The venue retains an active community focus. “We have a strong programme for families, including small-scale theatre and story telling during the school holidays,” says Gardner. Meanwhile, to the south of the borough in Edmonton, Millfield Arts Centre incorporates a purpose-built theatre and a Georgian mansion house, both of which have recently been refurbished under a £2.5 million council-funded programme. Lorraine Cox, the council’s cultural services manager, says that, by being in the heart of Edmonton, with all the challenges of a changing population, Millfield functions as an important focal point for the community, bringing people together as well as serving as a flagship arts venue for the rest of the borough. “Edmonton includes some of the poorest wards in the country. At Millfield we provide jobs and training for local people, which are essential to the health of the local community,” she says. “We also provide a space and opportunity for the community to enjoy and learn together.” The council’s ‘jewel in the crown’ is Forty Hall, which has been completely refurbished and made fully accessible in partnership with the Heritage Lottery Fund. The four-year, £4.5 million project has seen this fine 17th century country house in the north of the borough, transformed from the shabby to the magnificent. The venue reopened in June 2012, and was voted by residents as one of 33 iconic buildings for London in its Olympic year. The hall now provides a great free day out in London. Enfield residents and visitors to the borough can enjoy the beautiful parkland, an exhibition on the history of the hall, as well as a wide range of family events and activities, workshops, living history tours and learning activities for schools and colleges but also, open to all. Forty Hall offers training, apprenticeships, volunteering, and work experience opportunities, in partnership with JobcentrePlus, the College of Haringey, Enfield and North East London, Middlesex University and schools.
32 Art and culture ABOVE: Power of Dreams introduces Enfield’s emerging talent, each year at Millfield Theatre. RIGHT: Strong communities – Enfield hosts several festivals during the summer months.
Inclusive performance Cox says: “Arts, heritage and cultural venues are catalysts for positive change, having the potential to move people emotionally and economically.” This thinking is reflected in the work of Chickenshed Theatre, famous internationally and locally for inclusive peformance. The company brings together people with a variety of abilities and disabilities to devise and perform theatre, music and dance. Enfield Council is very proud of the work of Chickenshed and its sustained vision to work inclusively with young people in the arts, and works in partnership with the company. Chickenshed’s Susan Jamson says its work is based on the principle that the medium of theatre should be as inclusive as possible, a philosophy the theatre demonstrates through the huge range of local people it involves. “We’ve got a company of 850, taken mostly from the Enfield community,” she says. “We put on large-scale shows using our professional cast, and
“We give people hope that there is a life beyond just working, slogging away and making a living” people from all walks of life, from all ages and all abilities. We embrace everybody.” Jamson says Chickenshed’s aims of engaging local people and giving audiences an entertaining spectacle are important when many people are struggling. “Life isn’t easy – finding work is difficult, continuing to be employed is difficult. But with the arts it’s something that’s beautiful, that can be enjoyed,” she says. “And we actively help in the regeneration of the area because we give people hope that there is a life beyond just working, slogging away and making a living.” Enfield’s cultural scene is not confined solely to its arts venues. The borough is also home to numerous creative people and small businesses, and the council is working with many of these to find new ways of raising their profiles. Councillor Del Goddard, cabinet member for regeneration, says: “The need to create environments that encourage artists to establish themselves is well recognised and will be a feature of major developments in Meridian Water and Ponders End.”