InterAct Report #1 by Roman Road Trust

Roman Road InterAct Report #1

Public Works & London Metropolitan University

#1 >> CONTENT INTRODUCTION CHAPTER 1 COMMUNITY AND CULTURAL PROGRAM 1.0 > WORKSHOP i. Craft Workshops ii. ‘Receipes from the Roman Road’ Cooking workhsops iii. RR Adventure playground workshops iv. Roman Road Comics - CASS students v. Green spaces workshops vi. Local History and intangible heritage vii. Poster making workshop viii. Civic University - Civic classroom ix. BowHer story x. Artist Lucy Schofield and the Geezers xi. Debate on culture and town centre 2.0 > INTERACT OPEN TO THE COMMUNITY xii. Roman road public living room

CHAPTER 3 ARTISTS RESIDENCIES 1.0 > ART EXHIBITIONS IN ROMAN ROAD Collaboration with ArtCatcher for the ‘Roman Road: from Past to Present’ exhibition i. ii. iii.

oman Road: from Past to Present R Artist residencies in local shops Roman Road: from Past to Present - map Roman Road: from Past to Present - events

2.0 > OTHER LOCAL ART EXIBITIONS TRADITIONS curated by ArtCatcher at Mile End Park Art Pavilion 3.0 > DISAPPEARING EAST END by Lucy Schofield

3.0 > COMMUNITY MAKING xiii. Roof building workshop at InterAct site

CHAPTER 4 COLLABORATORS

CHAPTER 2 SUPPORTING ROMAN ROAD TRUST

1.0 > INTERACT COLLABORATORS

1.0 > RR NEIGHBOURHOOD FORUM i. Hosting Neighbourhood Forums meetings 2.0 > THE YARD MARKET ii. Saturday Yard Market iii. The Queens Birthday Party iv. Roman Road Summer Festival 2016 v. Roman Road Christmas Festival 2016

i. ii. iii. iv.

oman Road Trust R Roman Road Neighbourhood Forum Clarion Housing Roman road Residents

CHAPTER 5 INTERACT CLASSROOM 1.0 > CASS students ideas for Roman Road

SUMMARY WAY FORWARD & ACTION PLAN

Document by: public works

Contributers: The students of the London Metropolitan University BA Architecture course. Key community partners > ROMAN ROAD TRUST, ROMAN ROAD NEIGHBOURHOOD FORUM, CLARION HOUSING 3

>> INTRODUCTION The InterAct Hub For just under £12,000 capital cost £8,000 programing budget this space brought an affordable community room to test what the community needed, how they used the high street. Although the space has many restrictions due to its servicing, its weather protection and visibilty, it manged to demonstrate: 1- The need for affordable and financially unpressured space on the high street for community programming. Roman road public living room 2- Spaces to have discussion and debate with local communities and groups about the identity of their town centre.

3- Activity based public realm 4- An educational platform for community lead town centre development The InterAct hub tested opening the space to varied community groups such as Bow Drama group, Bow Haven and the cIrcle residents breakfast club but all these after lengthy conversations did not suit the communities. This evidenced that the site as a platform to host existing organisations would not work unless they were officially partnering on the project. The rest of this document shows the programing that took place and their successes and failures towards its future as a town centre placemaking methodology and space.

>> FROM DISUSED SITE ... 7

>> TO NEW COMMUNITY SPACE FOR THE LOCAL RESIDENTS 8

Roman Road >> CHAPTER 1 COMMUNITY AND CULTURAL PROGRAM

CHAPTER 1 - COMMUNITY AND CULTURAL PROGRAM 1.0 > WORKSHOPS i. Craft workshops

Craft workshops The Craft workshops were primarily to target children who bring their parents with them. This was a fantastic mechanism to engage the parents specially those from more diverse ethnic backgrounds to talk about the identity of the Town centre. Alot of parents commented on lack of predictable or informal offerings for mothers and children that can combine cafe and kids activities. Something for mothers/parents to come together and for kids to play. Offerings are currently either/Or. Also there were strong desire for the workshops to become educational. crafts to be related to specific local history, environmental knowledge, local identity etc. The workshops brought repeat vistors and brought people out of their homes. Most parents requested the workshops for pre school children on weekdays rather than weekends

ROMAN ROAD’S HANDMADE RECYCLED JEWELLERY lead by Hanelore Dumitrache & Cvetelina Iltcheva

JOIN US FOR THIS SATURDAY WORKSHOP AND LEARN HOW TO MAKE BEAUTIFUL JEWELS USING RECYCLED MATERIAL FROM AND AROUND ROMAN ROAD

Join us this Saturday, 21st of May for a chance to explore your creativity in the art of jewellery making. By using recycled materials collected from Roman Road we will learn how to make beautiful accessories. Bring in your materials of choice; it can be anything from paper to plastic cups - the sky is the limit! Lead by BA Architecture graduates Hanelore (also a jewellery designer) and Lina (passionate origami master) this handmade jewellery workshop is fun for both adults and children!

FREE workshop open to everyone NO booking required

Saturday 21st of May 11am-4pm @InterAct Hub Roman Road InterAct site, Carpark Ford Road, E3 5NS London, UK (Next to Yard Market) for more info visit our facebook page -InterAct Roman Road or email us at info@interacthub.org

PLACE TO DISCUSS TOWN CENTRE IDEAS AND GET INVOLVEMENT

CHAPTER 1 - COMMUNITY AND CULTURAL PROGRAM 1.0 > WORKSHOPS ii. ‘Receipes from the Roman Road’ Cooking workhsops

Cooking workshops

Cooks and Recipes

Recipes for the Roman Road was a series of free cooking workshops open to everyone living and working in and around Roman Road. The workshops, a total of 4, took place during the summer of 2016, between August and October.

The workshops attracted a great number of residents and passers by who wanted to get involved with the weekends food making programme.

The community was invited to take part in a series of workshop which aimed at promting healthy eating as well as using waste food from groceries on Roman road. All the products used for the workshops were locally sourced, either donated, or salvaged, or foraged from local green spaces. The major aim for the project was to create community through food. This was purely demonstrations due to licensing reasons but this is a viable program to develop to bring people out of their homes and onto the high street. If there are activities on the Roman road it could keep the residents in the local area shopping. All the recipes created or tested during the workshops were collected and will eventually form a recipe book for the Roman Road.

This workshop attracted 90 local people across 4 sessions. The total of cooking sessions were designed to encourage a diverse group of residents to get involved - not just through participating to the Saturday’s workshops but also helping running them and sometimes organising them. Residents were asked to share family recipes or traditional dishes which could tell more about their country of origin or their background. This skills and knowledge sharing process ensured the residents participating to the workshops would use the sessions as a linking spot. The recipes created on the day were then offered to the local community and traded as part of the Yard Market.

ACTIVATING THE STREET FRONT OF INTERACT

TESTING NEW USES FOR LOCAL ORGANIC WASTE

CREATING COMMUNITY LIFE THROUGH FOOD

ENGAGING LOCAL YOUNG COMMUNITY

CHAPTER 1 - COMMUNITY AND CULTURAL PROGRAM 1.0 > WORKSHOPS iii. RR Adventure playground workshops

Children workshops at the InterAct On the first few months of the InterAct project the site hosted a series of workshops in collaboration with the Roman Road Adventure Playground. The RR Adventure Playground is part of the community centres and the community engagement program run by Circle Housing and had been providing a space for playing and gathering for local children and families. The workshops at the InterAct included:

In addition to creating a positive collaboration with the staff at the Roman Road Adventure Playground, the workshops gave the possibility to local children regularly using the playground to learn new ways to explore their neighbourhood. Through engaging a total number of around 15/20 young members of the community, the workshops at the InterAct increased the popularity of the project and attracted local families with children to future workshops.

- a mapping game which allowed the children to explore the Old Ford estate and engage with the new space at the InterAct hub. - a drawing workshop which asked the children to create their ideal playground for the InterAct hub The drawings created during the workshops were then displayed at the hub and became part of the desing process for the youth engament programme

A ROMAN ROAD ADVENTURE

FILM WORKSHOP SATURDAY 6TH FEBRUARY 2PM-5PM INTERACT SITE ROMAN ROAD

RUNNING

TESTING NEW USES FOR LOCAL ORGANIC WASTE

CREATING COMMUNITY LIFE THROUGH FOOD

INTERACT SPACE AS A PLAYGROUND

CHAPTER 1 - COMMUNITY AND CULTURAL PROGRAM 1.0 > WORKSHOPS iv. Roman Road Comic - CASS students

Roman Road Retailer stories Some of the retailers on the Roman road are part of the heritage of the high street whilst others are constructing its modern histories. As there has been alot of retailer profiles of the older shop keepers documented by the Roman Road Trust, we decided to look into current retailer stories to complement the old. We asked where they come from, what their ambition is who they are and what they like about the Roman road. As such this comic book creates a narrtive behind the high street. Today in a climate of what IKEA calles “too much stuff” punters want a story behind a product. this very much can apply to shops. Giving personality to the shops that can draw and sustain customers. However the low budget and the cost of newspaper was too high for large circulation. The idea of a quarterly newspaper linked to the high street is something in the future plans of the Hub.

CHAPTER 1 - COMMUNITY AND CULTURAL PROGRAM 1.0 > WORKSHOPS v. Green spaces workshops

Roman road Green spaces workshop In Collaboration with local resident Thandi Loewenson. This workshop did a tour of the green spaces behind the high street before coming back to the InterAct hub and undertaking educational workshop on ecology, green spaces as places of environmental learning and bird feeder making for childrem. This led to the discussion ofn the importance of better use of green spaces for health, biodiversity and public life of the local community. This led consequently to the project with Circle housing called ‘The Wilderness project’ with its own independent funding generated by public works.

ROMAN ROAD PLAY AND OPEN SPACES What is the value of green and open spaces in your neighborhood?

Interested in joining Roman road green team? Or Promote outdoor play contact info@interacthub.org

CHAPTER 1 - COMMUNITY AND CULTURAL PROGRAM 1.0 > WORKSHOPS vi. Local history and Intangible Heritage

Local memories and stories The local memories and histories of a place rather than the 200 yesr sanctioned history adds to the unique history of the local area. Not just the conventional stories known by many but the curiosities unknown by many. The project “Wick Curiosity shop” conducted by public works over a period of several years has become an archive of curious stories, footages, songs etc for Hackney wick. It is intended that the InterAct hub can run a series of similar projects and programs to collect such local curiosities and intangible heritage. This can lead towards developing a unique identity and destination for Roman road.

Elsie Pliskin & Victor Pliskin were first cousins aged nine and six at the wedding of their cousin Minnie Pliskin, a milliner, and Barnett Cooklin, a cabinetmaker, on 11th December, 1932 at Jubilee St Great Synagogue. Victor’s winged collar was specially made by the outfitters, Mays in Whitechapel Road, next door to the Blind Beggar pub. Victor later married Irene Plisken on 11th August, 1946 in the Dunstan Rd Synagogue, Golders Green with the reception at the Regal Ballrooms, Finchley Rd. Victor was a machinist at a London tailor but was evacuated to Luton during World War II. Later he set up his own ladies’ tailoring business called ‘Renvic Modes’ and Irene became a hairdresser like her father Reuben Plisken. 26

Photography by: Boris Bennett (19001985) - Whitechapel photographer

CHAPTER 1 - COMMUNITY AND CULTURAL PROGRAM 1.0 > WORKSHOPS vi. ICON, SPIRE, GUEST HOUSE

Where are the Spires? In Conversation or collaboration with GLA a large public art commission as an iconic intervention Reinstating the church spires or just one would be a very effective way to create a local physical icon. There are precidents such as ‘Room for London’ in Southbank. This project idea was explored by Francesca Miles who engaged with St Pauls Church. Discussions and workshops were held with the church who were positive but needed a feasability study to understand its implications. Francesca Miles in this workshop explored how a Greyson Perry type commission such as “ A House for Essex” could bring a large footfall to the area through cultural vistors. The space can become an income generating guest house let through the organisation ‘Living Architecture Holidays in Modern architecture’ which would generate the church revenue and visitors to the art work would increase the footfall of the Town centre.

CHAPTER 1 - COMMUNITY AND CULTURAL PROGRAM 1.0 > WORKSHOPS vii. Civic University - Civic Classroom

poster making A group of fine art students from London Metropolitan university used the hub to make posters about issues interested to them as a group of young people. The majority of posters were around voicing their opinions about affordable living and pressures of housing affordability. They discussed the pressures on them with housing, education debt and apprehension with employment in the future. The InterAct hub acted as a classroom which has consequently become part of the initiative ‘The Civic University”. This and a series of other classes has also shown the importance of the hub as an educational platform for issues relating to city making.

CHAPTER 1 - COMMUNITY AND CULTURAL PROGRAM 1.0 > WORKSHOPS ix. Bow Her Story

Bow Her Story Bow Her story an initiative by Roman Road Trust looks at the role and heritage of women who made an impact in society. There were historically many in and around the Roman Road and we are sure there are still many today some of whom are running Roman road trust and other local organisations. Bow her story is to celebrate those who paved the way and those who are yet to become known. InterAct hub hosted their first meeting. It is agreed between RRT and public works that ‘Bow Her Story’ becomes a major part of InterAct hubs future.

CHAPTER 1 - COMMUNITY AND CULTURAL PROGRAM 1.0 > WORKSHOPS viii. Lucy Schofield and the Geezers

Dissapearing East End Artist Lucy Schofield in collaboration with InterAct hub worked with Bow Geezers in recording their stories about the pubs of East end. She produced the newspaper ‘Disseapearing east end’ and brewed the “Geezer Ale” with Truman Brewry and produced a series of Cokney slang posters which SNAP was excited to sell. The Geezers passion for retaining the memory and presence of traditional pub culture and heritage and cockney traditions are also key to the local heritage of the area.

Dissemination

Presentation of the work at the Art Pavilion by Ray Gypson

Dissappearing East End at the Roman road market

“Where has my boozer gone”

CHAPTER 1 - COMMUNITY AND CULTURAL PROGRAM 1.0 > WORKSHOPS x. Debate on culture and town centre

Culture and town centres A debate was held at InterAct hub inviting Roman road Trust and other experts in the field to discuss what it means to create bring footfall to Town centres using Art,Culture and Heritage. The major take home message was that quality public art is site-specific and attuned to locality’s social, economic, and environmental context. When Public art is embedded it can contributes to urban design and the revitalization of civic infrastructure; enhance and personalize public space; comment on environmental and social conditions; and activate civic dialogue. In the case of Roman road apart from placemaking it also can contribute to developing destination high streets. There was also critiques around culture and gentrification and some mechanisms to be aware of to reduce the negative aspects of gentrification. There was controversial recognition that gentrification can also be positive upto a point “Tipping point” after that point it becomes negative where lower incomes are pushed out. It was believed an active community group a strong cultural strategy and management structure and close collaboration with policy makers can control and maintain gentrification at its positive condition. The activities of the arts and culture sector and local economic vitality are connected in many ways. Arts, culture, and creativity can: 1- Improve a community’s competitive edge; 2- Create a foundation for defining a sense of place; 3-Attract new and visiting populations; 4-Integrate the visions of community and business leaders; and contribute to the development of a skilled workforce.

When discussed in relationship to economic growth and development it was believed that traditional outcomes of economic development in planning include job creation, increased tax revenues, increased property values, increased retail activity, and more sustained economic vitality.

It was discussed that these goals are often pursued through programs such as workforce development, recruitment, amenity packages for firms, local property investment, and policies that support business. When combined with creative approaches, these traditional programs can create a richer context for economic development. Economic development approaches that integrate arts and culture are usually combinations of facility-centric, people-oriented, and program-based approaches. Development of a venue, cultural center, incubator space, or creative district is an example of a facility-centric method, while a people-oriented approach could include facilitating arts professionals’ development by approving live-work spaces, supporting arts centers, creating cooperative marketing opportunities, or commissioning artworks. Program-based approaches target a specific issue within a community, such as developing an arts program — whether gardening, community engaged public art, or public art as display. These approaches are used to address the issue of vacant property; promoting health education or footfall through local arts festival, exhibitions, or performances or plays with health or heritage themes; or displaying artwork in vacant shop fronts to attract passersby and enliven an area. Whether targeting economic improvement through facilities, people, programs, or all three, creative strategies can strengthen economic vitality

CHAPTER 1 - COMMUNITY AND CULTURAL PROGRAM 2.0 > INTERACT OPEN TO THE COMMUNITY xi. Roman road public living room

Roman road public living room InterAct hub before the roof construction was opened up in the summer as a public living room to local groups. There was Karam playing, a series of tea and biscuit mornings and a birthday party. This method is rather precarious and is not something that will play a major role in the future of the InterAct hub. We will however be open to communities who wish to use it.

KIDS BIRTHDAY PARTY

KARAM PLAYING

CHAPTER 1 - COMMUNITY AND CULTURAL PROGRAM 3.0 > COMMUNITY MAKING xi. Roof building workshop at the InterAct site

Making as education We were keen that the construction of the roof became part of a workshop teaching basic skills in construction.

join us next week and learn

how to build a roof under £500 DATES: Construction week: 15-19 February Morning: 10am-1pm Afternoon: 2pm - 6pm Inauguration: Saturday 20th of February 12pm - 4pm WHERE InterAct site, Carpark, Ford Road E3 5NS London, uK For more info and to reserve a place please email us at info@interacthub.org

Roman Road >> CHAPTER 2 SUPPORTING ROMAN ROAD TRUST

CHAPTER 2 - SUPPORTING LOCAL INITIATIVES 1.0 > RR NEIGHBOURHOOD FORUM i. Hosting Neighbourhood Forums meetings

Hosting Neighbourhood Forums meetings The InterAct hub held a neighbourhood forum meeting at the hub and has been supporting the neighbourhood forum and the development of the neighbourhood plan through: 1- As advisers on community engagement strategies 2- Graphics and poster making 3- Formal applications to the council for boundary designation 4- Urban mapping and drawings as required 5- Offering the hub as and when required. We also offered a consultation walk for the Neighbourhood forum with important local urban issues. The event was called “High street reimagined” as seen on image below.

BIG CHANGES ARE HAPPENING IN YOUR NEIGHBOURHOOD! MORE GREEN

SUPPORT FOR THE COMMUNITY

FOR A FLOURISHING HIGH STREET

SAFER AND CLEANER ROADS

SUPPORT FOR LOCAL BUSINESSES & MARKETS

CELEBRATE THE HISTORY AND CULTURES

Do you want to help shape the future of Roman Road and the surrounding area?

CHAPTER 2 - SUPPORTING LOCAL INITIATIVES 2.0 > THE YARD MARKET iii. Saturday Yard Market

Between the beginning of the year and autumn 2016 the carpark near St, Paul’s church in Roman Road saw the Roman Road Trust organising the Saturday Yard Market. Every other weekend, on Saturdays, the Yard Market hosted a total of around 20 stalls between local makers, traders and food stalls. The market was a great occasion for the InterAct hub to open to the community and present its cultural programme. On top of running workshops for the community each Saturday, the InterAct hub also provided a storage space for the Yard Market, allowing the Roman Road Trust to store all benches and tables inside the hub. We could say the Yard Market and the InterAct developed a relationship based on support which benefitted both projects.

ENGAGEMENT PROCESS WITH LOCAL ARTISTS & RESIDENTS

EVENTS IN LOCAL COMMUNITY CENTRES AND SHOPS

CHAPTER 2 - SUPPORTING LOCAL INITIATIVES 2.0 > THE YARD MARKET iv. The Queens Birthday Party (2016)

In April 2016 the InterAct hub, together with the RR Yard Market hosted the Queens Birthday Party lead by local resident Clare Burgess of the Roman Road Trust. The festival included a makers market stalls, food stalls, a bake off competition marquee and making workshops for adults and children. On the day the InterAct Hub was transformed into a craft workshop making medals and ribbons to celebrate the occasion - this was run by a local artist with the assistance of few CASS architecture students.

The red hut photo-booth was organised in order to support the RR Neighbourhood Forum activities and the re-drawing of the neighbourhood boundary happening nearby. The set up at the InterAct site and inside the red hut allowed the project to engage a total of around 150 people throughout the day.

The InterAct red hut was transformed into a photobooth asking the local community to become Queen and King of Roman Road for a day and have the power to propose a change or an idea for the neighbourhood.

THE HUB USED AS A QUIRKY PHOTOBOOTH TO PLAYFULLY ENGAGE LOCAL RESIDENTS

THEME BASED CRAFT WORKSHOPS AT THE INTERACT

CHAPTER 2 - SUPPORTING LOCAL INITIATIVES 2.0 > THE YARD MARKET v. Roman Road Summer Festival 2016

The Roman Road Summer Festival in August 2016 allowed the InterAct project to test the first session of cooking workshops at the InterAct hub. Each Festival was a good occasion for the project to propose to the community different possible skill sharing workshops, spanning from craft to cooking,local identity and gardening. The wokrshops took place during the festival day and were designed to integrate making and discussion on neighbourhood related topics.

The first session of the RR cooking workshop included the making of summer chutneys and marmelade and attracted a total crowd of around 25/30 residents, 15 of which also joined future workshops.

The consistency of workshops - one for each festival - allowed the Interact project to ensure a number of local residents would enage with the project regularly and sign up for more workshops in the future.

EACH RR FESTIVAL COINCIDED WITH THE TESTING OF A NEW WORKSHOP AT THE INTERACT

FESTIVALS CREATING CONNECTIONS BETWEEN HIGH STREET AND INTERACT HUB

CHAPTER 2 - SUPPORTING LOCAL INITIATIVES 2.0 > THE YARD MARKET vi. Roman Road Christmas Festival 2016

On the second weekend of December 2016 the InterAct hub saw the space being taken over by the Roman Road Chrismas Fair. The InterAct hub became for one day only the Santa Claus Grotto The space was transformed to accommodate workshops and was available throughout the day for familiies and kids to visit the Grotto. During the day the Grotto gathered many local and visiting families which also engaged with the InterAct red hut which hosted the Roman Road Neighbourhood Forum. Most of the Roman Road Trust festivals and events throughout the year also helped support the Neighbourhood Forum activities, allowing members of the public to sign up for the RRNF newsletter and get involved with the forum meetings.

INTERACT HUT REPRESENTING RR NEIGHBOURHOOD FORUM

THE INTERACT HUB USED AS A GROTTO

Roman Road >> CHAPTER 3 ARTISTS RESIDENCIES

CHAPTER 3 - ART EXHIBITIONS ON ROMAN ROAD 1.0 > ART EXHIBITIONS i. Roman Road: from Past to Present’

Roman Road: from Past to Present’ ‘Down the Roman..from Past to Present’ was a two weeks exhibition over April 2016 gathering the work of fourteen local and visiting artists working on Roman Road and East London. The exhibition took place at the InterAct hub, in some local community centres, inside shops and in the windows of local shops and businesses along the Roman Road. Bringing together around 15 works and a number of events, the exhibition was the fruit of a collaboration between the InterAct site, The CASS students in residency at Roman Road and curator Katja Rosenberg and Art Catcher. In effect the project was lead by Katja Rosenberg who is an active artist locally.

curated an exhibitions ‘A New Home’ and ‘Misbehaviour’ at the Mile End Park Art Pavillion, and ‘I dreamed I saw saint Augustine’ at St. Augustine’s Tower in Hackney. The exhibition was also the result of a wider collaboration between the participating artists and a number of shop-keepers on the Roman Road, with most of the works exhibited in the shops, restaurants, supermarkets and hairdressers on the road. This collaboration between artists and local businesses contribute to the creation of an exciting art trail along the high street available to the view of local residents and visitors.

Katja Rosenberg and Art Catcher, had recently

Patsy Hans in G.Kelly PIe shop

Dan Jones at the Chesterfield cafè

Jairo Zaldua & Nicola Green screenprinting workshop at the InterAct site

Paul Tucker at AGE UK

57 Edward Firth at Hairdresser

map of artists exhibiting in roman road:

CHAPTER 3 - ART EXHIBITIONS ON ROMAN ROAD 1.0 > ART EXHIBITIONS ii. Roman Road: from Past to Present’ - MAP

Lucy Schofield

FOLLOW asterisk

@The old Hand and Flower pub - 72 Parnell Road @The Saucy Kipper - E3 2RW @Inci Food store - E3 2RN @The City Bridge hotel - E2 0QN @g.kelly pie shop - E3 5ES @The Albert - E3 5EL @Bairstow eves - E3 5LU @Domino’s Pizza - E3 5LX

46 E

@ interact hub

e Jairo Zaldua and Nicola Green

OPENING OF EXHIBITION - 23 APRIL [NOON-4PM]

InterAct, Carpark, Ford Road, E3 5NS

@THE Chesterfield m Gini Wade n DAN JONES

'Generations of stories’ - thursday 28 7-9pm [see event section]

CLO DANE

345 Roman Rd, London E3 5QR

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bingo night - friday 29 6-8pm [see event section]

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Appian Court Resource Centre, 87 Parnell Rd, London E3 2RS

@ Eleanor Arms

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60 Old Ford Rd, London E3 5JP

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526 Roman Rd, London E3 5ES

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a Farah Ishaq b Hanna von Behr

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516 Roman Road, Bow, London, E3 5ES

CHAPTER 3 - ART EXHIBITIONS ON ROMAN ROAD 1.0 > ART EXHIBITIONS iii. Roman Road: from Past to Present’ - EVENTS

As part of the ‘Down the Roman..from Past to Present’ exhibition the Roman Road became the location for multiple events and workshops taking place during the two weeks exhibition. Some of the events took place at the InterAct site - including the opening event with the presentation of the work by some of the artists and the curator Katja Rosemberg. Bringing the art work to the street and inside the shops allowed the exhibition to initiate a collaboration between local artists and shopowners - with some of the shops displaying the work even after the exhibition was over. Some of the events included: *A screenprinting workshop

*Story telling from lost memories at cafes * Making drawings on shop windows Due to minimal funding the publicity and number of artists was not sufficient but speaking to shop keepers who hosted the artists, it brought people through their doors. However such a program in the future would need a strategic thinking about how customers through the door can result in higher income for shops. In case of events in cafes, sales went up but in cases of paintings on walls people walked in and out and those in shop windows didnt even enter the shops. However the idea of shops as platforms for cultural display as part of a larger placemaking strategy and destination is worth further development.

*A Bingo night at Age UK as part of the “Home to Home” photograohic project by Paul Tucker.

ENGAGEMENT PROCESS WITH LOCAL ARTISTS & RESIDENTS

EVENTS IN LOCAL COMMUNITY CENTRES AND SHOPS

CHAPTER 3 - ART EXHIBITIONS ON ROMAN ROAD 2.0 > OTHER LOCAL EXHIBITIONS iii. Participation to TRADITIONS - Mile End Pavillion

InterAct participated in the TRADITIONS exhibition at the Mile End Park Art Pavilion. The exhibition was organised and curated by ArtCatcher. InterAct exhibitted a show on traditions where civil society has made positive change in city making. This was also to highlight the big role Roman road trust have made locally Event 1: Self-organised city A workshop/conversation, looking at examples of the traditions passed on by self-organised groups and practices effecting urban change in the UK and in East London. Looking at the adventure playground movement, urban farms and co-operative living all self organised traditions carrying specific knowledge which needs to be shared. Event 2: Your secret garden An afternoon workshop to create an archive of all the gardening traditions, plants,secrets and tips from East London to West Bengal and beyond.

Hester Bucks from public works, who has currently secured funding to create a wildlife garden and an Orchard locally, guided the participants in the making of a map of local traditions in supporting nature. This project expands InterActs collaboration with ‘Growing concern’, ‘Chisenhale schoo”, ‘Circle residents’ and Old Ford School. Event 3: Our Roots and our Future open Evening about local Tradition and Ritual to support Future Change, run by Roman Road Neighbourhood Forum.

CHAPTER 3 - ART EXHIBITIONS ON ROMAN ROAD 3.0 > DISAPPEARING EAST END iii. Lucy Schofield and the Geezers

Roman Road >> CHAPTER 4 COLLABORATORS

CHAPTER 4 - COLLABORATORS 1.0 > INTERACT COLLABORATORS i. Roman Road Trust ii. Roman Road Neighbourhood forum

The Future of InterAct hub will be a collaboration between Roman road Trust and public works. The section at the end of this report about the future of InterAct hub has been developed with some collaborative conversations. Torange Khonsari from public works was asked to become a director of Roman road Trust.

INTERACT SUPPORTING TO ORGANISATION OF EVENTS

public works and InterAct hub has supported the Neighbourhood plan for Roman Road Bow and will continue to do so.

SUPPORTING RRNF OPEN MEETINGS

CHAPTER 4 - COLLABORATORS 1.0 > INTERACT COLLABORATORS iii. Clarion Housing

InterAct hub and public works recently secured funding for a community garden and orchard behind the high street behind Butley Court. The housing association has recently become Clarion Housing.

EVENTS IN LOCAL COMMUNITY CENTRES AND SHOPS

Other collaborations have been: Apart from major organisational collaborations already mentioned, InterAct hub collaborated with: - The Cass architecture students - The Cass Fine art students - The Cass visual communication students - Curator Katja Rosenberg - The Geezers - Residents at Clarion housing - St Pauls Church - Artist Lucy Schofield - Roman road Adventure playground Retailers: - Le table Saveur - SNAP - Dennigntons - Chesterfield - G.Kellys - The Roman Tackle - Polish Delicatessan - Roman’s Bargain store - Bell Pharmacy - Dharma Tatoo - Roman road cupcakes

Roman Road >> CHAPTER 5 INTERACT CLASSROOM

CHAPTER 1 - INTERACT CLASSROOM DELIVERING URBAN IDEAS 1.0 > InterAct class room

As part of an initiative ‘The Civic University’ I nterAct hub tested how a series of classes can contribute to the local town centre development. Although there were alot of ideas generated it became clear that what the local area really needed was the hands on implementation of ideas, raising funds to support existing local authority funds and involving ethnically diverse groups in decison making. The Civic University project with 3 other civic classrooms in London will be something InterAct hub as a project will develop. The drawings opposit show how open green space behind the Roman road market area can be developed to make it part of the high street and add to its public realm. Turning existing garages into street food and maker spaces turns the currently green space into an active public space.

SUMMARY

>> CONCLUSION

From all the activities that InterAct hub has tested and created over the period of 2016-2017, we have identified below categories to take forward in order to positively contribute to placemaking. These activities and programs are very much in line with LBTH policies and aspirations for 2020 as part of the boroughs ‘community plan’. (See image opposit with outlined priorities).

The Categories that InterAct hub could develop are:

HERITAGE

Once developed and formalised in collaboration with specific local touristic operators, this aspect can create a very strong identity for the Roman road East and West and become a model to follow for other Tower hamlet areas and Town centres:

1- Oral histories of today (Geezers and other local residents) 2- past local history (Bow Her Story)

EDUCATION

Aspirations such as ethnic diversity integration, community empowerment, community responsibility and addressing health inequalities are most successful through playful, cultural projects and informal settings rather than formal educational and classroom contexts which alienates the community one is addressing. public works has experince of this across the UK and different London Boroughs which has lead to their Tate Modern supported project “ Civic University”. This program will be a collaborative one which will need detailed development of it as a program and a project. The educational program will address: 1- Health - eating, environment, fitness 2- Empowering diverse communities in getting involved in city making and development

OPEN GREEN SPACES

There are abundance of open green spaces behind the high street on land which is now owned by Clarion as opposed to Circle. This category through the projects it initiates will address both issues of protecting green spaces for community and health.

1- The “Wilderness project” has already been initiated and fundraised for by public works in collaboration with Clarion residents and local schools and Growing concern

NEWSPAPER

Building on the comic developed by The Cass students for Roman road, a strategy to get the word out about activities based on the above placemaking programs is key. On evaluating the comic experience, the lack of funds for large distribution and accessibility was an issue. This time we need to establish what is the best and most effective mode of operation (is it a one page add in the metro rather than a full newspaper?)

ART AND CULTURE

Those regeneration bodies that have understood the benefits of involving the right type of arts strategy in their developments have seen better placemaking. This is reinforced in Mayor of London’s “Culture on high street’ and also if LBTH would apply for cultural borough of London which would gain funding towards art and cultural projects

MAKING THE INTERACT HUB A PERMANANT STRUCTURE WITH SERVICING

Way Forward & Action plan

GOING FORWARD AND PRIORATIES

ACTION PLAN

Going forward, the development of InterAct hub will be a partnership between Roman Road Trust, public works and Clarion. These partnerships may extend over the course of the project but currently conversations are being held between the 3 parties towards the hubs aims and objectives embedded within the summary categories in the previous section.

1- public works to speak to GLA art and cultural section to see if there are large grants for such an ambitious cultural project as town centre destination.

There will need to be MOA between the parties about responsibilities, roles and liabilities which is what is being discussed currently. The above categories will be discussed and developed to ensure all parties benefit from them based on their organisations aims and objectives. It is likely that InterAct hub as a project and hub becomes its own constituted organisation.

2- Identify funds for each of the categories summarised. Identify human resources for making funding applications 3- Speak to CREAT and ask if they would be interested in leading large parts of the cultural project 4- Meet with Clarion about the open spaces program and InterAct hub becoming permenant 5- public works has identified ‘Land Aid” as funding body that can support the capital costs for this. 6- Raise funds to design and make planning application for the permenant InterAct hub. 7- Make official partnership plans with Civic University to set up an official civic classroom on the Roman road. 8- Discussions on aims and objectives of the project and how that can satisfy all partners priorities. 9- Discussions on legal and liability of the space. 10 - Develop ideas of the InterAct hub towards a future social enterprise

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Document by: public works Torange Khonsari Carlotta Novella