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More on the culture hub ➕ experiences on the high street
Positive feedback as the campaign grows
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Well, last week’s edition of Camdenist certainly galvanised enthusiasm from the local community 😃
As we take stock of all the responses to our proposal to deliver a new kind of community cinema cultural hub at the heart of Kentish Town, it’s a good time to look at the wider reinvention of the UK’s high streets, too.
The much vaunted hope for saving them with an alternative to the ailing traditional retail-based model is the so-called experience economy. And it really does have a lot going for it:
Empty shop units can be successfully reborn as music, arts, gaming or social venues.
Customer focus moves away from consuming ‘stuff’ on a planet with all-too finite resources.
Artists, performers and other creative types gain more opportunities to earn a much needed living.
Dangerous and delipidated urban areas can become safe, scrubbed-up and thriving once more.
People increase their emotional connection to a shared sense of places based on how these experiences make them feel, which has vital social benefit.
Before anyone raises a hand, I’m not saying that Camden’s various high streets are particularly in need of radical fixing by comparison with many others further afield, but they are certainly also shifting under the same seismic pressures of technology, economy and ecology.
As you might expect regardless, this part of the world is leading the way when it comes to experimenting with new high street experiences, anywhere from huge defunct department stores to the smallest of shop units.
I was at Central Saint Martins last week for the Experience on Main Street Conference where it was noticeable just how many operators in this relatively new sector are busy doing their thing right here.
From the people who turned Chalk Farm’s Grade II-listed stables into an immersive Peaky Blinders show to the ones who brought Monopoly to life in an IRL game in the old Paperchase store on Tottenham Court Road, let alone those behind the futuristic entire entertainment district of Outernet a bit further down the road.
But whether it’s bringing a Paddington Bear Experience to the old County Hall, or repurposing large swathes of Camden Market with the likes of Junkyard Golf, Babylon Park, the (now closed) Tomb Raider Experience and (soon to open) Lane7 bowling, all of this is notably big brand, play-safe, mainstream entertainment. And it’s got big property-sized money pumped in to ensure it delivers.
What we want to do is facilitate the grassroots, the edgy, the lil’ bit-off-the-wall creatives to be able to cut loose and do their thing in these vacant high street spaces, too. So this week’s Camdenist Interview reveals further details of our plans for Kentish Town’s Poly building, as our very own Rubi Iqbal lays out her vision for a taste of what you’ll encounter there if our clever funding model gets a green light...
Big brand experiences don’t all have to play safe and obvious, though. Mindboggling new spaces like Lightroom in King’s Cross - which celebrated it’s first birthday last week - could hardly be described as anything but cutting edge. The perennially popular David Hockney show (pictured above) and the Tom Hanks-fronted Moonwalkers both demonstrate what can be achieved when the big money is focused on putting on something brand new and genuinely creative.
They’ve just announced a third show arriving in the autumn, Vogue: Inventing the Runway, which is sure to deftly straddle the line between the big bucks and real innovation in the experience space. Hopefully it will inspire more risk-taking elsewhere.
Meanwhile, possibly the most audacious repurposing of redundant retail to date, the transformation of Tottenham IKEA into the vast daytime nightclub Drumsheds, isn’t just inspiring - but now actively funding experimentation elsewhere.
A new initiative from the venue’s visionaries Broadwick Live is supporting the grassroots night time economy with a string of satellite events to nurture up-and-coming talent in smaller clubs.
As we heard at the conference, Broadwick’s clever way of bringing culture into spaces with uncertain futures has led to developers rethinking their own approach to their assets (at one time, via the success of former newspaper press room-turned-culture-venue, Printworks, none other than British Land had a spell as the biggest electronic music event promoter in the world 😯).
With you lot behind us, another form of the innovative new approach for bringing cultural experience to the high street could come to NW5’s former Polytechnic assembly hall. So many comments, considered suggestions and offers of help came flooding in (I urge you to read the selection of them when you get to the bottom section of this newsletter), and we’ll definitely contact everyone who asked for more info once we’ve had further meetings with the Council, or just keep reading your weekly edition of Camdenist…
Win festival tickets for this weekend
There’s no need to pack a tent and hit the road for hours to get the full festival experience this weekend, as a short hop via the Elizabeth Line brings your to Walpole Park in Ealing, where two different events are taking place.
Saturday sees Latino Life In The Park, the UK’s largest Latin music festival on Colombian Independence Day, with the UK debut of Jimmy Saa plus loads of other live artists and DJs, Mexican street food, tequila & mezcal bars and more.
Sunday the same site becomes As One In The Park, celebrating the LGBTQ+ community with a super affordable day of pride, diversity, and fun with Drag Race UK winners Danny Beard & Baga Chipz headlining alongside DJs Hannah Wants and Absolute.
We’ve got 4 tickets to give away for each event!
Simply share your Camdenist referral code with a mate who doesn’t currently get this newsletter. When they sign up, you both be entered immediately into the draw tonight to win a pair of tickets to the event of your choice EACH.
Here’s your unique code: https://camdenist.beehiiv.com/subscribe?ref=PLACEHOLDER
Hurry and both enter before the end of this afternoon to make it into the draw and we’ll see you in the park…
MORE FESTIVALS
❄️ It’s the annual Ice Heritage Weekend at the London Canal Museum in King’s Cross, celebrating the area’s association with Norwegian harvested ice, Italian immigrant ice cream (including workshops), boat trips and opportunities to visit the underground ice wells.
💃🏼 It’s the second part of the 30th anniversary celebrations of Camden Mela canalside at Hawley Wharf this Saturday 20th, with the sights, sounds and flavours of the Borough’s South Asian community coming this time to the heart of the famous Market.
🌳 Proper village fete the Camden New Town Community Festival pops-up in leafy Camden Square again all weekend, with eco stalls, live music, family activities and food.
🎶 From Bengali players Bangla Shur to Irish folk from The Spud Peelers and Jamaican Ska from The Estimators, local bands will be on the bill all afternoon at Parliament Hill bandstand for the free Natural Aspect Summer Concert and picnic.
FOOD + DRINK
🍷 Argentine wine and dine terrace at Roundhouse
With the mighty Fuerza Bruta back in the main space for the first time in a decade (see below), Chalk Farm’s Roundhouse has gone all Argentinean for the duration of the summer. You don’t need a ticket to the show to visit Casper’s Bar up on the roof terrace, where you can eat handmade empanadas daily, and impressive steaks, burgers, and loaded fries on Fridays and Saturdays. Every Friday until August 30th is also when to visit for the Argentine Wine Tasting Series, with five unexpected samples to try at each session.
🌯 'Bangladesh Reimagined' is how Hawley Wharf’s latest newcomer Dhakaah is pitching a menu of spicy Kathi rolls, crisp Peyaju dahl fritters and masala roast chicken. It launches on Wednesday 24th July.
🍛 Nigerian Jollof rice and beef suya streetfood originals Jollof Mama have just landed in a permanent spot with long-time collaborators Kerb, at their mega Covent Garden food hall Seven Dials Market.
📺 This week’s Camden video
Judging from the stats, readers clearly loved last week’s nostalgic Thames TV film from 1970s Hampstead, so we know you’re going to like this YouTube treasure trove of images from the local area’s past across many decades.
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STAGE
Camden Fringe begins right here
📷 CAMDEN FRINGE HIGHLIGHT, WEEK 1: For the first of our partnerships with performers at the month-long festival of comedy, cutting-edge plays and performances, we’ve been speaking with South African actor-playwright Lara van Huyssteen about her show That Boy Has No Shoes. It’s a personal account of her home country’s shameful years of Apartheid, as seen through the eyes of someone too young to really know it, via a series of conversations with objects that were central to the oppression.
🌏 Argentinean aerial dance spectacular company Fuerza Bruta are back at Roundhouse with new show AVEN, wowing the crowds all around them in the main space. Runs until Sept 1st.
🎻 The next big summer show at the lovely Regent's Park Open Air Theatre is a new production of the musical classic Fiddler On The Roof, which opens next Saturday (27th) and run through the rest of the summer season. Until 21st September.
🎭 Ugly Sisters sees a transgender woman in flapping draperies rushing up to Germaine Greer the day The Female Eunuch is issued in America to say ‘thank you so much for all you’ve done for us girls’, in this Edinburgh preview at the New Diorama tonight and tomorrow July 19th-20th.
Are you a Fringe performer, director or company who’d like to feature in Camdenist in the coming weeks? We have a simple and attractive editorial package that gives you a quality written feature, newsletter coverage and a social media campaign. Find out more: [email protected]
MUSIC
🪩Daytime raving, nighttime moves
🪩 It’s a daytime party celebrating 25 years of Faith on Saturday (20th) at KOKO with a big DJ line-up of Chez Damier, Tania Vulcano and Terry Farley.
🎤 Singapore's fast-rising soul singer Nick Zavior plays his debut London performance on Saturday (July 20th) at Hampstead Jazz Club.
🎸 Guitarist Mike De Souza leads his quintet for Jazz atThe Parakeet on Monday night (22nd) as they layer acoustic and electronic elements for an uplifting session at this weekly event.
🪘 One of the world’s most recognised and prolific reggae groups, Black Uhuru, take to the Jazz Cafe stage for what promises to be two incredible shows this Wed and Thurs, 24th & 25th July.
🎙️Irish singer-songwriter Cosha plays an intimate gig at The Lower Third on Denmark Street on Wednesday 24th July with her blend of smooth, evocative folk and silky R&B.
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📈 We’re now 6,742 subscribers
and counting…
🏅218 new signups in the last month
🤝 Camden’s most engaged, fastest-growing readership
📊Last week’s record-breaking poll result
QUESTION: Do you support the Camdenist proposal for how a new cultural hub/cinema could be funded?
Yes absolutely - more cultural incubation and real life interactions are sorely needed
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩81%
No - I'd rather any money be spent improving the public realm
⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️ 9%
Maybe - I'm keen to see what reaction you get to the ideas first
🟨⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️ 10%
Just some of your many comments:
“Something useful and fun and long lasting and beautiful would be great…it’s looked a dump for too long.”
“Camdenist has laid out a fantastic plan which, with the support of council funding, could invigorate and transform this area of Kentish Town in every way possible; for youth, businesses, and improved social bonding, which would bring a fresh pride to the community so necessary in these uncertain times.”
“Bring the Roundhouse into the initiative to expand on the way they work with young people”
“How funny, was thinking of this yesterday as a way for the new Film Quarter to truly benefit the area. Glad to see there's a possibility through the development fund - will stay informed to see if I can help!”
“I grew up in Kentish Town and used to be a PA to Prof. Ed Berman, founder of Interchange in Talacre and the City Farm among many other ventures. He set all of these incentives up for what he called ‘his kids’ from Kentish Town. I really believe he would have backed this venture as it’s providing a hub for young people and new housing for his beloved Kentish Town. I think this will be a valuable asset to the community and help young people access a space to utilise creatively. A lot of the youth clubs we had access to when I was growing up, such as Lyndhurst Hall and the Gannets club, sadly closed down during the Thatcher era. It is my pleasure to give this testimony for myself and in the ethos of our beloved Ed Berman. I thank Ed for caring about our lives and making our environment a safe and happy with youth clubs for struggling parents to send their children to.”
“May I also suggest a space dedicated to dance? It’s always the ‘poor cousin‘ of the arts and it’s relatively expensive to install a good sprung board floor. It’s not a very lucrative endeavor yet potentially key to health and creativity development amongst youth and adults.”
“I'd rather Camden focus spending on a creating clean and functioning neighborhood, with many green spaces and co-housing options, future-proofed for climate change (flood prevention, shaded areas, etc)”
“Anything that livens a community and brings jobs and culture has got to be a good thing - I’d love to be involved in some way - let us all know how we can get stuck in!”
“I think it sounds really exciting and hope your plans come to fruition. Would also be interested to know how best members of the community can be involved.”
🎟️ EXCLUSIVE CAMDENIST OFFERS
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60 mins of free Forest bike rides: Download or open the Forest app, then enter promo code CAMDENIST60 to ride for free right away. Minutes can be used for multiple trips for up to 3 months, on top of Forest’s standard 10 mins free each day too!
🍻 A free City Stack pack with £100 of independent pub food and drink deals when you become an annual premium member of Camdenist. Upgrade now for less than £1.50 per week.
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