About the Changing Communities Fund

Changing Communities is an opportunity for community groups and cultural organisations to apply for support for creative and cultural activities, events and projects that respond to the needs and aspirations of audiences living in Collier Row, Harold Hill, Orchard Village, Rainham and Rush Green.

Havering Changing is committed to bringing different people together in our rapidly changing borough through inspiring and meaningful cultural activities.

Supported activities must provide an opportunity for public participation, for example as an event, workshop, gathering, performance, exhibition, sculpture, mural, publication, podcast, video, festival, online offer, game, or other experience/happening.

We are proactively inviting proposals from under-represented individuals and groups to respond to Changing Communities opportunities.

Havering Changing believes that the best creative experiences have people at their heart, and they respond to their hopes and needs.

All projects supported by Changing Communities must address a specific need or want to show that it is shaped by the community.

It is important that local people are involved in the design and delivery of the project, and that it reaches people who may not normally have this kind of creative opportunity.

Changing Communities will support activities that increase the availability of excellent creative and cultural experiences in Collier Row, Harold Hill, Orchard Village, Rainham and Rush Green.

Havering Changing is led by the community. We have 4 community decision-making groups called Change Makers. These groups will have the final decision on all projects supported and will review applications against the application criteria, any published brief and budget available.

Please click here to download the application form:

Application Form

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Rush Green Mosaic Project

Inspired by community mosaics in other London boroughs, the Change Makers would like to commission a creative to hold workshops in Rush Green that allow individuals and families to explore mosaic and celebrate where they live through the collaborative design and creation of a community mosaic. It is important to the Change Makers that the project utilises eco-friendly materials and promotes recycling and/or repurposing items that might otherwise end up in landfills. The successful candidate will manage the project from start to finish, working with our team to ensure an effective marketing campaign, safely deliver the workshops and gather data and feedback to form an evaluation at the end of the project. You will also need to source a location for the installation of the final artwork in the Rush Green area (within Havering). As this is a new project, it is suggested that any applications and proposals are initially for a pilot project this winter, with a view to running a larger scale project in spring 2025. This may be waived if the successful candidate has a proven track record of delivering similar projects on time and within budget. Amount available – up to £4000. 

Click here to download the full brief

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Rainham Garden Project

Rainham Change Makers are looking to commission a partner who can lead the development of a garden project in Rainham town centre. The project aims to work closely with local people and community partners to transform ‘The Orchard’ (the area outside ROYALS youth centre) through plants and nature into a community garden that is a safe and welcoming area that is a focal point for joyful community events. This commission will be funded under the Changing Communities budget (up to 31 March 2025) and our successful applicant should bring ideas of how the project may be funded so that it will be maintained long-term. 

Amount available – up to £5000. 

Click here to download the full brief

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Rainham Spoken Word Project

They are looking to commission a creative partner who can lead the development of a spoken word project in Rainham. People often have pre-conceived ideas of what ‘spoken word’ is – thinking it is either ‘poetry in stanzas’ or ‘rap music’. There have been two events held in Rainham; one was held as part of our Friday evening Hub but this had low ticket sales. The other was a poetry evening in Wennington in which participants read chosen poems, this was well-attended and brought together a small community. In May 2024, Rainham Changemakers were joined by Changemakers from each area and were all inspired by a Go See visit to ‘Jawdance’ at Rich Mix, Bethnal Green earlier this year. We were deeply impressed and learned many things from the visit; we learned, amongst other things, that Jawdance is now a well-established event and could even be called a ‘community’ in an inner city area that is completely different to Rainham, Essex. We would want an inaugural project that would reflect our established and developing audiences in Rainham. 

Amount available – up to £5000. 

Click here to download the full brief