DD2528 Royal Docks Cultural Placemaking Programme 2021-2022

1.1.    The Royal Docks EZ Delivery Plan approved in June 2018 sets out an ambitious programme of investment to accelerate the regeneration of the Royal Docks into a successful international business and visitor destination.  Thousands of new homes, amenities, workspaces and jobs are projected to come forward over the next 20 years delivering significant benefits for local residential and business communities, and supporting the Mayor of London, Mayor of Newham and LEAP’s ambitions regarding housing delivery and inclusive economic growth.   The Mayor of London and the Mayor of Newham are jointly leading the regeneration of the area through its Enterprise Zone status, which is funded through the ringfencing of business rate income collected within the Zone.

1.2.    The Mayor of London has identified culture as a key priority now, in the context of London’s recovery and in the long-term.  Culture and the creative industries is a fast growing sector which, pre-pandemic, generated £58.4 billion in London and provided one in six jobs in the capital.  London’s cultural offer is its most significant driver of tourism, also being a key driver of its hospitality sector.  Culture can offer a route out of recession further indicating the need to invest in culture now to aid recovery.

1.3.    The Mayor of London has also identified that culture plays a vital role in enabling Londoners to come together and forge a sense of belonging, generating civic pride.  The Mayor of London is committed to ensuring that more Londoners can access the positive benefits of taking part in cultural activities, and that London retains its status as a world-leading capital for culture and creativity 

1.4.    Culture and Activation has been identified as a key component of the Delivery Plan and a budget of £14.7m has been approved to invest over the next seven years in the creation of a transformational cultural placemaking programme that will support regeneration and is rooted in its community and its environment.  The Culture and Activation objectives outlined in the Delivery Plan are to:

• position the Royal Docks on the world stage as a distinct location for unique, ambitious events;  
• engage local communities in their changing place via a cultural programme;
• create lively, attractive and cohesive neighbourhoods animated by a cultural offer; 
• increase visitor and local footfall through consistent and varied programming; and 

•    maximise cultural programming opportunities and impact through local partnerships.

1.5.    In 2020/21, the impact of COVID-19 on communities, cultural organisations and freelance creative practitioners, and businesses has been profound.  Through its Cultural Placemaking Programme, the Royal Docks team aims to support recovery locally, and help to maintain London as a global cultural capital.  In 2021/22, we will support local people, cultural organisations and freelancers, and independent venues to recover from the impact of the pandemic, through:

• investing in local artists and cultural organisations thereby helping local freelancer creatives and event staff to sustain work;
• supporting strong and cohesive communities through the cultural programme;
• providing opportunities for young people that help to counter the negative impacts of the pandemic; and
• Partnering with local independent venues that are reopening after long periods of closure, contributing to their long-term sustainability. 

1.6.    Further detail on the ways the programme will support recovery are detailed in paragraph 2.2 below.

Embedding our Cultural Placemaking Strategy in 2021-22

1.7.    The work undertaken and relationships developed in 2019 and 2020 have informed the development of our Cultural Placemaking Strategy, tested ideas, established our team and methodologies, and provided an exciting programme of events in the Royal Docks that over 155,000 people have enjoyed.  The 2021/22 Cultural Placemaking Programme builds on this work and on new plans set by the Royal Docks Cultural Placemaking Strategy which is due for adoption at the Enterprise Zone Board meeting on 3 March 2021, and which also responds to the COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on Londoners. 

1.8.    2021/22 will focus on embedding the principles of our new Cultural Placemaking Strategy and lay the foundations for the holistic development of the Royal Docks as a major new cultural centre in London.  In 2021/22 the Royal Docks’ team will:

• establish new mechanisms to involve local communities and artists in the development of our programme, to connect them with its delivery, and to expand on our engagement with educational establishments and local groups to ensure young people have opportunities to engage with culture and creativity;  
• focus directly on four key strands of the programme in response to feedback from residents and other key stakeholders; and
• work with other Royal Docks teams to ensure that the regeneration of the area (public realm, connectivity, major developments etc) embraces all opportunities.

1.9.    We anticipate that COVID-19 will continue to impact on the delivery of our programme in 2021, and we have planned the year’s activities with this in mind.  As well as being designed to support recovery, they will be covid-secure. Most projects will take place in the summer and autumn and will have rigorous risk assessment and contingency plans in place to allow for different scenarios and ensure all activity is covid-secure.  Our plans for 2021 are outlined below.

PEOPLE PILLAR

1.10.    People are at the heart of our strategy – local residents, creative practitioners, audiences, businesses and strategic partners.  We want everyone in the Royal Docks to be an active participant in its creative life, and for a thriving evolving cultural scene to exist long after the Enterprise Zone.  Following the pandemic, our role as a convener of people and a generator of creative activity is important to help strengthen communities, support the re-emergence of the cultural and creative industries, and help young people establish their futures. 

1.11.    In 2021, we will establish:

• a ‘Cultural Connectors’ group open to adults and young people who live or work in the Royal Docks to contribute programme ideas, help promote activities, and to get involved; 
• an active ‘Cultural Network’ for local creative organisations and individuals including opportunities for exchange, collaboration, and capacity building, plus inclusion of up to 5 key artistic associates with specialist skills to support programme development and create nationally important artistic relationship; and
• a ‘Programme Panel’ comprising of a group of Cultural Connectors, local creatives and artistic associates to support the development of our ambitious programme.  

1.12.    One of the youngest and most diverse boroughs in the UK, Newham is teeming with potential.  Following the pandemic, creative career opportunities for young people will be sparse and challenging. To help counter this we will provide opportunities to connect young people with professional creative practitioners including via participation and training.  In 2021, we propose to partner with four local established groups/schools to provide cultural participation, skills, and training for young people in the Royal Docks, and to recruit young people to join the Royal Docks Cultural Connectors group and Programme Panel.

1.13.    To ensure the sustainability of our long-term cultural vision, the Royal Docks Team needs to build relationships with potential business sponsors and funders.  In 2021 we will actively foster awareness of the Culture and Activation programme.

PROGRAMME PILLAR

1.14.    In 2021 we will develop our programme to focus on four key strands of work which will be presented in seasons, Spring, Summer and Autumn/Winter.

Programming Strand - Royal Docks Originals 

1.15.    We will commission, champion and showcase original and innovative works, spaces, exhibitions and experiences from the most relevant and imaginative creatives both from within the Royal Docks community and further afield.  This programme will help underpin recovery from the pandemic through supporting local creative practitioners and production within the Royal Docks, creating employment, and helping artists to make and promote new work that in turn promotes the area and feeds into the local cultural ecosystem.

1.16.    In Autumn 2021, we are planning a Royal Docks Originals Festival which will include a new large-scale creative project that will be a centrepiece to the festival.  The project will be made in the Royal Docks, providing work and engagement opportunities for creatives and production staff, and it will deliver on our objectives to:

• position the Royal Docks as a place of innovation, making, ideas, and experimentation;
• actively involve Royal Docks’ young people in making the piece;
• support the wider Royal Docks creative community through sharing/show and tell opportunities; 
• be inspired by, and rooted in, the people and place of the Royal Docks; and
• be inclusive and connect diverse communities.

1.17.    The Royal Docks Originals Festival will also present work commissioned from local organisations and artists from the 2020 Join the Docks Autumn Programme.

1.18.    We will partner with Greenwich and Docklands International Festival in the creation of new pieces made for the Royal Docks that is relevant to local people and will have the potential to tour in the future.

1.19.     Public art will play a critical role in establishing Royal Docks as a world-class cultural destination, bringing the public realm to life and creating places full of interest, imagination and engagement.  In 2021, we propose to fund freelance support to develop a strategic approach to public art including commissioning guidelines and three-year public art plan with a modest budget for new work.  This framework will respond to the imperatives of the Mayor’s Commission for Diversity in the Public Realm and will ensure the involvement of local people in selecting art works.

1.20.    In 2021/22, the Royal Docks team will continue to deliver public art projects in partnership with The Line and Making Space, and we will explore the development of ‘846 Live’-a public art installation developed from a new work made with Theatre Royal Stratford East last year. 

Programming Strand - On The Royal Docks

1.21.    The Royal Docks are the largest enclosed docks in the world and the largest impounded water in Europe, and the 250 acres of water remain the defining characteristic of the area.  The Cultural Placemaking Strategy highlights the opportunity this provides for the Royal Docks to become a major centre of water-based arts and events known across the UK and the world.  Investing in this highly ambitious vision will help underpin the cultural and commercial imperatives of the Delivery Plan and, as a key project with international relevance, it has the opportunity to contribute to London’s social and economic recovery from the impact of COVID-19.  

1.22.    In 2021, the Royal Docks team is developing a comprehensive Water Activation Strategy for the Royal Docks. This will identify the required physical infrastructure, create a three year programme, a database of relevant artists, and a plan for generating income that will support the Royal Docks long-term strategy to become London’s primary destination for water-based events. To test some of our learning from this strategy and commence our ‘On the Royal Docks’ programme we are planning a series of small water projects as research and development.

Programming Strand - Our People and Stories 

1.23.    This strand of our programme directly responds to feedback received from local people, who want heritage to be a key part of our programme, and it provides the opportunity to explore the Royal Docks’ rich and complex past.  By involving communities in this heritage strand of our programme, we aim to support community cohesion and pride in the area, contributing to imperatives to strengthen communities during recovery from the pandemic.  

1.24.    Newham Heritage Month is an important partnership for the Royal Docks. Building on the success of Newham Heritage Month 2020, the 2021 festival is planned as hybrid of a live and digital events celebrating the diversity of Newham’s community.  Work in 2021 will pave the way to a larger heritage project in the 2022 programme.

1.25.    For London Open House in 2021, we propose to create a new project that invites audiences to engage with our present people and our past landscape, alongside talks and, where possible, tours of key areas and buildings.

Programme Strand - Dock Local

1.26.    Building towards a comprehensive year-round programme, our ambition is to work with local people, venues, and traders to develop activities and spaces to play, exercise, eat and experience arts and culture. This programme will further support work, jobs and the underpinning of recovery locally. Our 2021 Dock Local programme will focus on the following projects.

1.27.    Cultural Connectors ‘take-over’ - our local Programme Panel, supported by Royal Docks Team will be invited to programme activity each season as part of ‘Dock Local’.  The Cultural Connectors will be introduced to new projects and artists alongside ones they already know and will gain skills and experience to programme professional cultural activity.  

1.28.    Alongside the Cultural Connectors programme, we will test a new method of developing the organic growth of an everyday programme in the Royal Docks through local independent venues.  This project will help support both small venues and freelance creative industries practitioners recovering from the impact of the pandemic.

1.29.    Over the last two years, the Royal Docks team has activated the area around the Crystal Building, with projects and events for local families, residents, and workers.  We will build on this, exploring how the area can become a testbed and showcase for innovative creative projects, and providing trading and promotional opportunities for local creative industries. We provide opportunities for food and beverage trading, enhancing the appeal of the area whilst supporting local hospitality companies during recovery from the business impacts of the pandemic.

1.30.    Both the Mayor of Newham and Mayor of London are committed to tackling global warming, improving air quality and reducing car use. In 2021, we are planning to develop substantial activity in the Royal Docks to mark Car Free Day and enable both locals and visitors to celebrate and play in these spaces.  

1.31.    Building on our partnership with Totally Thames we will work with them to deliver a heritage focused project called The Islanders about Silvertown in the Royal Docks.  The Islanders will be the inspiration for a one-day cultural festival in Royal Victoria Gardens which will open the Totally Thames 2021 festival.  

1.32.    Led by the Discover Centre, we will again support Newham Word Festival and in 2021 the Royal Docks team will partner with the festival to deliver events, activities, a young producer programme and an associated schools project.

1.33.    Additional projects in development include Newham Unlocked with London Borough of Newham, and Creative Newham’s Thriving Communities Project, which aims to build an offer of socially prescribed community activities for residents who have been most impacted by COVID-19.  

Programme Delivery Support

1.34.    Three key functions are required in 2021 to ensure the efficient management and safe production of events and activities; a primary authority agreement with London Borough of Newham (Licensing and Regulatory Services), development of a Royal Docks Sustainability Policy and process and continued support to Avison Young to provide additional facilities management. These functions are key to the smooth delivery of commercial, cultural and community events.

PLACE PILLAR

1.35.    Work is underway to develop the Royal Docks cultural infrastructure including the development of cultural quarters, support for a range of creative organisations in their prospective move to the area and help for others who are seeking Royal Docks Good Growth Funding.  The Culture and Activation team is an active partner in these conversations.  In 2021 we will lead on the cultural aspects of the Water Use and Activation plan and acquire some basic production kit to support the delivery of outdoor arts in ‘meanwhile’ sites, including COVID-19 event safety systems. This kit will be made available to local community organisations for a peppercorn rent to help support local recovery, and it will be offered for hire to commercial operators to recoup some of the initial outlay.

Income, Procurement and Delivery

1.36.    Following this approval, the Culture and Activation team will commence procurement, provision of grant funding and full due diligence for the proposed projects to ensure that services are properly procured, that funding is distributed fairly and transparently in accordance with the GLA’s equality policy, subsidy control rules and in a manner which ensures value for money in accordance with the GLA Contracts and Funding Code. This will be done in conjunction with TfL Procurement and TfL Legal.

1.37.    Detailed budget information is available in Part 2 of this Decision Form.

1.38.    For the events delivered by the Culture and Activation team, sponsorship, funding and other income and concessions (if relevant and appropriate e.g. food and drink stalls/ marquee space at events) will be sought. All external income sought will be in accordance with the GLA Sponsorship Policy. 

1.39.    In addition to cash income, the Culture and Activation team will also seek benefit in kind, such as contributions to event programming or other content, to assist in the enhancement and promotion of events.
 

2.1    The Activation Programme will deliver against the following strategic objectives in the Royal Docks Enterprise Zone Delivery Plan and by creating the following expected outputs:

2.2    The Royal Docks Cultural Placemaking Programme has been refined to ensure that it is making a robust and holistic contribution to the Mayor of Newham and the Mayor of London’s COVID-19 recovery strategies.  In particular it will focus on:

• Young People - providing opportunities for career training, work experience, involvement in decision making, and participation in the creation and production of professional arts and culture;
• Strong communities – delivering creative and social opportunities, involvement in decisions about the cultural programme, creative participation, and project that support community cohesion and civic pride;
• Local independent venues – supporting the development of programmes including music, participation and cultural programmes local venues;
• Freelance creatives and local business – creating employment opportunities for local artists and creative, production and event workers and local suppliers. Ensuring that we pay and actively support London Living Wage;
• Physical and mental wellbeing – providing simulating and relevant things to do and see, social opportunities, and events that promote physical health and wellbeing;
• The green economy – supporting internal Royal Docks teams and incoming projects with a strong green economy focus, and by our adoption of environmental policies across all our work; and
• A local world-class cultural centre – ensuring that the Royal Docks cultural and activation programme provides a local offer that is enriching and enjoyable for local people, enhancing their lives and offering opportunities.

2.3    Key quantitative outputs and relationship to COVID-19 recovery:

3.1    Under Section 149 of the Equality Act 2010, as a public authority, the GLA must have ‘due regard’ of the need to: 

• eliminate unlawful discrimination, harassment, and victimisation; and
• advance equality of opportunity and foster good relations between people who have a protected characteristic and those who do not.

3.2    The implications of this proposal have been assessed against the Equality Duty. It is considered that it will have a positive impact because the programme will provide cultural activities and participation co-designed with Newham communities that are aimed to provided health and wellbeing outcomes, provide jobs, and support economic regeneration.  Newham is among the 10% most deprived boroughs in the UK and one of the most culturally diverse. Poverty is at high levels with 22% of children living in low income families, and 5.6% experiencing bad or very bad health.  The pandemic has had significant impact in the borough and the proposed programme aims to support recovery with a focus on young people, communities, local business, and freelance creative practitioners.  No adverse implications for any group sharing a protected characteristic have been identified during this process’.

3.3    The Royal Docks Enterprise Zone Delivery Plan projects will deliver against a range of Mayor of London policies (see 4.2) and is aligned with the Mayor’s Equalities Framework to consider the requirements of relevant equalities groups. Impact assessments will determine whether any persons with those characteristics will be unduly impacted by the activities described in this paper, and the course of action in order to mitigate any impacts.

3.4    The programme will be inclusive, with the majority of the programme free to attend/participate. Inclusivity will be achieved through co-design, programme content and a broad and targeted approach to marketing channels, and access facilities. All of the projects will work to bring different communities together, sharing cultures and supporting social integration.

3.5    The programme outlined above will enable the Royal Docks Team to deliver to the diversity commitments set out in Mayoral Strategies (see 4.2).
 

4.1    The Culture and Activation Programme will contribute to the following priorities from the Mayor of London’s Culture Strategy:

• Love London – more people experiencing and creating culture on their doorstep;
• Culture and Good Growth – supporting, saving and sustaining cultural places and spaces;
• Creative Londoners – investing in a diverse creative workforce for the future; and
• World City – a global creative powerhouse today and in the future.

4.2    In addition, the Royal Docks Activation Programme will help deliver the following Mayoral policies and strategies:

• the Mayor’s Cultural Infrastructure Plan;
• the Mayor’s Vision for London as a 24-hour City, From good night to great night;
• the Mayor’s Response to the London Night Time Commission report;
• the Thames Estuary Production Corridor, The Case for investment report;
• the Case for a River Thames Cultural Vision; 
• the Mayor’s Skills for Londoners Strategy;  
• the Mayor’s Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Strategy, Inclusive London;  
• the Mayor’s London Health Inequalities Strategy;
• the Mayor’s Economic Development Strategy for London;
• the London Plan;
• the Mayor’s London Environment Strategy; and
• the Mayor’s Transport Strategy.

4.3    There are no conflicts of interest to declare from anyone involved in the drafting or clearance of this Decision form. 

Key risks

4.4    A summary of the most significant project level risks is reported to the Royal Docks Enterprise Zone Programme Board on a quarterly basis. A risk register is maintained to continuously review programme delivery.

5.1    This decision requests approval for revenue expenditure of up to £1,014,500 to deliver the 2021/2022 Royal Docks Cultural Placemaking Programme. Detailed programmes and forecast spend are listed in Part 2 of this decision.

5.2    This expenditure will be funded from within the £212.5 million approved delivery plan budget confirmed in MD2338 and the costs will be incurred in 2021/2022. The estimated spend on the Cultural Placemaking project in 21-22 would be £1,057,000 as it includes an additional £42,500 on the People element of the programme which was approved in DD2347 (part of the £63,500 Audience Development – Local Arts Engagement);  therefore the new spend approved in this decision is £1,014,500.

5.3      This decision requests delegation of authority to the Assistant Director – Strategic Projects and Property to approve future movements of budget (up to £50,000 per project without requiring a further Decision Form) between projects within the Cultural Placemaking Programmes; and 

5.4    This decision requests delegation of authority to the Assistant Director – Strategic Projects and Property (to be exercised without the need for a further decision form ) to receive and spend sponsorship, funding and other income from suitable partners , up to a maximum of £150,000 in total which will be used to enhance the development and delivery of the Cultural Placemaking programme in 2021/22.
 

6.1    The foregoing sections of this report indicate that the decisions requested of the Executive Director concern the exercise of the GLA’s general powers, falling within the GLA’s statutory powers to do such things considered to further or which are facilitative of, conductive or incidental to the promotion of economic development and wealth creation, social development or the promotion of the improvement of the environment, in Greater London. 

6.2    In implementing the proposals in respect of which a decision is sought, officers should comply with the GLA’s related statutory duties to:

• pay due regard to the principle that there should be equality of opportunity for all people;
• consider how the proposals will promote the improvement of health of persons, health inequalities between persons and to contribute towards the achievement of sustainable development in the United Kingdom; and
• consult with appropriate bodies.       

  
6.3    In taking the decisions requested, the Executive Director must have due regard to the Public Sector Equality Duty under section 149 of the Equality Act 2010, namely the need to eliminate discrimination, harassment, victimisation and any other conduct prohibited by the Equality Act 2010, to advance equality of opportunity between persons who share a relevant protected characteristic (age, disability, gender reassignment, pregnancy and maternity, race, gender, religion or belief, sexual orientation) and to foster good relations between persons who share a relevant protected characteristic and persons who do not share it. To this end, the Executive Director should have particular regard to section 3 (above) of this report.

6.4    Section 1 of this report indicates that part of the sought budget will amount to the provision of grant funding and not payment for services. Officers must ensure that the funding is distributed fairly, transparently, in accordance with the GLA’s equality policy, subsidy control rules and in a manner, which affords value for money in accordance with the GLA Contracts and Funding Code. Officers must ensure that an appropriate funding agreement is put in place and executed by the GLA and the recipient before any commitment to funding is made.

6.5    Section 1 of this report indicates that the GLA intends to procure services. Section 9 of the GLA Contracts & Funding Code requires the GLA to engage with TfL Procurement and seek a call-off from a suitable framework where possible before the commencement of the services.