The Greater London Authority (GLA) has announced the appointment of its new project team which marks the beginning of a new and important chapter in the Thames Estuary Production Corridor’s journey.

The new team led by We Made That and comprised of Hawkins Brown, PRD, Ramidus, Tom Fleming, Suzie Norton and Jan Miller will shape and deliver the next phase of the Thames Estuary Production Corridor.

The Thames Estuary Production Corridor initiative (started by the GLA and South East Local Enterprise Partnership) and projects that form part of its umbrella, like Creative Estuary, are putting in place the strategies that will build jobs and broader economic and social success for the long term. It has already unlocked over £4.6million investment from central government into the estuary, including £4.3million for Creative Estuary to help it transform 60 miles of the Thames Estuary across Essex and Kent into one of the most exciting cultural hubs in the world.

Cultural and creative industries will be integral to accelerating the UK’s economic and social recovery after COVID -19 and together the Thames Estuary Production Corridor and Creative Estuary will help create thousands of jobs, building world-class cultural infrastructure and developing local skills opportunities that will be crucial to deliver sustainable growth.

The Thames Estuary Production Corridor is supported by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG), the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) as well as the Thames Estuary Growth Board and Envoy, Kate Willard OBE. Find out more about the Thames Estuary Production Corridor here.

Sarah Dance, Chair of Creative Estuary, said “Our work marks a new approach to cultural and creative investment, focusing on geographical location and the effect that strategic investment can have on economic growth and productivity. We are excited to be working with TEPC’s new team. Projects like Creative Estuary don’t happen in glorious isolation and the learnings we will be able to share will ensure the region reaches its true potential.”

Kate Willard OBE, Estuary Envoy, said “The Thames Estuary Growth Board recognises and values the role that culture and creativity play in happy and successful places. Our pride in supporting the recently launched Estuary 2021 arts festival, extends to our mission to position London and the South East as a world leader for the creative industries. The Estuary is amazing, and this new project team is an exciting step towards developing a world-class creative production corridor here!”

Creative Estuary is a consortium of public sector and cultural organisations, working together to support the TEPC. They include the South East Local Enterprise Partnership (SELEP), Kent and Essex County Councils, the Greater London Authority, 11 local authority areas represented by Thames Gateway Kent Partnership and Opportunity South Essex, South East Creative Economy Network (SECEN), University of Kent, University of Essex, Locate in Kent, and cultural organisations Metal, and Cement Fields.