28 June - Bexley Borough of Culture
Councillor Cafer Munur (Conservative, Blendon & Penhill) was not afraid to risk the wrath of his colleagues last
week by saying that Bexley's Culture Strategy, adopted last February, might be “a fantastic Strategy that doesn’t go anywhere other than being an aspirational
vision. I want to see real delivery but I don't think we are going to hit it.”.
He asked that statistics on the number of cultural events, their attendance, the
number of young people engaged in cultural courses and the number of visitors to
existing heritage sites, categorized by age be provided.
The Council Officer agreed that those things were necessary.
Councillor Frazer Brooks (Conservative, Blackfen & Lamorbey) felt that Bexleyheath is given undue prominence in
cultural matters and asked for the whole borough be included. Not just Welling,
Sidcup etc. but down to places like Barnehurst. Once again, the Council Officer agreed.
Councillor Chris Ball (Labour, Erith) said that the partners (†) in the Cultural Strategy were “all the usual suspects” and
whilst art, music, fashion and museums fit clearly into the Strategy, gaming might not.
He favoured looking for smaller groups and asked if ‘gaps’ in the coverage were recognised.
Dance and fashion were seen as possible gaps. Then someone remembered Bird
College! There was a possibly tongue in cheek comment about not needing any more Roundabout Art.
Councillor Oscar Harrison (Conservative, Longlands) spoke up for
Tokyo Toys in
his ward which is a pre-eminent Japanese Gaming Centre.
Councillor Zainab Asunramu (Labour) named
the
London College of Performing Arts in Thamesmead.
Bexley expects to compete for
the Borough of Culture award in 2029 but it will require enormous staff
resources.
† Partners. ArtsTrain,
Bexley Music,
Bow Arts,
Centrepieces,
The Crossness Engines Trust,
Erith Town Partnership,
The Exchange in Erith,
Greenwich Dance,
Lesnes Abbey Woods,
Little Fish Theatre Company,
London Borough of Bexley,
London College of Performing Arts,
Peabody,
Red House, National Trust,
Rose Bruford College,
Three Rivers,
TACO!,
Theatre Box Performing Arts Academy,
Bird College,
end2end TV,
The Ruined Theatre,
Hall Place & Gardens.