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This might be somewhat preaching to the converted for readers of this particular weekly newsletter, but enjoying arts and culture is really good for your mind, body and soul.

While that may feel glaringly intuitive to most of us, it’s also now official, courtesy of the findings of the UK’s first major government-commissioned report into these benefits, just published.

The review inevitably swoons first and foremost over the financials - a nevertheless staggering £8bn a year boost to the nation’s health, quality of life and productivity that comes from simply doing the good stuff, like listening to music, learning to paint or going to see a show - but the cold focus on ‘monetisation’ of this wellbeing windfall also offers a really solid incentive to get back to investing a lot more in the arts again, as opposed to sweeping it aside with hollow economic excuses.

This is good news, particularly at a time when the unavoidable engines that power our cultural and creative output are dominated by the skewed worldview of the Silicon Valley Tech Bros and their greedy algorithmic priorities.

The ‘culture’ of doing everything for the likes, views and shares is hugely at odds with the creative stimulation and flow-state bliss that used to be the primary driver for making or consuming things that look, sound or feel lovely.

Clearly, the arts has always had its financial imperatives and incentives too, but if health and wellbeing metrics are now given equal billing, we may start to see a less bleak landscape for those who can’t currently afford to spend time being creative, let alone make a career out of it.

Here in Camden, I was listening to the Borough’s Head of Culture, Zerritha Brown, talking up the work-in-progress the Council have been doing on their new Cultural Strategy 2026-2031. It’s an ambitious plan that purposefully places the Council as a provider of key, free-to-all cultural events throughout the year.

There can easily be sprawl and overreach when local authorities feel ownership of the cultural crown jewels - or alternatively too much strategising, not enough action - but Camden do tend to deliver things that compliment and equal the enviable world-class line-up of professional cultural producers that are based all around here, so their eventual plan looks set to be a strong one that we can all genuinely enjoy.

Meanwhile, out at the coalface of Camden culture today, there’s much to cheer about. The main photo above is from the Regent’s Park Estate Story Trail, a growing series of public art installations inspired by the local stories the 300-year-old plane tree at the centre of the estate might tell, if it could speak.

I went on a tour of the first five artworks with the Old Diorama Arts Centre on Tuesday night, revealing the wonderfully galvanising impact of the artistic processes on the local community. Local wildlife - including parakeets, of course - and beloved pets are the stars of the mural brightening up the side of the Pangbourne block, while a beautiful ceramic bookshelf (see our Instagram this week) marks the site of the lost local library, while echoing the history of trailblazing ceramic art in social housing found in nearby Somers Town, as we’ve reported previously.

Then yesterday, I went and caught up with the neighbouring New Diorama Theatre who, very much in the spirit of the age, are consciously reducing their ticket prices and going ‘pay what you can’ on Saturdays, demonstrating how the barriers to entry can be broken down where there’s a will to do it.

One reader asked earlier this week if we’d consider championing the cause of 176 Prince of Wales Road, the stunning Methodist chapel and formerly home of the Zabloudowicz Collection art gallery, which closed exactly a year ago this week.

A bit of investigating revealed little in the way of movement on a new tenant of any kind, but with Hypha Studios preparing to announce the 13 lucky recipients of free studio and exhibition space just along the road in a former 1920s cinema (let along our own ongoing campaign to turn the former North London Polytechnic assembly hall across the road over to community use), it’s yet another reminder of how lucky we are around here.

Art is brimming out of our estates, and lining up to take over multiple derelict buildings along single roads. The Council have a refreshing new approach to nightlife that values its cultural importance for the first time (actively listening to new voices as opposed to the shouty classic old ones), and central government has just passed new powers over high street landlords that could yet fill empty shops will all manner of creative performances, exhibitions, pop-ups and workshops.

It might not always feel like it, but there’s some real seasonal cheer around the creative endeavours that are proven to improve our wellbeing right now. A cautions optimism that, despite it all, the relentless global turmoil, disruptive tech, inexcusable inequalities and bad political actors might just end up making us stronger.

FOOD & DRINK

🐴 The Dark Horse: yet another local boozer has been reborn

Well, well, having just reported not one, or even two, but three beloved local pubs that have happily reopened in recent weeks, we can now bring you news of a fourth. 😲

It turns out that the closure of North Yard’s lovely but slightly overlooked pub-in-a-stable The Farrier was really just a spruce-up and change of ownership. Out go immersive theatre company Hartshorn Hook, (who also operated the Peaky Blinders experience in the underused Vanguard Theatre space upstairs, and the Mexican-themed rooftop outpost of their Mayfair cocktail bar The Lucky Club alongside it), and in comes The Dark Horse, run, perhaps not entirely coincidentally, by the people behind another Mayfair club; Hanover Square’s swanky Tape London.

The Chalk Farm pub is a departure from their VIP bottle service roots, aiming for a far more down-to-earth Camden music heritage vibe, with memorabilia on the walls and live music as well as DJs planned for the main nights.

Food is in partnership with the luxe kebab crew from Covent Garden’s Maison Bab, but is very much focused on quality pub fayre at the moment including pies, burgers and Sunday roasts. Many of the staff have also happily been retained from the previous incarnation.

Perhaps most exciting culturally, is that the upstairs may soon return to being a live music venue, something not regularly seen in the listed former horse hospital since it was home to the popular art gallery, cabaret and gig venue Proud Camden back in 2018.

There’s not much to report yet about the new face of the cocktail terrace - officially Camden’s best summertime sunset sun-trap - but expect more on this to follow, probably after neatly swerving the colder winter months, for big springtime relaunch.

It’s a really positive ‘good news’ story at the end of another bitterly tough year for hospitality, one that continues to demonstrate how the area is defying the trends when it comes to pub and venue closures - with more new openings than ever.

📊 This week’s one-click poll

MUSIC

🎺 Big local gigs this week which still have a few tickets left

🎺 Missed out on tickets to see the mighty reggae and ska stalwarts Dub Pistols tonight Fri 20th Dec at The Jazz Cafe? Never fear, as they’re also playing an early ‘matinee’ show at 6pm and you can still get into that…if you’re quick. It’ll be worth it.

🎸 Expect a uproarious festive mashup at The Lexington tonight, Fri 20th Dec, for Brutallixmas 2024, as the lively Brutalligators are joined by queercore legends Slash Fiction and Buds playing tracks like ‘Drunk Christmas (Forget The Year)’, yeah.

🎤 Channeling the spirit of 60s and 70s classic rock and pop played by musicians who’ve played alongside many of the greats, The Marquee All Star Band and their very special guests perform a musical tribute the world famous Marquee Club at The Camden Club on Sat 21st Dec.

🎸 Renowned as Sting’s trusty sidekick guitarist, having played over 1,000 times alongside him and co-written some of his hits, Dominic Miller is also a successful solo artist with 12 LPs to his name. Catch his only UK show of the year at Kings Place on Sat 21st Dec. 

STAGE

🎁 Saucy panto, drag games, seasonal comedy and song

🏳️‍🌈 Head to Euston’s iconic Zodiac Bar for what’s certain to be a seasonal roadblock at A Christmas Night In With Nana Gravy, an evening of festive drag fun and games that’s free before 9pm this Sat, 21st Dec.

🤣 Returning for its eighth year, Camden Comedy Club’s Fat Before Xmas with Peter Bazely sees the standup and a selection of his top comedian pals go full throttle with musical comedy, clowning and storytelling to befit the yuletide vibes. Sun 22nd Dec from 6pm.

🎙️ The final show of the year at Camden Town’s Etcetera Theatre sees the Vocabelles - Christmas Crackers promising a night of cracking songs performed in three-part harmony on Sun 22nd Dec.

🌱 For panto with an unashamedly adult intent, Jack and the Beanstalk: What a Whopper sees our hungry and horny protagonist go looking for the giant of his dreams, at the hidden-under-the-station Charing Cross Theatre until 11th Jan.

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