News20 October 2025

Havering Changing arts and culture project supported by Clarion Futures awarded £1m by Arts Council England

This award is a powerful vote of confidence in Havering’s communities and the impact of their creativity.

Havering Changing has been awarded £1 million as part of Arts Council England’s largest-ever Creative People and Places (CPP) Portfolio, which sees £42 million invested in 45 programmes from 2026 to 2029 to deliver more grassroots-led cultural experiences in areas across England where involvement in arts and culture is below the national average.

CPPs bring together community, grassroots and cultural organisations as partners to take the lead in choosing, creating and taking part in creative and cultural activities.

Led by Queen’s Theatre Hornchurch and a consortium of local partners including Clarion Futures, Havering Asian Social and Welfare Association (HASWA), Havering Volunteer Centre, Havering Youth Services & MyPlace, New City College, Kaleidoscope and The Mercury Shopping Centre, Havering Changing supports residents in Collier Row, Harold Hill, Orchard Village, Rainham and Rush Green to shape and lead the arts and culture in their own neighbourhoods.

Since 2019, Havering Changing has supported residents across the borough to lead more than 600 projects and events, reaching nearly 80,000 people and investing over £2 million back into Havering’s creative economy.

From small ideas to large celebrations, Havering Changing has helped residents turn local spaces into places of creativity, transforming markets, parks and youth centres into vibrant stages for their own stories, and proving how powerful culture can be when it’s led by the community itself.

This award represents a 33% increase in annual investment, rising from £250,000 to £333,000 per year, and is a powerful vote of confidence in Havering’s communities and the impact of their creativity.

The next phase of Havering Changing will build on its community-led model to make creativity part of everyday life across the borough. Local Change Makers will lead new ‘On Your Doorstep’ cultural programmes, while Creativity Hubs will turn familiar community spaces into lively cultural homes.

Borough-wide Whole Place projects will bring neighbours together through shared celebrations, and a new Storytelling Co-operative will give residents the tools to tell Havering’s story in their own voices. Through bold Creative Exchanges with artists from across the UK and beyond, and growing youth leadership opportunities, Havering Changing will celebrate the borough’s diversity, strengthen local pride, and make culture something everyone can be part of and enjoy.

Alex, Havering Change Maker, said:

“Before I became a Change Maker, I was living in a hostel. I felt so isolated. Havering Changing has changed me as a person. It gave me community when I was feeling isolated, and clarity about who I am and what I can achieve in my life.”

Matt Parsonage, Head of Communities at Clarion Futures, said:

“We’re proud to be one of the founding partners of Havering Changing – a project that has made such a difference to local communities, including our residents in Orchard Village. By empowering people to shape the programme of events and activities, Havering Changing is helping to highlight the borough’s rich diversity, foster community pride, and ensure that culture is accessible and enjoyable for all, and we’re excited to see how this progresses in this new phase.”

James Jackson, Project Director, Havering Changing, said:

“This isn’t just funding for art – it’s an investment in people. Over the past five years, Havering Changing has shown what’s possible when residents lead the way: creativity flourishes, confidence grows, and communities come together with pride and purpose. This new investment is a recognition of that leadership. It will help us deepen those connections, reach new voices, and keep proving that culture can transform everyday life when it starts on your doorstep.”

Michelle Walker, London Area Director, Arts Council England, said:

“Creative People and Places is about empowering people to bring creativity into everyday spaces in ways that are important to them. We’re thrilled to support a new round of locally rooted projects that reflect the energy and diversity of London’s communities, from citizen-led assemblies and eco-focused events to youth-driven initiatives. With National Lottery funding, these programmes will help Londoners shape the cultural life of their neighbourhoods.”

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This funding is made possible thanks to National Lottery players. Every National Lottery ticket purchased generates money for good causes and helps ensure people across villages, towns and cities can access creativity where they live.

Find out more and sign up for updates at www.haveringchanging.org or email hello@haveringchanging.org.