Southwark Creates newsletter

Southwark Presents /  Southwark Creates / September 2020 Southwark Creates artwork
Welcome to the October edition of theSouthwark Creates newsletter

Firstly, congratulations to South London Gallery for their success on being named joint winners of Art Fund Museum of the Year, and to the Guyana-born Southwark-based British artist Frank Bowling, choreographer Siobhan Davies and the chair of Mountview Vikki Heywood who have respectively been awarded a knighthood and damehood in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List 2020. The last week has also brought the welcome news that 55 organisations in Southwark have been awarded grants from the Culture Recovery Fund.  

We wish Southwark Park Galleries and the Drawing Room the best of luck as they reopen this month. As more cultural organisations start to re-open in Southwark we will be shining a spotlight on the amazing work taking place behind the scenes. If you would like to share your experiences of this process in the next newsletter please do let us know.

In the meantime, Arts Council England have taken a look at the hugely positive contribution that the creative industries and the cultural sector make to the UK economy by commissioning three new research pieces by the Centre for Economic and Business Research (CEBR) and Metrodynamics. Read the full story here.

Black History Month 2020 provides us with an opportunity to celebrate the achievements, contributions and histories of Black people in the UK and around the world. This year we have supported 33 local organisations/artists to produce a wide range of events and activities from a digital patchwork quilt and poems by prize-winning poet Jenny Mitchell to interdisciplinary live-streamed concerts showcasing Black British musicians. Read more here.

If you have a specific query or are looking for further support please contact the Culture Team via email culture@southwark.gov.uk. We’re here to help!

#KeepSouthwarkSafe
#HereForCulture

Get involved

Join the Centre for Cultural Value’s online festival of ideas 2-13 November. Ten days of free online events, probing and questioning the value of culture through a series of discussions, debates and hands-on workshops. Read more and sign up here.

#HereForCulture campaign has launched to help support Britain’s globally renowned arts, culture and heritage industries. Please support and show you are #HereForCulture by sharing the assets in this toolkit across your social media channels.

The Audience Agency – Digital Audience Survey. A new free survey to give you a comparative snapshot of your digital audiences as you adapt your online offer. Request a digital audience survey here.

Networking

Creative Network Southwark – A network of individuals and organisations working in the creative sector in Southwark, run by Community Southwark. Check out the website for details on the next meeting.

Rye Here Rye Now – A Peckham-based meet up, for graphic designers, illustrators, design thinkers, photographers, filmmakers, artists and other creatives. Check out the website for details on the next meeting.

Outdoor Arts UK provides an informal sector network weekly drop-in, plus one to ones with a member of the Outdoor Arts UK team are available. Read more.

Visit Southwark Creates / Networking for more opportunities

Funding

Unlimited is an arts commissioning programme that enables new work by disabled artists to reach UK and international audiences. Deadline 27 October. Find out more here.

The Culture Recovery Fund for Independent Cinemas is intended for independent cinemas across England whose businesses have been unavoidably interrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Deadline 30 October 2020. Find out more here.

Garfield Weston Foundation has announced a £25m one-off fund to support museums, performing and visual arts organisations across the UK. Deadline 9 November 2020. Find out more here.

The Architectural Heritage Fund announces a new £1 million grant programme to support charities and social enterprises occupying historic buildings to develop new business plans and strategies in light of the COVID-19 crisis. Deadline 9 November 2020. Find out more here

The Paul Hamlyn Foundation has reopened the Teacher Development Fund (TDF) for applications. Grants of up to £150K for primary schools working together with arts & cultural organisations. Deadline 20 November 2020. Find out more here.

Arts Council England Developing your Creative Practice is for individuals who are cultural and creative practitioners and want to take time to focus on their creative development. If you’re thinking of taking your practice to the next stage, DYCP can help by supporting research, time to create new work, travel, training, developing ideas, networking or mentoring. Find out more here

Arts Council England National Lottery Project Grants reopened for applications, with a budget of £59.8 million available until April 2021. The fund will focus on the needs of smaller independent organisations and individual practitioners. Find out more here.

Visit Southwark Creates / Funding for more opportunities

Business support

Southwark Council provides support and information for businesses and employers on the Council’s website. To contact the Council about support available or issues affecting your business, please email SouthwarkBusinessDesk@southwark.gov.uk

Guidance on working safely during the coronavirus (COVID-19) for employers, workers and the self-employed Read more. 

Information on local COVID alert levels, including what they mean, why they are being introduced and what the different levels are. Read more.

NHS app and test and trace Businesses and venues that are already required to collect visitor details for test and trace must also by law display NHS QR codes for visitors using the new NHS app. If your business collects test and trace data, please read the FAQs about what is required and use this tool to generate your QR code posters.

Visit Southwark Creates / Business Support for more opportunities

Training and short courses

Visit the Council’s Stay-at-Home Library of Things To Do to discover a range of online learning activities. There are also lots of one-off short courses being delivered online and virtual courses via the Adult Learning Centre.

Start-ups in London Libraries.  Free workshops developing your business idea to marketing masterclasses, check out the courses running in October. Sign up here.

UAL Creative Computing Institute. Learn new skills, pursue your interests or advance your career with short online courses. From constructing your own video games to designing a feminist chatbot. Check out the free courses and sign up here.

Stride makes space for creativity and innovation to thrive in South London. They create opportunity, develop talent and support creative and tech enterprises. Be the first to know about Stride programmes and initiatives. Sign up here.

Visit Southwark Creates / Talent Development for more opportunities
Resources

Southwark Stands Together. The report is now available to downlod here. The section on Culture begins on page 12 and the sectionon Reinventing and Renewing the Public Realm begins on page 18. You may also be interested in reading about the updated Council Plan, which is available online here.

New Covid-19 planning guidance published for UK festivals. Includes contributions from across the festival industry working in collaboration with DCMS and Public Health England. Read more.

Jobs and opportunities

Engagement Curator (Maternity Cover). The Drawing Room is seeking an Engagement Curator, a position funded by the Bridget Riley Art Foundation, to lead their ground-breaking programme which aims to make both the practice of drawing and the appreciation of drawings accessible to a diverse audience. Deadline 20 October 2020. Read more and apply here.

The Michael O’Pray Prize, is a Film and Video Umbrella initiative, in partnership with Art Monthly for new writing on innovation and experimentation in the moving image. The prize is open to all early-career writers based in the UK . Deadline 22 October 2020. Reed more and apply here.

Interim Youth & Adult Learning Officer. South London Theatre is looking for someone to kick-start their adult learning programme and re-invigorate their youth group. 6 month contract 21 hours/week £18/hour, includes Saturdays during term times. Deadline 21 October 2020. Read more and apply here.

Siobhan Davies Studios are offering artist support to dance artists, choreographers and others working in the dance sector. Sessions for October have now been released. Find out more.

Creative Bursaries for Southwark Students – Ten new Bursaries o£2,500 each for academic year 2020/21 for Southwark secondary students to study at Camberwell College of Arts, UAL and London College of Communication, UAL. In partnership with University of the Arts London (UAL), these Bursaries are provided by Southwark Council. To register your interest, please email scholarshipapplications@arts.ac.uk and UAL’s Student Funding Service will contact all students who have completed the enrolment process in October 2020.

Help keep Southwark safe

Southwark Council is monitoring the COVID-19 infection rates on a daily basis and our numbers are increasing. It is still a threat and we all need to do all we can to prevent the spread of this virus and protect
our family, friends and communities. A high proportion of new cases are for people aged 18–34. We also know that most transmission is still amongst family and friends.

If you’re visiting family or going out with friends you must:
keep your distance from other people at all
a face covering in shops and on public transport
wash your hands regularly.

Get a test as soon as possible if you have coronavirus symptoms (a high temperature, a new persistent cough or a loss or change to your sense of smell or taste). You must also self-isolate, as should members of your household and anyone in your support bubble.

#KeepSouthwarkSafe

Southwark Presents…

Southwark Presents

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If you would like to share an offer with Southwark Presents card holders please email culture@southwark.gov.uk.Tell me more…
To get the latest special offers and cultural news, sign up to the Southwark Presents newsletter. Next time you’re passing one of our libraries, why not pop in to register for your own Southwark Presents card? Visit Southwark Presents for the latest events in the borough
Contact us
Southwark Council
Culture and Events Team
PO Box 64529
London SE1 5LX

COVID-19: Urgent information as London moves into Level 2 restrictions


Kieron Williams Header
Dear resident

COVID-19 numbers are rising rapidly in Southwark and across London. From midnight tomorrow (Friday) the whole of London will move to ‘Level 2’ restrictions, which means we must all follow extra rules to help stop the spread of COVID-19.Rates have been rising rapidly in Southwark and across London and are now classed as HIGH. We need to act now to help save lives and livelihoods.

New rules for London

New restrictions will be in place in Southwark and London. The key new rule that affects us all is:

You must not socialise with anybody other than members of your household or support bubble in any indoor setting, whether at home or in a public place

The attached leaflet sets out more information on the new rules, which include:

Social mixing between households is not allowed indoors, including in homes, pubs or restaurants.
The ‘Rule of Six’ will continue to apply outdoors, including in private gardens.
Restaurants, cafes and pubs can remain open but must close by 10pm, and will need to follow the ban on households mixing indoors
Retail, schools, public transport and universities will remain open.

You can also read the government guidance for more detail about the new restrictions.

Continue to follow national guidance

The new measures are in addition to the national rules and guidance so please continue to:

1. Keep your distance
2. Wash your hands
3. Wear a face covering
4. Self-isolate if you have symptoms while you arrange a test, or if you are advised to because you have been near to someone else who has tested positive

If you are worried about the impact of the new restrictions, or about self-isolating, there is support available. Whether you have a practical concern like how you will get groceries, a mental health issue like being alone, or how it will affect your finances – the council can help. Our Community Hub is still available to offer advice and support.

Visit http://www.southwark.gov.uk/covidsupport for more information or contact the Community Hub at covidsupport@southwark.gov.uk or call 020 7525 5000.

Alongside the support the council is providing, I will be continuing to urge Government to ensure that additional financial support is in place for individuals and local businesses who are affected by the restrictions.I know this is an unsettling time for residents and I want to say thank you for everything you are doing to help keep us all safe. The new restrictions will be very hard for us all, especially for those who have already sacrificed a great deal for the sake of their own health and that of others. However, it is so important that we act now, before the rates spiral out of control, and many more lives are needlessly lost.

Thank you for helping to keep Southwark safe.

Cllr Kieron Williams
Leader of Southwark Council

Covid-19: an update for Southwark residents

Covid cases are increasing in SouthwarkCovid-19: what you need to knowCovid-19 numbers are rising rapidly in Southwark and across London. Sadly, the number of hospital admissions and deaths is also rising. It’s as important as ever that we all do everything we can to reduce the spread of the virus. Self-isolate and get tested if you have symptomsIf you have coronavirus symptoms you must self-isolate and get a free test.You are now legally required to self-isolate, if you’ve tested positive or been told to by the test and trace service. People who don’t self-isolate when required could now be fined. Keep washing your hands, social distancing and wear a face coveringIn addition to the new rules we must keep washing our hands regularly, keep our distance from others (and not meet with more than six people), and wear a face covering in shops and on transport.Businesses must display a contact tracing posterBusinesses and some other organisations must download and display a QR code poster for customers and visitors to support contract tracing.Download the Test and Trace appYou can now download the national test and trace app. The app has a number of features including alerting users if they have been near other app users who have tested positive for coronavirus. Find out more about the app.Most children are now back in schoolMost children in Southwark are now back at school and we want to say a big thank you to our schools, teachers and families who for working together to keep everyone safe. Where there have been some Covid-19 cases in schools, the bubble arrangements have worked well, and although we know having to isolate can be inconvenient for families, we are hugely grateful to everyone in helping to keep Southwark safe and stop the spread of Covid-19.Other updatesCheck out what’s on for Black History MonthThere’s a variety of online and Covid-secure offline activities happening for Black History Month.Hear four poems by award-winning poet Jenny Mitchell from her lost language collectionJoin borough archivist Dr Patricia Dark, in an exploration of the history of Southwark’s pre-Windrush Black community on 13 October (in a virtual event on Zoom)Celebrate Black history and submit a digital image for our Southwark Stands Together digital patchwork quiltSee all our Black History Month listings.Have your say on our prioritiesWe’ve drafted an updated council plan which sets out our priorities until May 2022. Have we got our priorities right? Give your views on our draft council plan by 20 October.Get your free flu jabIf you’re eligible, make sure you get your free flu vaccination to protect yourself and those around you from the flu virus. It’s more important than ever this year. Ask your pharmacist or GP today.Get help to quit smokingIf you’re trying to stop smoking this October, you can get free online and telephone support to help you quit smoking for good.Have you seen the giant mural on Old Kent Road?Proposition Studios at Surrey Wharf is transforming a corner of Old Kent Road with an amazing, temporary work of art, ahead of redevelopment.Could you foster a child?If you have a spare room and have a flexible job, and if you’re energetic and a good listener, you could consider becoming a foster carer. Give your views on Victory ParkGive your views on three designs for Victory Park, near the Elephant and Castle. If you’d like play areas, an outdoor gym, table tennis, picnic benches and more, complete our survey by 23 October.An update on the Bakerloo Line extensionSouthwark and Lewisham councils remain fully committed to the Bakerloo Line extension, following TfL’s announcement regarding funding. Read the joint statement.Housing updates:Work with us on our Great Estates programmeGreat Estates is about celebrating our council estates, encouraging integration, making them clean, safe and cared for, and a great place to live. Let us know your views on our commitments and the ones we’d like you to make at by 18 October.Nominate yourself to become your local housing forum chairIf you live in a council home you can nominate yourself to be chair of your local housing forum. This will help make sure meetings are relevant and shaped by residents. Experience in chairing meetings is not necessary as training and support will be given. Nominate yourself to represent your housing forum in the tenants’ or homeowners’ forum You can now also nominate yourself to represent your local forum at the new tenants’ or homeowners’ forum. This might be for you, if you are able to commit to attend about nine evening meetings a year. You don’t need to have previous experience as we will offer free training and support.

VAWG (violence against women and girls Consultation

The Safer Communities Team is seeking the views and experiences of service users/survivors of all forms of VAWG (violence against women and girls). This will help them shape future services from April 2022.

As part of this process, an online survey is now live on the consultation hub via the following link:

https://consultations.southwark.gov.uk/environment-leisure/violence-against-women-and-girls-services

I ask that you complete if you can. The closing date is Monday 5 October, 20.

Judy Wills

Empowering Communities Programme Officer

North West Area (Borough & Bankside, Chaucer, London Bridge & West Bermondsey and St George’s)

Communities Division| Environment & Leisure Department

160 Tooley Street, London, SE1 2QH

message from Cllr Kieron Williams, the new Leader of Southwark Council

Kieron Williams HeaderDear resident

It is an honour to be elected as Leader of Southwark Council. As Leader, I want to work with everyone in Southwark to keep building a better future and unlocking the amazing potential I see in every part of our community.  

Never has that potential been clearer than during this pandemic. Seeing volunteers, frontline workers, public services, charities, faith groups and businesses all step up together has been truly inspiring. I want to thank you all for the part you have played. Your actions have shown incredible strength and resilience.

Sadly the pandemic is far from over and our continued response to COVID-19 remains our top priority. Cases and hospital admissions are rising across London and much of the UK. If action isn’t taken quickly, we risk seeing another dramatic rise in hospitalizations and, tragically, deaths.

I welcome the additional restrictions that have been introduced this week – further information about these is below – and I have joined the Mayor of London in calling for further targeted restrictions in London to help keep us all safe.Although COVID-19 is the most pressing and urgent issue we face, it is not our only challenge. The unequal impact of the pandemic on different communities has shone a light on wider inequalities and injustice in our society. My ambition as Leader is to unite communities in Southwark so we can break down that inequality, and not just rebuild from the crisis, but build something better. A Southwark where everyone has a home, where everyone can get a decent job, where we end our carbon emissions and where everyone is empowered to make the best of their life.

I look forward to working with you to continue to build a better future for the people of Southwark.

Thank you and stay safe.

Kieron

Update on new Covid-19 rules
This week the government announced a tightening of Covid restrictions in a number of areas and also launched its new Test and Trace app.

Self-isolating is a legal requirement from 28 September
From 28 September you are legally required to self-isolate, if you’ve tested positive or been told to by the test and trace service. People who don’t self-isolate when required could now be fined. If you need to self-isolate and you’re on a low income and can’t work from home, you may be eligible for £500 hardship payment. We are waiting for further details from the government about how this will work.

New rules for pubs, restaurants and shops
Some businesses need to follow updated rules where appropriate. This includes shop staff wearing face coverings, and pubs and restaurants closing by 10pm and implementing table service only.

Businesses must display a contact tracing poster
Businesses and some other organisations must download and display a QR code poster for customers and visitors to support contract tracing.

Download the Test and Trace app
You can now download the national test and trace app. The app has a number of features including alerting users if they have been near other app users who have tested positive for coronavirus. Find out more about the app.

Changes for indoor sports and weddings
Indoor team sports can now only be played by a maximum of six people. Weddings can now only have a maximum of 15 guests.

Keep washing your hands, social distancing and wear a face covering
In addition to the new rules we must keep washing our hands regularly, keep our distance from others (and not meet with more than six people), and wear a face covering in shops and on transport.

Self-isolate and get tested if you have symptoms
If you have coronavirus symptoms you must self-isolate and get a free test.

Update: Covid-19 cases are increasing in Southwark, and a farewell message from Cllr Peter John

Cllr Peter John OBE
Dear resident

This is my last message to you before I step down as Leader of Southwark Council on Wednesday, and I wish I was saying goodbye at a happier time.

I must tell you that the number of Covid-19 cases in Southwark has been increasing. Numbers are now rising across London and much of the country. We all need to help prevent the spread of the virus by following the rules. We must all:
wash our hands regularly
wear a face covering on transport and in enclosed spaces
keep our distance from others (and now only meet socially with up to six people)
self-isolate and get tested if we have symptoms.

When the COVID-19 pandemic first hit London back in March, I decided to stay on and help Southwark and London navigate the crisis. I’m proud of the way our borough and city have supported residents and businesses, and although we still have tough times ahead, we are in a much better place to handle a second wave than we were back in the spring. I can’t put off my departure forever, and so on Wednesday I will step down and a new Leader will be elected by Council Assembly.

I became Leader in 2010 and over the last ten years I have led the borough through good times and bad. We have celebrated the Olympics, welcomed Her Majesty the Queen to the Shard, and always delivered on our commitments – from free healthy school meals to free swim and gym, introducing the London Living Wage and the ethical care charter, to making every council home warm, dry and safe and committing to building 11,000 new council homes. But it is what we should always be doing as a good local council – thinking radically to help our residents and improving their life chances.

Of course, we have also faced austerity, riots, terror, the housing crisis and the dreadful fallout from the Grenfell tragedy, and throughout made the right – sometimes difficult – choices for our residents.

As Leader I have always been clear that we should never tolerate anyone failing to reach their potential because of their home, their school, their environment or their job prospects. The fact that many more people in our borough have found a job or a home in our borough since 2010 is something to be celebrated.

Tackling inequality and improving the life chances of our residents has been my driving force since 2010. We have broken down barriers and inequalities – whether it is through our major investment in improving our council housing or supporting aspiring students through the Youth Fund or any other of our inspiring initiatives.

Over the coming months we will face massive financial challenges which will force us to take difficult decisions about the services we can offer. But I do take comfort from the fact that without the investment, growth and prudent financial management of the past decade those challenges would be far greater. And we will need to reassure our diverse communities that they will continue to be safe and that everyone will prosper as a valued individual in our borough.

When I delayed my departure six months ago I had some idea of the massive impact which Covid-19 was going to have on our borough and our city. We have all been touched in some way by this disease, and the economic and social impact of the pandemic has been deeper and harsher than anyone could have feared. At Southwark Council, we responded swiftly and effectively to the pandemic – changing the way we operate entirely and introducing services and support, which did not exist before March.

Leaving this role at this time is difficult. But thank you for all your support and for helping me to deliver a fairer future for all in the best borough, in the best city, in the best country in the world. Southwark is and will continue to be the best place in the world.

With my very best wishes,

Peter

Urgent – your help is needed

4358 - Test and Trace Leaderboards 728x90v1

Dear all,

Southwark Council monitors the COVID-19 infection rates on a daily basis. Whilst numbers are still low, the number of new cases has nearly doubled in Southwark in the last week and numbers are rising across London.

A high proportion of new cases are for people aged 18–34. We also know that most transmission is still amongst family and friends and there is some transmission from people coming back from holidays abroad. As we look forward to the bank holiday weekend we are asking people to please be careful and help prevent the spread of the virus and another lockdown.

If you’re visiting family or going out with friends you must:

  • keep your distance from other people at all times
  • wear a face covering in shops and on public transport
  • wash your hands regularly.

Get tested if you have symptoms

cherrygardentra@yahoo.com

Get a test as soon as possible if you have coronavirus symptoms (a high temperature, a new persistent cough or a loss or change to your sense of smell or taste). You must also must self-isolate, as should members of your household and anyone in your support bubble.

How you can help.

I have attached a number of assets such as posters, leaflets and social media artwork. Please feel free to use this and share across your networks, put posters up on noticeboards and TRA halls and get the message out to residents.

The webpages at www.southwark.gov.uk/gettested have more info on Test and Trace and more posters you can download including area specific ones like Keep Peckham Safe. If you would like a poster with your estate specifically mentioned please email kim.hooper@southwark.gov.uk and we will get one sent to you.

Thank you for helping to keep Southwark safe.

Thanks Kim

Kim Hooper – Publications and special projects manager at Southwark council

A5 leaflet Test and Tracev3

Keep Southwark Safe – notes for external partners

KLS Southwark

COVID-19: cases are rising in Southwark

Cllr Peter John OBE

Dear resident

Make your own face covering, free film streaming and much more

Cllr Peter John OBE

Dear resident

Couch to 5k

Hi,

I hope all is well,

I’m contacting you because of a campaign to increase levels of physical activity in Southwark which I feel you might find interesting.

London Sport are leading on a Sport England funded campaign to address the impact of covid-19 on physical activity levels for Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) and lower socio-economic groups (LSEG). The campaign will focus on promoting the One You Couch to 5k app, using targeted Facebook and Instagram ads from the Get Active channel and through supporting partners to develop locally tailored promotion and offers. The paid advertising campaign is running adverts on Facebook and Instagram across London in areas with high % of the population from BAME audiences. The paid campaign will drive people to a Couch to 5K landing page or direct to the app store to directly download the app.

We are keen to support this campaign by working with partners to identify opportunities to use this campaign to support their efforts to increase physical activity levels for BAME/LSEG residents.

In particular where groups or organisations can use the campaign assets to promote the Couch to 5k running app to their audiences, or examples where you can set up local support for people who are starting Couch to 5k (Facebook groups, local events (as allowed by restrictions), etc.).

London Sport have created a toolkit to support local partners to activate the campaign in their area. It contains details about the campaign and audience, images and videos for partners to use and a template press release.

Download the campaign toolkit here.

If you are interested in helping promote this campaign, please use the toolkit and get in touch to see how we promote this to as many people as possible.

Have a good weekend

Luke Staples – Preston

Sport and Physical Activity Development Coordinator
Environment and Leisure
Parks and Leisure Service

Southwark Council

160 Tooley Street
London, SE1 5LX
Mobile: 07936333035; Phone: 020 7525 2687
Contact me on Linkedin

Follow us on Twitter @ActiveSouthwark

http://www.southwark.gov.uk/leisure-and-sport