The Royal Borough of Greenwich is creating an ambitious, landmark global and local destination for the arts in Woolwich due to open in 2020 and is asking residents to have their say on what it will be called and the individual names for each building.
Councillor Miranda Williams, Cabinet Member for Culture Leisure and the Third Sector, said: “We want unique, memorable names that acknowledge the past but are relevant for the future. Whilst it will bring new visitors to Woolwich, it’s really important that local people benefit too. Seventy per cent of the space will be used by cultural organisations and local community groups at subsidised rates.
“The site will also provide more than 400 local jobs as well as new roles during construction. So, we would like local people to tell us what they think about the names we’re considering. Your responses will help inform our decision.”
As part of the consultation residents are being asked to choose from a shortlist of potential names, all of which incorporate Woolwich in the title as a celebration of the area’s industrial and social history. The five historic buildings that comprise the Creative District were previously industrial spaces that supported Britain’s industrial ambitions and were at the heart of the formation of the Royal Arsenal Co-operative Society. Now the buildings will be reborn as places for music, theatre, dance and art.
The Creative District will become home to a number of local, national and internationally acclaimed companies such as Chineke! Orchestra, Europe’s first majority black and minority ethnic orchestra, Woolwich-based Protein Dance, theatre company Punchdrunk and the Woolwich Print Fair.
Residents can take part in the consultation online, here, or in person at drop in events that will be announced soon.
The consultation will close on 27 May 2019.
