Demystifying Havering’s Bid for London Borough of Culture

You might have heard that Havering is one of the nine boroughs bidding to become the London Borough of Culture. We spoke with David Shearing, one of the co-chairs of the bid, to help demystify the project and gain insight into Havering’s bid.

Tell us about yourself and your involvement?

I am an artist and lecturer at the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama. For nearly 20 years, I have been creating community and design-led experiences that change the way we see ourselves and each other. I had the fortune to study performance and eventually earned a PhD in audience experience at the University of Leeds in 2015. More importantly, I was born and raised in Havering. I know the borough well, along with its unique position, challenges, and opportunities. As a teenager, I attended the Queen’s Theatre Hornchurch’s youth programme, which gave me the opportunity to pursue my passion for art. I have since been part of raising millions of pounds in funding and creating magical and transformative events. Currently, I am co-chairing Havering’s bid with Mathew Russell, Executive Director at Queen’s Theatre Hornchurch — one of our most cherished and valued charities. Our bid is a consortium bid, consisting of several local partners.

Why does winning London Borough of Culture matter?

T.S. Eliot once said, ‘Culture may even be described simply as that which makes life worth living.’ Culture is how we understand ourselves, the stories we tell, the connections we make, and the purpose it brings to people’s lives. Every moment of the day, from the music we hear, the food we eat, the films we watch, the games we play, and the heritage around us. We know culture matters to living ‘a good life,’ which is the central aim of our vision for London Borough of Culture. We aim to provide a sense of optimism and hope, to celebrate a bold new story for Havering.  

Havering is an underdog. We have the 4th lowest level of public engagement in culture in London, securing just 14 Arts and Heritage National Lottery grants from 2015 to 2021 (0.37% of London’s total spend)! Havering is the borough where you’re the 3rd least likely to access a cultural facility within a 15-minute walk, and we have the 2nd lowest number of creative businesses of any London borough. It matters. The numbers speak for themselves; if we aren’t getting investment and opportunity, others are. We want to change this; we feel it is the right time for Havering to improve its prosperity. We know for every pound invested in culture; it generates a four-pound return. It is one of the best investments we can make, to enrich our lives, provide creative opportunities for everyone, and drive economic growth.

People say Havering doesn’t have much culture, why should we bother?

It’s an easy joke, but we don’t shout about the brilliant things we do! We have some incredible organisations in our borough that we should be very proud of. Queen’s Theatre Hornchurch’s achievements have been recognised with awards, including London Theatre of the Year 2020. The Havering Changing programme has delivered four years of engaging Havering’s most underserved communities in over 500 events, reaching 50,000 more people. Our independent sector is growing, with The Brookside Theatre, Romford Shakespeare Theatre, NO Collective, Yay Mates, Romford Film Festival, and Romford BID organising many successful events, just to name a few.

There are new initiatives in our schools to celebrate our heritage, dementia cafes, and young people’s programmes like The Habbit Factory working across the borough, providing incredible inclusive work for residents. Moments like London Borough of Culture enable us to turn a spotlight on some of our incredible work, while also providing step-change moments for artists to be more ambitious.

Havering boasts 108 local parks, a historic National Trust property at Rainham Hall, and an RSPB reserve. Romford is the 4th largest retail district in London. It’s a borough proud of its heritage, stretching back to Roman times and with a street market dating to 1247; our bid will enable us to make the most of our incredible assets.

Let’s talk money. Who funds this, and how much will it cost?

Our bid is for a grant worth £1.3 million, with other pots of money we can apply for, including further Arts Council England and Heritage Lottery funding. The overall level of inward investment into Havering is about £4.5 million, spread across over 30 projects and open funds for local groups to apply for. Havering Council officially makes the bid to deliver London Borough of Culture. Despite challenges, we have worked hard to repurpose only existing local funding for the project so we can enhance and deliver this new activity, ultimately increasing and improving any current work. Furthermore, legacy is at the heart of our bid; every project is designed to build lasting change, and we should see the impact for years to come.

How do people get involved?

Getting involved doesn’t have to be complicated! You can contribute in various ways, whether by attending cultural events, volunteering, supporting local artists, or simply spreading the word. Your enthusiasm and participation count more than you think. Our online consultancy is still open, and we have over 1000 backers. You can share what you would like to see happen, and we read them all! http://www.haveringlondon.com

What’s next?

We have our interview at the beginning of February, and we find out in March 2024. Whatever the result, we have begun the momentum in Havering; there is a real passion here for change and opportunity, to celebrate through culture. 

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