Arts and Culture projects

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London Festival of Architecture

In 2023, Barnet was one of the first outer London boroughs to take part in the London Festival of Architecture (LFA). In June 2024, Barnet again participated with a programme of events across the borough responding to the 2024 festival theme of ‘Reimagine’.

Barnet Community Fund micro grants were offered to financially support local event organisers contributing to the LFA programme, on the basis that events were inclusive, clearly benefited Barnet residents, and celebrated architecture and heritage across the borough. 

In addition to the programme of local events, an open call was launched to transform the sports pavilion located in Copthall Playing Fields, Hendon. The brief was to bring positive attention to this council asset by transforming the pavilion’s façade and engaging the local community over a series of activations that asked people to share their opinions on the future of the building.

The winning design team - selected in spring 2024 - was a collaboration between GPAD, leading on design work, and POoR Collective, who led on community engagement, including a mural co-designed with local youth group FUSE that celebrated the area’s sporting legacy.

Connecting Colindale image

Credit: Connecting Colindale, London Festival of Architecture, 2023 © Luke O'Donovan

Edgware Centenary

We worked with UP Projects to curate a programme of artist-led activities to celebrate 100 years of Station Road in Edgware. This programme explored the role creative practice can play in bringing communities together and activating the High Street. Associated commissions and events included:

  • Stop and Smell the Flowers, a call to action addressing the climate emergency through the lens of access to clean air and green space, aligning with Barnet Council’s wider initiatives to become net zero carbon by 2042. The work was inspired by a participatory process involving 75 local young people in a series of artist-led workshops in 2023.
  • Burble by Emma Smith, a performance inspired by the social spaces and sounds of Station Road in Edgware, North London. Local community groups, organisations, residents and businesses took part in recording sessions to explore the musicality of every-day speech that occurs along the street, resulting in a final composition performed in seven languages.
  • Care & Magic by Ruth Beale engaged with the staff and visitors to Edgware Library.  From September to November 2023, the artist carried out acts of ‘magic’ at the library, a programme of performances and workshops aimed at new and existing audiences. This was followed by a series of ‘care’ interventions, including a new rug for the children’s library and a new vinyl artwork for the exterior of the building informed by the conversations that took place through the events held.
  • Commoning Edgware, a series of free walking tours took place during the London Festival of Architecture, inspired by the festival’s theme ‘In Common’. The walk leaders looked to inspire grassroots activity in Edgware by highlighting examples of guerrilla greening and community-led activism, whilst raising awareness of forgotten public plots, green spaces and lesser-known walking routes.

 

Image of Stop and Smell the Flowers mural

Mock up of mural 'Stop and Smell the Flowers' by Holly Graham, 2024, Edgware Centenary Programme

Image of Burble performance

Performance of 'Burble' by Emma Smith, 2023, Edgware Centenary Programme. Photo: Mark Sepple

Image of care and magic

Performance at Edgware Library, part of 'Care & Magic' programme by Ruth Beale, 2023, Edgware Centenary Programme. Photo: Mark Sepple

Image of commoning edgware

A Guerrilla Gardening Reconnaissance with Richard Reynolds, Edgware Centenary Programme. Photo: Mark Sepple