A fusion of art, property and local environments, a creative placemaking and regeneration initiative opens up a world of possibilities in giving the community a voice and a seat at the table of their own development but via art and culture.
As more and more development delivers private rental sector properties, there is now a much longer relationship between developers and the communities they serve. It’s increasingly important that developers are seen as ‘good neighbours’ in their communities. Companies and property developers are increasingly asked to consider purpose and social impact more. Realising the difficulties lying ahead, a team of specialists from within Counterculture have devised an innovative yet easy-to-use framework based around three central pillars: Network, Communication and Community Ownership. This model maps out how companies can align their work and business objectives with delivering impactful outcomes for growth regeneration and inclusivity within towns, cities and at all levels of communities.
Counterculture is dedicated to hearing the voices across the borough for a project and beyond, whether they be stakeholders, local businesses, community groups, or the council – all whilst supporting the creative and cultural sectors. Using ‘Inside-Out’ regeneration, the innovative three pillar model is a framework which supports existing physical, cultural and social assets as well as giving the community the opportunity to be part of its future.
The Counterculture Three Pillar Creative Regeneration Model:
- Network: Emphasises openness, inclusivity, accessibility and supportive, long-term commitment.
- Communication: Working towards a shared vision for the area, encouraging storytelling of local people and places through dialogue and participation. This also offers a layer of community protection by highlighting a respect for the past, present and possible future of a place, and keeps important issues alive via the sharing of information and resources.
- Community Ownership: Empowering communities to own and manage their real estate assets to deliver genuine mixed-user, hyper-local economies that meet the needs of diverse socioeconomic groups. They can then help curate affordable and accessible price points, usage of spaces, rents and ultimately community led housing initiatives.
Will Chamberlain, Partner, talks about ‘Inside-Out’ Regeneration – where you work with what is already there and enable it to be part of the future of a place, rather than a footnote lost to history. Will co-founded the Hackney Wick and Fish Island (HWFI) Cultural Interest Group in 2010 to act as an intermediary by facilitating a permanent, sustainable, creative economy in the area and particularly to advance the arts and culture.
“Over the last twenty years, East London has seen a remarkable transformation and nowhere more so than Hackney Wick. The area is home to one of the largest concentrations of artists in Europe as well as the site of extensive regeneration near to the Olympic Park. That both these elements co-exist is down to the extraordinary work of the Hackney Wick and Fish Island Cultural Interest Group which has worked to protect the creative energy of the area. It has galvanised local groups and artists, engaged intelligently with councils and developers and made the case for improvements. This model of local cultural entrepreneurship is vital if London is to remain a world capital for culture.”
Munira Mirza, Former Deputy Mayor for Education and Culture – London
The organisation has been lobbying since 2010 for public sector protection and ongoing support of the creative economy and Hackney Wick and Fish Island became a Creative Enterprise Zone in April 2019. The CIG’s mission is achieved through networking, engagement, partnership building, resource sharing and collaboration.
Counterculture has enabled similar projects in Rochdale, helping to establish a Cultural Compact and Cooperative Leadership model, and building on this to set up a town centre Creative Improvement District which enhanced public spaces through the integration of current resources alongside new creative environments.
Whether you are a local community stakeholder or a property developer who wants to embrace a more positive, circular economy, the team at Counterculture are ready to help you build a new future. To find out more about our services, speak to Jo Wright, our Lead Contact for Economic Development and Public Policy.