. They make a rich and varied contribution to our townscape and amenity; the most important of which is Victoria Park, a Registered Park of Special Historic Interest designated by English Heritage.

Other green spaces are protected by specific policies in the Unitary Development Plan. The Council is committed to maintaining and improving green spaces and will ensure that the squares and parks are safeguarded.

A new public square has recently been formed at Library Place, and huge investment has gone into the upgrading of the Millennium Park at Mile End. The borough is planning new public spaces - for example, at Bishops Square in Spitalfields - as well as upgrading existing historic parks, such as the major restoration scheme in Trinity Gardens at Tower Hill, funded through the Heritage Lottery Fund.

The Council is currently developing a range of different relationships with the community to encourage greater participation in the management and development of parks and open spaces across the borough. These include a number of “Friends” groups, City Farms, and management agreements with several community organisations.

36 The provision, management and development of parks has been the subject of an ongoing Best Value Review process. This review has already identified that more needs to be done to improve user safety perceptions, to extend the range of facilities, and to make the green spaces more accessible and user friendly.

The recent development of Mile End Park in partnership with the Tower Hamlets Environment Trust and the East London Business Alliance highlights the obvious benefits of partnership working for community benefit.

The management of secured public gardens, small open spaces and local sports facilities provide ideal opportunities for local groups to take ownership and responsibility whilst seeking support and expertise from the Council.

Five key themes have emerged as a result of the parks’ Best Value Review. These themes reflect the need to tackle issues that prevent wider usage and enjoyment of green spaces. They are also designed to ensure a sustainable future for local green resources and the community that these areas serve. The themes are:- Access, Opportunity, Ecology, Aesthetics and Quality.

These themes will be developed within the context of an agreed, overarching Parks and Open Spaces Strategy. The strategy is being developed by the Horticulture Section, in partnership with the Council’s Regeneration department and will be completed early next year. However, some changes are already being implemented as a first step towards addressing the five theme objectives.

By changing the way services are managed, there has been the creation of new capacity, a better focus, and greater community involvement. During the next twelve months the service will have: supported the creation of a Friends Group for Victoria Park; implemented community led improvements at Albert Gardens, Stepney; and created a new forum to connect Tower Hamlets green-space groups.

February 2003 will see the launch of the draft Tower Hamlets Bio-diversity Action Plan, produced in partnership with a range of local, London and national groups and organisations. The Council will support the Mile End Park project, providing maintenance resources for planting and water features in the Ecology Park. A feasibility study for Victoria Park will include a review of the potential for a greater diversity of habitats, and improved green links to the parks surroundings. Where possible, the Council will work with the community to encourage and support recycling initiatives, tree and other planting projects and the establishment of alternative maintenance regimes towards the naturalisation of green spaces.

However, it is not just green space that provides for the outdoor environment in Tower Hamlets. The borough has a long association with water, symbolised in its corporate logo. Significant water bodies exist in the form of canals, lakes, docks and the Lee and Thames Rivers.

Water is an important feature in the environment since it provides habitat for a wide range of plants and animals, is aesthetically pleasing and can be used for a variety of recreational activities. The presence of water in the landscape is recognised as a positive element in the enjoyment and appreciation of an area, as well as providing a range of opportunities for sports and recreation.

These benefits contribute to the potential of the area as a visitor attraction, promoting tourism and supporting regeneration initiatives.

37 The presence of water provokes a feeling of well-being, which in turn can encourage take up of new residential developments. In Tower Hamlets, the Docks hold a special meaning for people, offering a reminder of past industry and activity and, more recently, providing the focus of new opportunities for regeneration.

They can also play a substantial role in supporting and extending bio-diversity - through ecologically sensitive management regimes - further contributing to the attractiveness and sustainability of the area.

The Council has responsibility for a range of water areas and associated access points. The main ones are: Victoria Park lakes, Wapping canal system, Shadwell Basin, Riverside walkways & Thames Path (part) and Mile End Park new lake and cascades.

Canals, Lee Navigation, and the River Thames are the responsibility of British Waterways Board (B.W.B.) the B.W.B. & Lee Valley Park Authority and the Port of London Authority (P.L.A.) respectively.

An example of this inter-relationship exists in the Regents Canal that runs alongside the Mile End Park and Victoria Park. This feature provides an alternative pedestrian connection from one park to the other, thereby avoiding the need to use roadside foot-ways with the associated traffic noise and fumes. The canals also provide gateways into and out of the borough, for example, to Camden Lock in the west and to the Greenway and the Lee Valley Park in the north-east.

There are a number of organisations provide recreational activities associated with water areas in the borough. Shadwell Basin Sailing Centre, one mile east of Tower Bridge and was started in 1976 by the local community. Since that time, it has been transformed from a derelict site into a superb facility for learning water sports. Docklands Sailing Club, at the west end of Millwall Outer Dock with direct access to the Millwall Dock and River Thames, provides 25 acres of sheltered water, a perfect environment for beginners to learn new water sports safely.

There are, in addition, several angling clubs, a model boat club and various youth projects that provide regular, or occasional, water based programmes and projects.

5.6 Children’s Play

Play services in Tower Hamlets are provided by a range of organisations in a range of ways. There are 32 fixed play equipment playgrounds in parks, seven One O’clock Clubs, two adventure playgrounds, and a pools playground in Victoria Park operated and managed by Leisure Services. There are five Children’s Centres, eight nurseries, nineteen out-of-school clubs employing over 100 sessional youth workers and a number of holiday playschemes operated by the borough’s Education department. In addition, the Local Education Authority (LEA) fund voluntary sector provision - while there are over 100 play areas on housing estates across the borough.

A recent and most popular development is the new Mile End Park children’s play park and associated building. It opened in August 2002 and has play provision that is fully integrated for children with disabilities. The Brickfields 1 O Clock Club is resident here and other user groups will be encouraged to use the building.

Other services operated by the Voluntary Sector include parent/carer toddler clubs, pre school playgroups, toy libraries, city farms and a range of community nurseries.

38 There are also six voluntary led holiday play schemes and three adventure playgrounds.

Developments in recent years have included the establishment of the Early Years and Childcare Development Partnership (EYDCP) - a borough partnership bringing together the work of statutory, voluntary and private sectors whose remit is to develop children’s services and child care provision. The Junior Youth Service (JSI) is now part of the Early Years Service and is responsible for borough after school and holiday play provision. There is a focus on inclusion in play and the provision of specialist services including transport and intensive staff support so that the same opportunities are available to all children.

Tower Hamlets Play Association (PATH) was set up in 2001 following recognition that an umbrella body was needed as a support network for play providers. The Tower Hamlets Children’s Fund has provided the funding for PATH for the first three years.

In addition, there are eight designated “Sure Start” areas across the borough, providing services for Under 4’s and their parent/carers to improve children’s life chances.

5.7 Tourism and the local economy

The majority of tourists enjoy some element of cultural tourism during their visit to Tower Hamlets - this could range from a visit to an exhibition in an art gallery or museum, following a film or literary trail to enjoying a concert or theatre performance.

According to the World Tourism Organisation, cultural tourism accounts for 37% of world travel and is growing at a rate of 15% per annum. It is a major growth area of the European tourism market, accounting for over 34 million tourist trips in the EU and over a quarter of all EU international tourism.

Cultural tourism therefore contributes to the maintenance and profile of museums and galleries, theatres, concert halls and festivals. A range of themed tourism packages, especially to central London, have attracted larger numbers of tourists to attractions such as films, street markets, literary trails, exhibitions and conferences.

The borough boasts some of London’s most famous and beautiful historic buildings - including the Tower of London, Tower Bridge, Christ Church Spitalfields, the West India Dock and Whitechapel Bell Foundry.

There are also important museums and galleries - including the Ragged School Museum, Whitechapel Gallery, Museum in Docklands, Bethnal Green Museum of Childhood and the Wapping Power Trust which all provide local attractions for tourists. This is in addition to numerous historic landmarks, including Georgian Spitalfields, maritime Wapping, Regents Canal, Victoria Park and various historic inns.

UNESCO has recognized the Tower of London’s outstanding universal value by making it a “World Heritage Site” (WHS). A Tower of London Management Plan has been prepared by Historic Royal Palaces, the owners of the Tower, in close co- operation with the borough. This will guide the management of a world-famous attraction.

39 The Council is currently working closely with Historic Royal Places and their architects Stanton Williams, as well as the Pool of London Partnership, to significantly recast and upgrade Tower Hill, to improve the setting of the Tower and thus visitors’ experience.

Business Tourism is a growth sector for the borough with the presence of Excel Exhibition Centre, London City Airport, the expansion of Canary Wharf and the City and developments such as the Millennium Quarter.

Through the London Eastside Venue Guide the Council promotes over 40 venues. These include venues such as Whitechapel Art Gallery, Museum of Childhood and Museum of Docklands, who find the venue guide provides a source of income and, in the case of the Museum of Childhood, a revenue stream that allows them to expand their work with the local community.

The daytime population of Tower Hamlets is increasing. By 2005, the population of Canary Wharf will have increased from 50,000 to over 100,000. It is anticipated that the Millennium Quarter development will create over 20,000 jobs.

These are all people who will wish to enjoy the local cultural experiences - and it is the Council’s responsibility to ensure that it is convenient to do so, promoting the hidden jewels in Tower Hamlets’ crown.

40 CHAPTER 6: SUMMARY OF CONSULTATION

6.1 Background

This section summarises the key priorities and concerns that emerged from the interviews and workshops and provides a useful base for considering what is important to the cultural well-being of Tower Hamlets’ Community.

This information has been used to inform the development of the key policy themes and the subsequent action plan to take forward cultural activity and opportunity across the borough.

Around 80 individuals and organisations with expert knowledge in their particular cultural fields were contacted. These included business, education, health, social care and support, sport, youth, government, housing and the arts. This list was not designed to be exhaustive, but to be generally representative of the wider views of organisations, groups and individuals involved in delivering culturally related services.

Eleven public themed and facilitated workshops were held across the borough as part of the consultation process. Direct mailing of interested local organisations was used, along with publicity in East End Life. All were also open to members of the public.

The themed workshops were: • Film, Video, Photography, Graphic Design, IT and New Media. • Festivals • Heritage, Museums, Libraries, Tourism, Literature • Getting People Involved: Participation, Education, Young People • Arts Organisations, Individual Artists and Designers, Venue and Workspace Providers, Events Organisers and Promoters • Housing : Registered Social Landlords and Tenants Associations • Business sector: local businesses within the borough • Sports: sports groups, football clubs, associations, community groups • Education: Head Teachers, Tower Hamlets College, Queen Mary College, Guildhall University, Chairs of Governors of Tower Hamlets Schools

Where possible, the Council sought to ensure that the make up reflected the multi- cultural diversity of Tower Hamlets. The workshops were chosen in order to reflect the wide ranging cultural activity that is on offer across the borough.

Additional consultation with the wider community was undertaken via a household questionnaire. The responses have been analysed and taken into account in developing the action plan.

Key stakeholders consulted as part of the process received a draft version of this strategy and feedback received has been incorporated into the strategy and action plan.

41 6.2 What you have told us

6.2.1 Social cohesion and a sense of identity

Tower Hamlets is a complex borough with an array of different cultural groups and communities. Inclusion in the cultural life of the borough provides a challenging agenda to the Council and its partner organisations, to ensure that the range of cultural activity and opportunity fits the needs of all the borough’s different communities. Barriers to inclusion can be put down to race, gender, religion, age, sexual orientation, wealth, disability and geographical location.

Cultural inclusion in this context is therefore not so much about ensuring a complete range of provision across the cultural and ethnic spectrum but more a case of ensuring that provision is planned effectively; that it is successful at celebrating cultural differences and ensuring all communities are included and encouraged to participate.

One of the more positive aspects of cultural inclusion is that examples of economic success from all communities are highly visible within the borough.

Perceptions do exist amongst all poor communities that the ‘others’ are getting all the help and support. This may often be on racial or spatial lines.

Specific groups that have been identified, through our consultation, as suffering from particularly high levels of exclusion are:-

• Youth (especially Bengali girls) • White male elders (who suffer from very high levels of isolation) • Afro Caribbean community • Somali community • People with disabilities

The promotion and celebration of culture in the borough is seen as a very important aspect of cultural life. It helps to promote identity, can bring disparate communities together to achieve community cohesion, can create lasting and positive relationships between individuals and between organisations - and promote a spirit of self-help. It can also be beneficial to the local service economy and tourism.

The rich cultural heritage of Tower Hamlets was something that local people were proud of. Many people reinforced the message that culture in Tower Hamlets continues to help define the community and generate the energy that makes it one of the most exciting areas of London in which to live and work.

Places like Brick Lane and Spitalfields are seen as important to the cultural prosperity of the area - not only on an economic level - but also on a social level - as they bring different communities together and provide similarly diverse economic and cultural role models. Work should focus on promoting cultural activities that can perform similar roles elsewhere in the borough.

42 Cultural events and, in particular, festivals were seen as very effective ways of bringing communities together and creating better cultural understanding and cohesion. However, these need to be properly targeted and carefully managed to avoid divisive competition between groups and should take place in the right geographical locations if this benefit is to be maximised. The way funding for these events is provided by the Council needs to be re-examined on the basis of these priorities.

A consistent view was that every effort should be made to transform the perceptions of Tower Hamlets away from “a grey place where poor people live”. Local people felt that they had a very different perception of what it was like to live and work in Tower Hamlets when contrasted with “public opinion”. Tower Hamlets was changing day by day; it was important to export the cultural offer in order to change perceptions and attitudes, which was particularly relevant in terms of attracting business tourism and inward investment.

6.2.2 Making our services more relevant to the needs of young people

Youth in Tower Hamlets sometimes can be highly polarised. There are different activities being offered and many of those who take part in this provision genuinely benefit from positive inputs to their lives. However the abiding view from young people is that there is not enough provision, facilities are limited and resources are sparse. Youth provision and services are vital both to the cultural well being and cohesion of the borough but it is also vital in its contribution to reducing crime supporting extra curricular education and healthy lifestyles.

On the street, gang culture is strong and this has led many to be concerned about issues of anti social behaviour, crime, drug taking and the lack of social and community cohesion. Leisure, and in particular art, music and sport have positive roles to play and can be used to support young people in more positive activity. This, in turn, will benefit the community, making Tower Hamlets a safer place to live, improving quality of life and the “liveability” of the area. More sophisticated ways of engaging with young people are required.

Involving young people in the development of future provision was central to many discussions. In order to create a sense of pride and ownership it was critical that young people are given the opportunity to make informed decisions about the future development of cultural provision. This would be an ongoing process, through engaging young people through schools, youth centres and other such provision for young people in order to encourage young people to take responsibility for the development of services across the borough.

There was a wish to see greater pubic recognition of the achievement of children and young people. This could be partly achieved through more award ceremonies and public celebrations where children and young people have been successful at major sporting and other cultural events.

Positive role models for young people were seen as an important to develop their ambitions and aspirations. Successful sports men and women, artists and actors could provide such inspiration. It was suggested that these local heroes should be promoted more effectively to young people.

43 Young people are the future of Tower Hamlets. The use of schools (and other such establishments responsible for young people) for cultural activities, arts, sport and lifelong learning is vital also for the reinforcement of community cohesion. Schools play a large part in educating the local community, and their pupils are a direct reflection of their localities. It is with this in mind that policy makers, and in particular, the Council need to build lasting relationships with schools and their governing bodies - to enable these community resources both to support and develop provision locally and to support community cohesion.

6.2.3 Overcoming barriers to participation

Consultation highlighted that a variety of leisure and cultural provision was required at both a local level and on a sub-regional level. When the issue of preferences was discussed, people wanted both local “doorstep” facilities such as a local park or sports centre, however this was identified alongside the requirement for larger more comprehensive facilities such as those offered at the Mile End Park development.

There was a perception that programmes were often built around facilities and the requirements of particular funding organisations rather than concentrating upon the needs of the end user. Regeneration projects are perceived to changing the physical environment – not enough attention is given to building community capacity to increase self help and community cohesion.

Many people saw schools as having an ever increasing role in the development of culturally based activities, through curriculum extension and the drive towards community campus facilities.

The geographical location of facilities was seen as essential to ensure appropriate access for all communities across the borough. Facilities should be located near accessible transport routes.

There is a perception (sometimes justified) that facilities are in the wrong locations. This is a complex area, as some call on the Council to modernise its ‘doorstep’ approach and link provision to modern life patterns, whilst others call for more localised provision. The appropriateness of these requests vary with the services under discussion, but highlight the need for more rigorous and ongoing customer research.

The use of local community facilities was often raised as a potential opportunity to increase the provision of local cultural activity. Community halls on housing estates were seen to operate on an ad hoc basis. It was felt that there was a need to conduct an audit and review of such provision as many people did not feel that these facilities provided equality of access to all sections of the community.

New innovative large scale cultural developments were particular attractive to younger people. The Mile End Park development and the Bow IDEAS Store were often sited as the benchmark for “quality provision”.

In terms of flagship facilities, the lack of a high profile arts/theatre venue across the borough was raised by many people consulted.

Lots of underground arts activity currently underpins local provision across the borough. The growing reputation of East End as a major centre for arts activity should be promoted and supported by a range of organisations and agencies across the borough.

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There was an overall perception that redundant buildings/premises across the borough were not being used to their full potential. The continued high demand for space for local artists, was raised as an issue and it was felt by some sections of the community that these buildings could be offered to cultural entrepreneurs and voluntary groups for subsidised rents.

Empowerment and motivation were cited as important cultural objectives central to participation. This is closely linked to education but, in a more general sense, links to inclusion and partnership issues. The collective view suggests that the Council needs to address how best to encourage people to help themselves as, in general terms, this is what people want to do.

Sport is not universally available to all. Cultural barriers such as the lack of culturally appropriate provision, staffing, pricing, publicity, the lack of an effective community and voluntary sector and the lack of outreach all deter participation within some communities. Sport for people with disabilities also requires more attention.

Some children do not have opportunities to engage in sport, leisure or cultural activities because of a lack of resources and/or parental support, due to their parents own barriers to these types of activities. Some of these children experience boredom leading to anti-social behaviour and criminal activity. The need for pathways from school to club, in particular for sports and arts, was seen as essential to ensure that children continue to develop their sporting and artistic skills.

Cost of facilities was seen as a major barrier to the participation in cultural activity and opportunity across the borough. Promoting cultural provision that was free at the point of entry, such as parks, art galleries and a range of local play facilities was regarded as a priority. This linked with issues of marketing and publicity of materials in that many people were unaware of the range of cultural activity that was on offer throughout the borough, especially across voluntary sector provision in the form of clubs and societies.

The fear of crime was cited as a major barrier to participation. This was especially apparent across parks usage, with women suggesting that safety dictated their usage patterns in relation to a variety of cultural activity and opportunity, especially using parks or attending a festival or concert.

Cultural activities were generally seen to play an important role in reducing fear of crime/ fear of violence, and helping to reduce petty crime levels. It can help build a strong sense of community, which in itself can reduce crime levels. It was felt that the Council and the Police should acknowledge this at a strategic level and promote cultural activity as a vehicle for reducing crime and promote a sense of community well being.

This led to discussions in relation to crime, young people and drugs. Some even went as so far to say that they felt that the absence of investment in the local sporting infrastructure was a contributory factor in the increase of young people using drugs.

Access to facilities and services, particularly for women with small children was often dictated by child care provision. Additional crèche facilities were seen as essential to improve access for all sections of the community.

45 The use of school facilities for out of hours learning was seen as an opportunity to increase the range of cultural activity and opportunity on offer across the borough.

This was due to a number of factors; schools were seen as safe environments, particular for after school sports activities for children, schools tend to be located within the heart of local communities and as such provided good local access especially for those who are reliant upon public transport.

More research is needed into customer perceptions, needs and aspirations across most key areas of cultural provision and activity. In particular, the black and ethnic minority communities are clearly feeling that some services could be improved to reflect their needs.

More research is also needed into the perceptions and aspirations that local residents have of the Voluntary Sector. This sector finds it almost impossible to raise funds for such research and consequently little research is undertaken in this area. Research that exists is often not made public or has only been published selectively.

6.2.4 Improving communication

Information dissemination by the Council is considered poor. Organisations and individuals find it difficult to find out what is going on and how to action ideas. The Council is well placed to be an effective enabler.

One suggestion was a simple and well advertised one-stop shop facility for people or organisations who want to set up community based projects. This could have operational links with all of the local enabling organisations, such as Leaside Regeneration Partnership, Ocean Estate New Deal for Communities and Cityside Regeneration Partnership. Communication to the public of cultural opportunities within the borough could also be improved.

Communicating with young people was an area that needs further exploration. Many people who work with young people suggested that traditional modes of communication are often “lost” on many young people across the borough. Local radio stations were very popular amongst young people from all ethnic backgrounds. It was certainly a medium that crossed all racial and spatial lines. It was suggested that reaching out and communicating with young people would be often best served in this way.

Leisure and cultural information available on the website was considered to be poor. Although only available to a proportion of the community, the website was seen, particular by young people as a growth medium for communicating cultural activity and opportunity, especially in relation to advertising specific festivals and other cultural events that are held across the borough on an annual basis. Links to sports clubs and other voluntary sector cultural activity should be enhanced and supported through this medium.

Advertising cultural activity and opportunity should not be restricted to Council modes of communication. Shopping centres and GP surgeries were cited as potential advertising outlets for cultural provision across the borough. More should be made of these opportunities, as the majority of the community use both these services on a regular basis.

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6.2.5 Creating a sense of well being

Participation in cultural activity promotes social integration and a sense of community, especially through large-scale celebrations such as festivals and events. In general terms, the benefits that cultural opportunity brings is in relation to improved health and well-being, engaging and strengthening communities through sharing personal experiences together and providing an emphasis on people and not just place. Opportunities for children in particular provides “a good start” (pre-school) to improve children’s life chances and contributes to breaking down barriers of isolation between communities, in that people interact through their children.

Training and education has been consistently identified as being of high importance to the cultural well-being of the community. This has positive benefits for personal wealth, the local economy, health, crime and the arts. Increasing participation in training and education is consistently seen as a way of increasing participation in the cultural life of the community, particularly if this can lead to a job!

A concern that was generally held was that large-scale housing developments are on the increase, placing pressure upon all local services and in particular, local schools and cultural services. The protection of green open space was seen as a major priority for the borough. Examples were cited where green space has been a casualty of new housing developments and that “nothing has been put back for the community”.

Many such developments do not provide for car parking facilities and there will inevitably be an increasing pressure upon transport networks and potentially a higher demand for localised facilities within walking distance of people’s homes. Mapping future demand for cultural activity and opportunity must therefore take into account all new housing developments; an assessment of gaps in provision will be required.

It was generally agreed that, as a prerequisite, improving the cultural infrastructure across the borough should be compulsory as part of any future large-scale capital development. Housing developers, regeneration agencies and other organisations creating such growth should provide a cultural infrastructure, or contribute to the existing one, that supports the inevitable increase in the local population that such large scale development brings. This will be required in order to support the Council’s commitment to “a place for living well” identified in the Community Plan.

The health of children was highlighted on various occasions through the consultations. Many people, especially parents with young children, were concerned with the growing body of evidence that suggests that children who do not engage in physical activity are at higher risk of obesity, heart disease and diabetes. The ever- increasing industry surrounding computer games and other such attractions for children that was perpetuating the sedentary lifestyle of children needed to be countered by the promotion of sports and recreational activity. Understanding what would attract children into increasing their participation in cultural activity was seen as essential to ensuring the health of children was protected and improved.

A lack of quantifiable and empirical data in relation to the positive regenerative aspects of culturally related community based projects was identified. Often projects tend to be short term and little resource is built in for such evaluation.

47 6.2.6 Improving partnership working

A widely held view was that the development of cultural activity and opportunity was not the sole responsibility of cultural organisations. Education, Housing, Social Care and Health sectors, in particular, have a responsibility for improving the quality of life for the community. Wide ranging cultural provision was seen as an essential component for improving quality of life and therefore all organisations across the borough should play a role in future developments. Greater efforts should be made to engage business constructively in culturally related social activity.

Trust between the Council, Voluntary (Third) Sector and individual voluntary organisations was raised consistently as an important barrier to the development of culture and cultural activities across the borough.

Issues such as lack of communication, a range of voluntary sector rivalries and competitive short term funding systems compounded the situation. This needs to be tackled to ensure a greater sense of ownership of the full range of cultural provision across the borough.

A clear strategic framework and strong Council leadership is required to prevent too many organisations fighting for the same pot of money to deliver the same offer at a low quality level. This leadership should not be prescriptive, and flexible enough to support small organisations or individuals but should ensure quality and promote co- operative working.

It was felt that the Council has a role in enabling local cultural organisations to develop their funding skills and to access funds. Tourism and economic development should have a much stronger cultural emphasis. This area could benefit considerably by greater cross border co-operation with neighbouring boroughs. The strategy should capitalise on the unique concentration of artists in the area, and ensure that this community and its employment base are nurtured.

A common view was that the voluntary sector and in particular the cultural sector within it, was fragmented, unfocussed and uncoordinated. Many people saw the Council as the co-ordinator and policy maker, advocating for cultural organisations to build consortiums to not only bid for external resources, but to provide together a range of locally based cultural opportunity that compliments Council based provision.

Core funding for the Voluntary Third Sector is seen as an important area that needs review. More use of the commissioning process with the Third Sector is called for as part of a coherent and inclusive strategic framework.

It is hoped that the Council’s Third Sector Strategy and the Cultural Strategy can help deliver this. It was stressed by many, however, that this should not exclude small organisations or individuals with good ideas. This commissioning should ensure medium term funding and represent a shift away from short term funding for this sector.

Representation was raised as a key concern by many people. Although there was a consensus of opinion that community/voluntary organisations should be supported, the widely held view was that these groups are not always representative of the communities of Tower Hamlets as a whole. The Council should take the responsibility, along with other key agencies, to ensure that the views of under representative groups across Tower Hamlets are coveted and their needs are taken into account in the future development of services.

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Factors affecting the ability to pursue celebration focus on the limited ability of different groups to co-operate and the way that funding is provided to run events. This is often divisive and short term. Quality of output can vary greatly. Little in the way of capacity building is provided to help informal or formal groups organise and promote events. More creative marketing and more resources for marketing are called for.

Several interviewees suggested that event funding needs to be reviewed. Commissions need to take place within a strategic framework that sets a clear brief, encourages different groups and communities to come together and is linked to capacity building support and clear outputs as part of a quality assessment process. Commissions need to be larger and over a longer period to enable organisations to capacity build and focus on delivery rather than fund raising.

Cross boundary communication, planning and co-ordination across all sectors needs to be improved. This happens in an ad hoc way, if at all, and leads to wasted effort and missed opportunities.

Joint working with neighbouring boroughs, Hackney and Newham in particular, was seen as an opportunity that is not always embraced, particularly in terms of marketing festivals and other large scale events, where people come from many miles away to enjoy such celebrations.

However, partnership work should not be restricted to one off events. The development of cultural quarters and other specific cultural initiatives in Tower Hamlets must take into account facilities and provision on offer in neighbouring boroughs. A specific example used was the development of cycle routes – these should not be restricted to borough boundaries but should be part of a co-ordinated approach across London.

Many in the Voluntary Third Sector call on the Council to provide clear vision, direction and leadership in this area. It is hoped that the Third Sector Strategy will improve this perception. Responsibilities of the Council and its partners must be unambiguous and transparent.

More work was needed to promote the Cultural Industries, with key agencies across the borough. Dedicated and accessible training facilities are needed (a) linked to real job opportunities in the market place and (b) achieve a set quality level that is effectively enforced.

49 CHAPTER 7: ANALYSIS

7.1 Tower Hamlets: a borough of contrasts

Tower Hamlets is a unique borough. It has more street markets, more festivals and more resident artists than any other London borough. For these reasons and many more it has become and continues to be the Cultural Engine Room of London.

The area around the eastern fringes of the City of London are undergoing a transformation – a cluster of around 80 commercial art galleries has become established in an area that stretches from Hoxton through Shoreditch to Whitechapel.

Regeneration across East London is taking place at a exciting rate. Fashionable bars, clubs, restaurants and residential developments have stimulated increases in both property prices and rents, which many smaller artist studio companies and galleries simply cannot afford. As a result, activity is continuing to shift towards the more affordable Mile End, Bow and Whitechapel areas.

The London Development Agency (LDA) has identified that the cultural and creative industries will be central to the social and economic regeneration of East London in particular, and has highlighted the City Fringe and the Lower Lea as areas of particular importance.

The relocation of major national news titles from Fleet Street to Tower Hamlets - along with the advert of modern printing techniques in the1980's - had a major impact on the publishing industry nationally. East End Life, the Council's own publication, has the largest circulation of any paper in the borough - and plays an important role in promoting cultural activities and opportunities borough wide.

The area also boasts one of the largest concentrations of artists in Europe. Initially attracted by cheap property, and the phenomenon of clustering (artists bring in more artists, which result in galleries and studios being established, which brings in more artists, and so on), the western part of the borough has become a location associated with artists.

This extensive network of arts organisations, many working closely with the local community, providing educational, social, environmental and employment benefits. The borough contains a particularly rich mixture of organisations, large and small, representing a variety of cultural perspectives, reflecting the diversity of the area.

In such a dynamic sector, some organisations have done better than others and some are better networked than others. Funding opportunities tend to come and go, so there is always a sense that opportunities have to be taken while they are there. This is certainly the case for the regeneration programmes that have a particular timescale. The challenge therefore is to ensure that a wide variety of funding opportunities to support the arts and cultural sector are explored, and that the benefits from such opportunities reach those who may be currently under funded as well as helping successful groups achieve longer term and future development objectives.

50 Given the fact that the whole sector creative sector is very segmented, identifying gaps in provision is not straightforward. There is a spectrum of activity, with music- making for young people at one end - learning DJ or techno skills, tabla or harmonium and festivals at the other. Music clearly plays an important part in the cultural life of the borough. Even so, it is an undervalued sector and has enormous potential for development.

With over 30 festivals held throughout the year, Tower Hamlets can now claim to be the ‘Festivals Borough’. This suggests the borough has bigger and better festivals than anywhere else, which may or may not be true, but what is certain is that there is a whole raft of activity involving the Council and the public, private and voluntary sectors that make all kinds of festivals and events possible.

Tower Hamlets does not have a traditional shopping high street that features many of the recognised shops. This has indirectly led to the development of street markets, some of which have existed for hundreds of years, providing shopping facilities and employment for local people through shops and local restaurants. They serve both local needs and act as tourist attractions. This uniqueness should not be understated or undervalued, both in terms of community cohesion and economic value through tourism spend.

The markets enjoy varying reputations for quality, and some concentrate on particular types of goods. Some - for example, Petticoat Lane - have strong brand images as tourist attractions.

Many of Tower Hamlets potential tourism attractions are hidden - either because they are behind closed doors and only open at certain times or simply because they are difficult to find. The hidden nature of attraction means that Tower Hamlets doesn’t benefit from all the visitors it deserves. However, this can offer an opportunity because visitors are increasingly interested in exploring places, which are off the beaten track or where attractions are not so obvious and need to be studied and understood.

Cultural industries, like the tourism industry, tend to be highly fragmented and made up of many differing aspects, activities and organisations that need a common “thread” to bring them together. Understanding the benefits of cultural tourism is certainly one way of unlocking this potential to work closer together and create greater inward investment for the local community. For example, there is undoubtedly huge potential for arts and creative industries to reach more visitors and increase their audiences.

However, the area is changing and the Tower Hamlets “product” is developing in a more coherent way. Important new attractions, such as the National Library of Women, Museum in Docklands and the Rich Mix Centre, are coming on stream. Some parts of Tower Hamlets are changing their character. For example, the Docklands and the River Thames are now as geared up to accommodate tourism and visitors as they are for shipping and more traditional trades. Facilities like the Pumping Station in Wapping have opened up and the whole area around Canary Wharf continues to expand.

For example, The Millennium Quarter, a 50 acre area south of Canary Wharf will become part of the new strategic commercial centre of Tower Hamlets. Ten sites are proceeding through planning stages – as part of a ‘master planning exercise’ completed for the Millennium Quarter.

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It will offer a mix of offices, housing (for rent and sale), leisure, cultural, shopping and community facilities. Various landowners and developers are coming to the Council with their proposals for development schemes, which are assessed against the Masterplan. This will ensure the achievement of the long-term vision for the area and a cohesive approach to development initiatives.

New Providence Wharf sees the completion of the final phase of its mini-metropolis in October. Combining homes, workplaces, shops, restaurants, open spaces and leisure facilities, it will enable people to work, rest and play amidst state of the art urban living.

Over in the City Fringe, a new planning application has been submitted for the redevelopment of Bishops Square, adjoining the listed Spitalfields market site. The proposed building - which has been designed by acclaimed architects, Foster Associates - will accommodate shops, homes and restaurants, as well as office space and a new 700,000 sq.ft. public square.

Clearly Tower Hamlets has a great deal – however the resources and facilities aren’t necessarily where they are most needed. Some sections of the community feel they are more than adequately provided for culturally, whilst others have a completely different perspective. The challenge is to open up opportunities where they are felt not to exist, are very limited or need improvement.

The East End and, in particular, Tower Hamlets, is becoming the creative heart of a world city. The Cultural Strategy will be used to drive home a hard hitting and uncompromisingly positive message that diversity is strength. This was seen as particularly important given the destabilising effects of Sept. 11th 2001 and the dangers of a long-term negative impact on race relations in the borough.

Tower Hamlets has not gone the way of Oldham, Burnley and Bradford. It clearly has a different story to tell. Nonetheless complacency is not an option. Culture as described in this strategy is a strong force for community cohesion. All partners need to make sure that local needs are taken on board in the procurement, development, delivery and evaluation of cultural activity and opportunity across the borough.

7.2 The requirement for sub regional facilities

The GLA intends to produce a set of sub regional strategies, including one for the East.

This regional overview will need to ensure that competing demands and duplication of services is avoided. It will be crucial that the best locations for facilities take into account regional implications. On this basis, the Council considers there is a need for strategic facilities such as:

¾ Integrated tourist information centres across London at strategic locations such as the gateway to East London at Tower Hill, and at Canary Wharf. These should be the responsibility of the GLA or should be operated in partnership with the London Tourist Board as they perform a regional function with effects beyond the boundary of an individual Borough.

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¾ Expansion/promotion of the river commuter service, making more of the River as a link between different areas. The importance of the Thames and the Docklands is one of the defining elements of the region and one that differentiates it from other areas.

¾ Increased/improved signage, especially at major transport links. This will help to cross-sell attractions and different areas of the borough as well as help visitors to access some of the ‘hidden jewels’ of the East Sub-Region.

¾ Venues that can hold 1200 people for parties. There is a lack of facilities of this size. There is now a demand through the exhibitions at Excel for venues for exhibitors’ parties and no current venues are able to accommodate events with those numbers.

¾ A theatre that hosts productions throughout the year. Wiltons Music Hall only has 2 or 3 productions a year and the London Arena is soon to close.

7.3 The development of cultural quarters

The London Plan promotes the development of strategic cultural areas and cultural quarters in order to provide for comprehensive access to cultural activity and opportunity and as vehicles to engender enterprise and social cohesion. There are significant cultural zones that the Cultural Industries Development Agency (CIDA) have identified across the borough which include:

• The Limehouse/West India Quay/Trinity Buoy Wharf stretch (which includes Limehouse Town Hall, Chrisp Street/Ideas Store, UGC Cinema, Museum in Docklands and Trinity Buoy Wharf.

• The stretch from the top of Brick Lane (City Fringe) along Bethnal Green, Roman Road/Victoria Park to Fish Island (Lower Lea). This is increasingly the location for a range of creative businesses and this ribbon from Liverpool Street through to Fish Island offers great potential for the arts, cultural activity and location of creative businesses. Building on existing facilities, for example from West to East – the Rich Mix Centre – Columbia Road Market, Winkle Workspace, People Show, Oxford House, Bethnal Green Museum of Childhood, Four Corners/Camerawork, Janglers, Victoria Park, Chisenhale and Space Studios.

The two zones identified are very broad and can be refined into more clear geographic clusters of activity and opportunity such as:

• Brick Lane/Spitalfields/Whitechapel (Arts Activity) • Mile End/Victoria Park/Leaside (Green Space) • Canary Wharf (Built Environment) • Tower Environs (History and Culture)

The Council is committed to the development of these cultural quarters and will explore the creation of further zones in order to take forward key cultural developments across the borough.

53 CHAPTER 8: CONCLUSIONS

8.1 Key issues arising out of the development of the strategy

Based upon the consultation undertaken and analysis drawn out from the strategy process, a number of key issues have emerged. People’s perception of the borough has many dimensions. Tower Hamlets has:

¾ A sense of sporting excellence with numerous sporting role models ¾ A rich and diverse heritage both in terms of people and places ¾ Become the festivals borough for London with major events and celebrations that attracts a national audience ¾ A growing reputation as a major centre for the arts ¾ A strong brand image relating to markets ¾ A hidden tourism industry waiting to be explored ¾ A music scene which is part of a thriving yet undervalued sector ¾ Significant cultural zones which are continuing to emerge ¾ A rich “cultural” mix of local voluntary organisations which providing a range of educational, environmental and employment opportunities ¾ A strong cultural offer; the development of which has been accelerated through a range of neighbourhood renewal and urban regeneration initiatives and projects

Particular areas of development have been identified in order to take services forward. These can be summarised as:

¾ The need to engage young people in the development of services ¾ The need to protect and enhance the urban environment (in particular green spaces) and to provide for the appropriate cultural infrastructure as part of future regeneration proposals ¾ The need to work closely in partnership with a range of key organisations and neighbouring boroughs ¾ The need to ensure that all sections of the community have appropriate access to a range of cultural facilities ¾ The need to develop the various “strands” of cultural services so that they are geographical linked to each other, building upon emerging cultural zones ¾ The need for both local and sub regional facilities to serve local people and attract tourism to the borough ¾ The need to promote cultural activity as a vehicle to engender social cohesion, community well being, economic prosperity and to celebrate diversity ¾ The need for a variety of service providers who have a responsibility for the economic and social well being of the community to undertake to develop cultural activity in order to meet their objectives.

54 8.2 Key cultural themes

These key issues have led to the development of key themes and supporting policy statements which have been identified as follows:

THEME: CULTURAL PARTNERSHIPS

Policy: To deliver through direct provision and the development of cultural partnerships, cultural activities with a range of organisations, which have an impact upon the well being of individuals and communities.

THEME: CULTURAL COHESION

Policy: To enable and promote cultural activity that encourages tolerance, understanding and respect for people from all communities to come together to enjoy life to the full.

THEME: CULTURAL PROSPERITY

Policy: To promote cultural activities as a key driver in the regeneration of the social, economic and environmental prosperity of the borough.

THEME: CULTURAL CELEBRATION

Policy: To promote a sense of well-being through the celebration of individual and collective identities across all communities within the borough.

55 CHAPTER 9: FUTURE COMMITMENT TO CULTURE

9.1 Mainstreaming Culture

“It is essential not to isolate arts and sport…from the rest of policy in the social inclusion and community development agendas. Sustained success in the cultural and sporting realms will be experienced only where initiatives are firmly connected with successful programmes addressing the other causes and symptoms of social exclusion. Policy which fails to make effective use of cultural and sporting issues will inevitably underachieve. The time is right to connect arts and sport policy with the mainstream.” PAT 10 report, Cabinet Office, July 1999

This statement suggests that the potential for leisure and cultural activities to address community cohesion will only be sustainable and maximised if:

• A clear strategy for cultural activity and opportunity is established reflecting the needs of all the local community • This strategy is reflected within the overall corporate strategy for the council

The PAT 10 report goes on to highlight the “power of leisure to break down barriers” - through cultural events, schools links, literacy and ICT training - to promote multi- cultural understanding and respect.

The Cultural Strategy will address these issues – indeed issues raised during the consultation process has led to one of the key cultural themes being defined as “Cultural Cohesion”.

The Cultural Strategy offers an opportunity to engage people who have been socially and culturally excluded – and to ensure that is a fair distribution of cultural resources that reflect the needs of all of the borough’s diverse communities.

It can also help to increase participation, service provision, encourage neighbourhood regeneration and create sustainable and cohesive communities that can live together, each benefiting equally from the services being provided. The holistic development of services will be given the highest priority.

Service providers.. “should consider together the best ways to fund community run multi-purpose “community venues” in areas with poor access to facilities, which can be used flexibly to meet needs rather than a more narrowly conceived facility to provide arts or sports facilities alone”. PAT 10 report, Cabinet Office, July 1999

In summary, culture links across a range of services and key areas of community life and well being including: community cohesion and social interaction, regeneration, lifelong learning, youth services, health, employment and community safety.

The Strategy and any resultant Action Plan is premised on the role of the Council as an enabler. The Council will not seek to manage the cultural industries or direct the activities of the private or voluntary sectors but will be an effective partner in delivering culture across the borough. The Council will play its part by creating high quality, landmark facilities which can provide a focus for the council’s own cultural activities and a venue for its partners activities.

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9.2 Developing Policy Options

It is quite apparent throughout the strategy that culture has a direct relationship with a range of other services provided across the borough, from education to youth provision, from housing to health and social care. On this basis the strategy identified a range of key policies in order to mainstream the development of cultural activity and opportunity and demonstrate the Council’s commitment to the ongoing development of cultural provision across the borough. These are:

9.2.1 A PERCENTAGE FOR CULTURE (Supporting theme: Cultural Partnerships)

Action point 1 – Percentage for Culture The Council is committed to ensuring that “5% for culture and cohesion” is committed from all future commercial, private and social housing developments. Facilities will range from across the cultural spectrum and should specifically:

¾ Support the Council’s target sports (Sports Strategy) ¾ Support Arts development and partnerships specifically with schools ¾ Support IDEA stores ¾ Support conservation and open space requirements

9.2.2 MAINSTREAMING CULTURAL OPPORTUNITY (Supporting theme: Cultural Partnerships)

Action point 2 Mainstreaming culture The Council is committed to ensuring that strategies adopted by Tower Hamlets and its partners, will explicitly consider the role which cultural, leisure and tourism can play in the delivery of key performance targets of employment, crime reduction, educational attainment and health gain. Any assessment would include how cultural activity can be used to involve young people and others particularly at risk of exclusion, and their potential creativity in the regeneration process.

Action point 3 Grant Aid Criteria In the allocation of grant aid to voluntary sector organisations, the Council will ensure that each potentially funded scheme has addressed the contribution that cultural activity and opportunity can make to achieving its strategic objectives. Community cohesion and access to opportunity will be given the highest priority.

9.2.3 COMMUNITY ACCESS TO LOCAL FACILITIES (Supporting theme: Cultural Cohesion)

Action point 4 Community Access to School Better promote dual use activities that promote the cultural programme, particularly through arts and sports.

57 9.2.4 COMMUNITY WELL BEING (Supporting theme: Cultural Cohesion)

Action point 5 Free Transport to Cultural Events The Council to review its various departmental access and inclusion policies, in order to provide free transport to a minimum of 5 key (annual) cultural events across the borough for the following groups who are underrepresented at cultural events:

¾ Looked after children ¾ People with disabilities ¾ Older People ¾ People from Minority Ethnic Communities

Action point 6 Access to Culture for vulnerable adults and childrens Improving co-ordination of cultural activities for those in receipt of day and residential care services relevant to their needs and capabilities.

Action point 7 Healthy Lifestyles The Council is committed to working with the local Primary Care Trust to ensure that each Healthy Living Centre has culturally related activity at the heart of its health improvement strategies.

9.2.5 CREATIVITY AND INNOVATION (Supporting theme: Cultural Cohesion)

Action point 8 Prioritising Cultural based funding applications The Council is committed to ensuring that area based initiatives become the test bed for culturally related programmes that promote social cohesion and celebrate diversity, including prioritising those innovative schemes which involve a greater risk of failure which traditionally would not have received public funds.

9.2.6 NEIGHBOURHOOD LEARNING CENTRES (Supporting theme: Cultural Prosperity)

Action point 9 Idea Stores The Council is committed to developing Idea Stores at key sites across the borough. These would provide lifelong learning opportunities that keep local people involved in the learning process, including those who are often excluded i.e. people with disabilities, unemployed etc.

9.2.7 DEVELOPING CULTURAL QUARTERS (Supporting theme: Cultural Prosperity)

Action point 10 Cultural Quarters (Recommended) The Council is committed to developing a number of key Cultural Quarters in identified areas across the borough in order to focus future leisure and cultural activity and opportunity, particularly the creation of jobs within the cultural industries.

58 9.2.8. DEVELOPING A SENSE OF HISTORY AND PLACE (Supporting theme: Cultural Celebration)

Action point 11 Cultural Plaque The Council is committed to ensuring that as part of each and every major capital scheme that a “cultural hallmark” is included as part of the infrastructure and the built environment, in order that the rich history and diversity of the borough is recognised and celebrated.

9.3 These policies will be reflected in the main action points that are included in next year’s Community Plan.

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