Facilties

Plans for Refurbishment
The Centre is committed to offering a high quality community space for local residents and participants in its programmes. Consequently a refurbishment programme is also a priority. A specialist working group will be set up to propose a comprehensive plan for upgrading the premises. This is going to be a challenge, leaving management and partners to work out how some of the essential programmes can be presented while the refurbishment takes place.


Background to Cultural Programmes
Kalwant Ajimal is the Programme Director for the entire Centre@270 action plan. He is responsible for the launch of the new programmes at the Centre. Kalwant has had an opportunity to carry out important work for Newham Council in 2006/07 when Peter Appleton was Head of Culture. Kalwant was asked to carry out a review of cultural provision in the Borough and as an integral part of a review he also highlighted a number of new cultural diversity projects for the Borough. He has also put forward proposals for ‘mainstreaming’ new work which means that all sections of the community can access cultural events. Local artists and cultural providers will be invited to attend a number of Consultation Days when new options for offering projects will be considered. The Centre will also submit applications to various arts and cultural funders as soon as secure and innovative projects have been identified.

Action to Deliver a Cultural Plan
During the next three months, the Centre will be launching and embedding the Culture@270 programme at 270 Neville Road and the other parts of the Complex which can be accessed via Plashet Road. Collaboration with local organisations and individuals with special expertise has been prioritised. The Centre is expected to develop internal capacity to plan and implement its own work programmes over a period of time. A new Programme Committee along with dedicated project teams will be charged with the responsibility to develop new events for local delivery. As indicated above, the Centre’s Culture Programme will also be driven by challenge, innovation and partnerships.

Local projects will be identified development. During this period Asian Arts Access will be running one of its most successful arts events and productions in Newham, again working in conjunction with local artists and partners. Kalwant Ajimal is the Founder of this organisation and also acts as ‘executive producer’. Please see http://www.asianartsaccess.org/  for some of the background.

Outcomes from Previous Studies
Kalwant Ajimal presented a report and an outline feasibility study to Newham Council, as referred to above. It proposed the following work for future development in Newham in conjunction with local audiences and partners.

• Drumbeat- An International Festival of Percussion to be connected with ‘Newham Bhangra Explosion’


• The East London River Festival to be developed in Newham with support from all communities which have river and coastal cultures.


• A Festival of Ephemeral Arts http://www.ephemeralarts.com/  to be provided by Asian Arts Access on a selective basis.


• Masks with Meaning- new work under development by Asian Arts Access is set to form the basis for an application for funding and to run the festival at the Centre.

In addition, management has been in consultation with film screen agencies to offer new opportunities for film producers and audiences. Kalwant Ajimal is planning to renew his well known and respected film festival known as Fillum! However, for the long term the Centre expects to develop its own film festival, working in conjunction with local partners, film enthusiasts and local audiences to generate interest in film as an accessible artform.

A new website and networking site for Culture!
Further information on arts and cultural programmes and regualr updates on local action for developing a community cultural space will be provided on the Centre’s cultural website.

Please see http://eastendarts.ning.com/  
Your link to programmes relating to Culture. Please keep in touch.