Arts Council England and UK Community Foundations have today announced £738,004 for 87 voluntary and community organisations across London to put creativity at the heart of their celebrations for Her Majesty The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee in June 2022.
The Let’s Create Jubilee Fund will ensure that thousands of people from communities all across England will have the opportunity to take part in exciting creative events – all in celebration of the Platinum Jubilee. From puppetry and story creation, through to making crowns, carnival and art trails, there will be a huge range of exciting activities for people of all ages and backgrounds to get involved in.
Made possible thanks to National Lottery players and administered by UK Community Foundations on behalf of the Arts Council, the Let’s Create Jubilee Fund will support a huge range of projects throughout England. 44 community foundations have awarded grants across the country, such as:
£10,000 for The Enfield Society
The Enfield Society will create and install a permanent mosaic celebrating the Platinum Jubilee on Platform 2 at Gordon Hill Railway Station. Patients at a local hospital ward will work with a mosaic artist to transform the station platform, which will be unveiled as part of a memorable community celebration event that will include poetry performances, a photographic exhibition and a film night.
£10,000 for Art in the Park and People’s Company
Art in the Park will work with People’s Company to explore how South East London’s Burgess Park has changed since The Queen ascended the throne – all through the ‘eyes’ of the seven trees in the park. A series of visual arts and theatre workshops with the local community, each inspired by a decade from The Queen’s reign, will form the basis for an exciting ‘Jubilee History Trail’ through the park.
£10,000 for Cricklewood Improvement Programme / Town Team
Cricklewood Improvement Programme / Town Team will put on Royally Cricklewood, a street festival bringing together the local community to enjoy dazzling dance displays, creative children’s workshops, and other spectacular performances. Royally Cricklewood will take place on 4 June 2022.
£9,960 for The Community Brain
The Community Brain will work with Creative Youth to co-curate an exciting community art exhibition – Mapping Communities – that explores how The Commonwealth has shaped the local community within the Royal Borough of Kingston Upon Thames. It will culminate with a large textile work of art, a creative film documenting peoples’ stories of migration, and collaborative community artworks shining a light on local residents’ stories.
£4,180 for Upper Norwood Association for Community Care
Upper Norwood Association for Community Care will work with Crystal Palace International Film Festival to create a film based on local older people’s memories of the Queen’s coronation, subsequent Jubilee celebrations, and how the world has changed during that time. In addition, the funding will support a community celebratory event on 31 May – including an intergenerational art exhibition.
Tonya Nelson, Area Director, London, Arts Council England, said: “The Platinum Jubilee is a fantastic opportunity for people across London to come together to celebrate – especially after two years of being apart. And, thanks to National Lottery players, we’re so pleased that creativity can be at the heart of these celebrations.
“From an artistic transformation of a train station platform in Enfield, to community theatre workshops in Camberwell’s Burgess Park, there will be so much on offer this June to prompt insightful conversations, laughter, and the opportunity for Londoners to tell their own stories and reminisce.”
Darren Henley, Chief Executive at Arts Council England said: “The Let’s Create Jubilee Fund is a wonderful example of our ambition to give everyone the opportunity to participate in and experience the arts, culture and creativity – made possible thanks to National Lottery players. This June, we’ll see communities across England coming together to celebrate a historic milestone for this country. I’m excited to see these projects brought to life in villages, towns and cities across the country as our wonderfully creative communities celebrate The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee.”
Rosemary Macdonald, CEO, UK Community Foundations, said: “For community foundations, people and places are the priority and the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee is a unique opportunity for people to get together and celebrate in their communities. We are proud to have connected Arts Council England with local organisations whose imaginative and exciting projects and collaborations with professional artists will bring communities together to enjoy marking this milestone moment in our history.”
Charlotte Levy, Director from The Community Brain, said: “As preparations for celebrations take place across the country, we want to position the Platinum Jubilee as a moment for reflection, using creativity to explore how The Commonwealth has shaped the community within Kingston Upon Thames. We’re looking forward to collaborating with local people and organisations including Creative Youth charity to showcase stories from our community through collaborative art projects, culminating with an exhibition in June, to document and celebrate Kingston’s diversity. Thanks to Arts Council’s Let’s Create Jubilee Fund and The London Community Foundation for making this possible.”
