The Mayor of London’s development corporation for West London, Old Oak and Park Royal Development Corporation (OPDC), together with local residents, businesses and organisations, unveiled ten local projects, awarded funding as part of the Acton and Park Royal Creative Enterprise Zone (CEZ) at a celebration showcase event.
Held at Levant Cafe in Park Royal, the event exhibited a range of projects delivered by the community, using OPDC’s funding, with talks, film screenings and fantastic performances from Bollo Brook and Park Royal Nights.
In October 2022, OPDC launched an Open Call for Ideas in partnership with Ealing Council, to support the creative industry in the area and enable the wider community to access opportunities across the creative sector.
OPDC awarded nearly £200,000 in total across ten projects to deliver affordable community and creative workspaces, community outreach and events, skills, training and career development for young people, art installations, and media and music production.
Projects awarded funding included MAMA Youth who partnered with Garden Studios to deliver a digital media production training course for young people and The Park Royal Women’s Group which was created to provide a safe space for women to gather, share, collaborate and support women who live and work in the area.
Other projects awarded funding included Bollo Brook Youth Centre to work with local young people to create a film celebrating the culture of tea drinking, now showcased at London’s Horniman Museum.
Over the course of 2023, Standard Road Market, another awardee, engaged with more than 25 local vendors, creatives and 4,000 residents across seven markets, all held in Park Royal.
Acton and Park Royal is home to some of the capital’s most interesting and creative artists, makers and producers. It has been fantastic to see the work of the awardees and we have seen first-hand, the real difference they have made to the local creative community.
It was great to see the huge diversity of projects at the CEZ and the positive impact they are having locally, helping us to further tap in to the 367,000 creatives that call Ealing their home. I look forward to seeing how the programme progresses as it continues to deliver more great projects for the local area and community.
Working with young people from Bollo Brook Youth Centre to explore the different cultures around and discussions over tea has enabled us to gain an invaluable insight into a range of important issues in their lives, for them to learn skills in film making, and for all of us to have an excuse to spend more time in the wonderful tea houses of Park Royal and Acton. As the Creative Enterprise Zone continues to grow and develop, we look forward to working with the OPDC and partners to create further opportunities for young people to express themselves creativity.
At MAMA Youth we are proud of our collaboration with the Garden Studios. Our trainees not only had access to the latest production technologies, but they also had the opportunity to gain tangible skills working alongside experienced professionals.
Having delivered training for almost 20 years, MAMA Youth continues to bridge the gap between talent from under-represented communities and businesses in the creative sector. We thank OPDC for supporting our work.
Park Royal Women's Group has had a positive impact on the area by securing OPDC’s commitment to signing the Women's Night Safety Charter and its commitment to improve the public realm. Now the group exists, PRWG can be consulted on specifically as a group with valued input for future consultations and proposals affecting women's safety and other issues.