Culture is at the centre of Camden Council’s work. It aims to deliver inspiring arts projects on Camden’s estates and neighbourhoods that are co-created, engage with the most disadvantaged residents, celebrate and showcase the unique personality of its communities, help to build community resilience and address issues such as social cohesion and hate crime.
Camden actively promotes arts, sports and cultural events/opportunities throughout its communities, with special focus on groups that may be disadvantaged.
Camden is home to a vibrant, diverse and innovative cultural sector including some of London’s most creative organisations and home to a range of high-profile, world-class institutions, culturally specific organisations (London Irish Centre, JW3, Surma Centre) and a broad place based cultural offer.
Camden regularly promotes distinctive programmes to reflect the diversity of communities, including but not limited to Black History Season (October to December), LGBT month (February), Annual Holocaust Memorial Day events, and funds over 55 community festivals celebrating a wide range of faith and community-based celebrations including Jewish, Islamic, Hindu and Irish cultural events.
In Camden, cultural organisations are encouraged to deal with diversity and intercultural relations in their productions. There is a diverse range of cultural organisations covering a wide range of art-forms and cultural activities, ranging from large national institutions to Arts Council England non-profit organisations, to smaller community organisations. “Cultural Camden”, Camden Council’s cultural partnership, draws this together and by collaborative endeavour (Camden Alive, Open & Outdoor Season 2021) promotes diversity and interculturalism to encourage cohesive neighbourhoods.
Public debates or campaigns on the subject of cultural diversity and living together are organised occasionally. The “We Make Camden” campaign is run by the Council with the aim to unite the borough and celebrate its diversity by sharing the stories of its citizens. These stories will hopefully build a picture of the experiences that have helped to shape the borough and, in turn, give all of Camden’s citizens a voice. In particular, the campaign wishes to:
- Encourage citizens to feel connected to their communities and to Camden.
- Develop Camden’s sense of place through its people.
- Inspire others outside of Camden to follow their lead.
- Show that Camden is a welcoming borough.
