The Thames Gateway

Art on Greenwich Peninsula

What?

Art on Greenwich Peninsula is a public private collaboration initiated by English Partnerships for art in the public realm on the Greenwich Peninsula. The Client Group members include representatives from English Partnerships, Arts Council England, Greenwich Council and the two main developers for the area, Greenwich Peninsula Regeneration Limited (Lend Lease and Quintain) and Greenwich Millennium Village Ltd.
Two Directors of Art have been funded on a freelance basis by the partners. The directors’ role is to develop and implement a strategic framework for art in the public realm in the area, and to produce a programme which will benefit residents and visitors equally
Over the next ten years, the peninsula will be transformed to create a new business and residential district for London. The aim of the art programme is to contribute to the social and physical identity of the Greenwich peninsula animating the public realm and creating a sense of place. Sustainability and ecology are key issues underpinning the development approach and this is informing the art programme
The current programme includes an animation commission to celebrate ten years of English Partnerships on the Peninsula; film screenings; major interventions on site hoardings; a collaboration with writers; tours for Open House, London; and a symposium in November

The Directors have been appointed on their current contract to the end of December 2008. The initiative itself has run since July 2007

In 2005, the Client Group commissioned a strategic framework for art in the public realm on the Greenwich Peninsula. This is now being taken forward by the Directors of Art
The Directors of Art were appointed in July 2007
Partners include English Partnerships which is currently overseeing the initiative until it becomes an organisation in its own right

The art programme over the last 12 months has included temporary interventions in Peninsula Square and on the river-side walk; a community dance performance as part of Big Dance; playing host to the London Festival of Architecture; and a number of community events engaging with a wide range of local residents, schools and arts organisations
The main commission to date has been Births, Chimneys and Lightermen – Collecting Greenwich Peninsula by Julian Walker. The work displays a meticulous collection of over 1,500 artefacts and texts which capture the social, historical and geographical landscape of the Peninsula
A survey conducted by Art in the Public Realm Greenwich Peninsula revealed that 91 per cent of visitors felt that the artwork made them more aware of Greenwich Peninsula as a place with a history and a future

Directors are Bridget Sawyers and Vivienne Reiss.

Access practical advice and guidance in relation to living places programmes and the benefits.

living places has drawn together a number of case studies demonstrating successful programmes and the benefits.