Havering Changing awarded £750,000 of Creative People and Places National Portfolio Funding by Arts Council England (April 2022 - March 2025)

Hannah Davis

Havering Changing is ecstatic to have been awarded Arts Council England’s Creative People and Places National Portfolio Funding for the people living in our community to continue to lead their own inspiring creative programmes.

This means that Havering Changing is funded by the Arts Council England until March 2025, and will join the new Creative People and Places National Portfolio. The award is a fantastic vote of confidence in the progress Havering Changing has already made in Harold Hill, Orchard Village, Rainham and Romford.

Havering Changing would like to thank all of the steering group members, participants, volunteers, community partners and funders, who include the London Borough of Havering, Clarion Futures and Romford BID, who have all played such an important part in the success of the project so far.

Craig Rennie

James Jackson, Project Director for Havering Changing said:

'We are delighted by the support shown by Arts Council England in continuing to fund this amazing project. Since November 2019, local people have come together to create and celebrate on their doorsteps, at bustling markets, in our beautiful green spaces, in busy high streets, and much loved community, youth and faith spaces.

Our community have made all this and more happen, and in doing so, have staged nearly 100 free events and activities, engaged over 25,000 people in hyper local arts and culture, and invested over a quarter of a million pounds into the local creative economy'.

Charlotte Moore

Arts Council England has today announced that a total of £38.3 million will be invested in Creative People and Places projects over the next three years - made possible thanks to National Lottery players - to deliver more grassroots-led cultural experiences in areas across England where involvement in arts and culture is below the national average.

Since 2012, Creative People and Place projects have brought together community, grassroots, and cultural organisations as partners to take the lead in choosing, creating, and taking part in arts and cultural activities that their local communities want and need.  

Up until 2021, there were over 7.4million people engaging with Creative People and Places projects, 83% of which involved people that do not regularly engage with arts and culture. The far-reaching impact of the programme continues through enabling over 17,404 volunteers and over 1000 local partners to take part - including a haulage firm, a rugby club and several housing associations - all helping to put creativity at the heart of local communities.