Cultural co-location involves finding holistic ways to integrate cultural infrastructure into community buildings and outdoor spaces, facilitating more places for creative activity, from flexible artist studios to larger scale performance and exhibition spaces.

The Creative Estuary co-location initiative, including two pilot projects, research and learning, is designed to enable us to create a new strategy for embedding culture into new communities and developing best practice models with national relevance and impact.

The University of Kent’s School of Architecture and Planning (KSAP) convenes this exciting work on behalf of the Creative Estuary partners. The school is supporting joint working and learning between the two pilot sites, enabling engagement with communities of practice and the development of the cultural planning guidance toolkit. Funded by Creative Estuary two areas in the Thames Estuary region are piloting cultural co-location, Ebbsfleet Garden City and a major regeneration scheme, Purfleet-on-Thames, in Essex.

Across Creative Estuary we draw on a diverse range of experts drawn from a range of sectors including, local and national government, policy makers, and the creative, development and financial industries. The Cultural Co-Location Advisory Group members will help to shape the overarching cultural co-location project and act as ambassadors, advisors and critical friends to our work.

We were delighted for Max Farrell to accept our invitation as Chair. Max is Founder & CEO of the London Collective, a network of built environment experts and creatives fighting to improve people’s lives and the planet’s prospects. Max’s expertise lies in placemaking and communications.

We are pleased to confirm the following regional and national experts joining the group:

• Prof. Samer Bagaeen – Project Manager Cultural Co-location, Kent School of Architecture and Planning
• Laura Bailey – Cultural Development Manager, Ebbsfleet Development Corporation
• Lisa Dee – Head of Film, London Borough of Barking and Dagenham
• Sherry Dobbin – Managing and Cultural Director, Futurecity
• Max Farrell (Chair) – CEO & Founder, The London Collective
• Amy Linford – Senior Design Officer, Thurrock Council
• Selina Mason – Director of Masterplanning, Lendlease
• Kevin McGeough – Head of Strategy and Placemaking, Ebbsfleet Development Corporation
• Olaide Oboh – Director of Partnerships, First Base
• Natalie Parsons – Project Officer, Creative Estuary
• Rachael Roe – Senior Policy Officer, Greater London Authority
• Stephen Taylor – Strategic Lead Economic Development, Thurrock Council
• Alastair Upton – Chief Executive, Creative Folkestone
• Dr Elanor Warwick – Head of Strategy, Policy and Research, Clarion Housing Group
• David Waterhouse – Head of Design and Planning Reform, Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government

Find out more about the Cultural co-location project below.