The idea
Kilburn High Road is a place for me, a place where I feel I belong, and a hub with a global sense of a place.
Starting in 2023, each walk leader will lead a public walk that starts or ends on Kilburn High Road. To prepare for the walk, each walk leader will conduct field and archival research on/about Kilburn High Road, such as interviewing the business owners on Kilburn High Road, creating time-elapse films or documentary films about the high road, visiting the local library and community centers to collect local stories about the people who live nearby the high road, etc.
Individual walk leaders are selected through nominations. Through nominations, this project aims to blur the boundary between different communities spanning across different boroughs, encourage cross-generation and cross-cultural connections, and search for new ways of being together physically, virtually, and creatively as we walk down the Kilburn High Road.
What we'll deliver
- Diversify outdoor activities on Kilburn High Road, and connect communities across boroughs
- Create a digital archive online about the local communities around Kilburn High Road
- 10 themed walking tours on Kilburn High Road, led by artists, creatives and local residents
- In-dept interview and professional portrait photography for 10 independent business owners on Kilburn High Road
- A limited edition of ‘local's guidebook’ about Kilburn High Road and its people
- A documentary film about Kilburn High Road
- Sustainable products designed by local artists, such as tote bags, crafts and T-shirts..
Why it's a great idea
- Connecting local residents across different boroughs and cultures.
- Promote local businesses on Kilburn High Road and help businesses to build and develop a wide range of customers.
- To make Kilburn High Road an inclusive place that is vibrant and has a rich diverse cultural offer.
- To connect buildings, people and communities to the street.
- To encourage outdoor activity
- To embed diverse cultural experiences and art into the streetscape
- To curate the street with the local community
- To introduce sustainable ways of living through activities and community resource sharing.
Steps to get it done
- Create a social media (Instagram) account for this project and a website
- Connect with the first local business to organize the first walk
- Create an open call for the public to nominate walk leader
Kilburn High Road is between the London Borough of Brent, Camden, and Westminster. It has been a historical place for migrants, travelers, and duellers. In 1134, Kilburn High Road was used as a shopping place for pilgrims on their way to the shrines at St.Albans and Willesden. In early 1800, Kilburn became a notorious dueling spot.
As the boundary of Brent and Camden boroughs, and one of the focused strategic areas for regeneration in The London Plan 2021, Kilburn High Road has become a portal that connects the past, the present, and the future.
