Lewisham’s winning bid to become the Mayor’s London Borough of Culture, ‘I AM LEWISHAM’ was based around ‘cultural activism’ and the power of art and culture to change lives. As an organisation with close ties to the local community, we will draw on our wealth of partnerships both locally and nationally to deliver a programme that not only reflects the experiences of people in Lewisham but creatively raises awareness of the climate emergency.
The appointment forms part of a longstanding relationship between the Albany and Lewisham Council. Examples of recent successful projects include Age Against the Machine , a visionary festival in 2019 which brought together artists, social care staff and people of all ages to celebrate the benefits of creativity. Age Against the Machine was made possible by a Mayor’s Cultural Impact Award,
As a registered charity and social enterprise earning 60% of our income, all of which is reinvested back into our programmes, we will work collaboratively with Lewisham Council to fundraise from various sources.
Lewisham’s year promises to celebrate the borough’s history of change-making and sanctuary with events including an artist-led tribute to the Rock Against Racism movement and a climate change carnival.
Justine Simons OBE, Deputy Mayor for Culture and the Creative Industries said:
“This is really great news – the Albany produces brilliant creative projects with a powerful social purpose. With a longstanding track record working with the community, they are the perfect lead partner to help realise Lewisham’s ambitious plans for London Borough of Culture”
Damien Egan, Mayor of Lewisham said:
“I’m delighted the Albany will be leading our ambitious Borough of Culture programme. With a proven track record of producing fantastic collaborative projects in our community, they are the perfect fit for showcasing the very best of what Lewisham has to offer.”
Gavin Barlow, Chief Executive and Artistic Director of the Albany said:
‘London Borough of Culture is such a fantastic opportunity to celebrate and showcase the talent, creativity and passion at home in Lewisham. At a time when creating artistic experiences with and for communities is more important than ever, we’re excited to harness the spirit of activism within our borough and create a programme in collaboration with local people and world-class artists.’
(Pictured: Age Against the Machine Festival a three week festival using art to explore issues around ageing. Produced by the Albany and Entelechy Arts in September-October 2019. Photo credit: Roswitha Chesher)