Studio 3 Arts is an exciting organisation at the vanguard of co-created, socially engaged artistic practice. As London continues to look further East, our home in Barking and Dagenham has never been more important. Through our collaborative approach, we put local people at the heart of decision-making – critical at a time of mass development and local growth.
Studio 3 Arts is the lead organisation for Creative Barking and Dagenham (CBD). CBD is one of 21 Creative People and Places (CPP) projects being delivered in England. CPP is an Arts Council England action-research programme; it aims to inspire innovation in engagement practice and test new ways of bringing communities and artists into collaborations, in areas with recognised low levels of engagement. It supports people to experience and be inspired by the arts, irrespective of where they live and their social, educational or financial circumstances.
In 2012, the CBD consortium – Studio 3 Arts, the Local Authority, Barking Enterprise Centre, Community Volunteer Service - were awarded funding for Phase 1 of the programme. Due to its success, CBD has been awarded a further three years of core funding for the period 2016-19. This phase of the project has a strong focus on developing our extremely popular festivals, partnerships and legacy – all with associated fundraising targets.
Phase 1 of the project had huge impact: 850 different creative events, workshops and activities have taken place, and 36,000 opportunities to attend or participate in the arts have been taken up in the area. These successes have been supported by local Cultural Connectors (local residents) who have voted on the types of projects they would like to see. They have been involved with commissioning every artist we have worked with – ranging those with national/international profile and local artists. There are now more than 180 local people signed up as Cultural Connectors. Additional to this, 1,765 volunteers have given their time to help us create great arts experiences.
In Phase 2, CBD will continue to work with our strategic partners, local artists, organisations and community groups to grow and sustain a vibrant cultural environment with and for local people. Developing new and emerging partnerships, and securing new income streams, are key to this success.