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Community

Community Engagement Programme

community group standing on the lakeside terrace

As a public arts centre we are committed to ensuring that everyone has access to and can benefit from the arts.

We collaborate with community, charity and local organisations to create meaningful arts experiences that support the wellbeing of people of all ages and backgrounds. By creating space for people and ideas to connect, we develop sustained relationships with community partners centred on two-way learning and co-production. 

Our programme of free events, both on and offsite, showcases creative talents and allows us to test different models of collaboration with artists, communities, local authorities and other local stakeholders. 
 

Community Partnerships

Amina and participants

Our Partnership Work

Partnership is at the heart of what we do.

Every year we collaborate with a range of community groups to create meaningful experiences in response to our partners’ needs. Whether it’s ticket offers, projects, or finding ways to platform the creative work of our partners, we are committed to nurturing relationships to ensure we remain open for all. 

 

‘Our members love the tailor-made special events …. Whatever the art-form or event, the Barbican work in collaboration with us to ensure the best and most accessible experience.‘
Alice Westlake, Age UK London

Our Community Collaborators

Community Collaborators

Our Community Collaborators programme is an in-depth partnership model. Our Creative Learning team work with one local community organisation over three years on a range of projects that encourage two-way exchange, collaboration and learning.

We are delighted to work with brain injury charity, Headway East London, as our first Community Collaborator 2019-2022. 

Headway East London is a local charity supporting people affected by brain injury, offering specialist services to survivors and their families.

Headway East London has exceptional artists as members. We work to complement, develop and showcase their work and, in turn, they support our staff and programme to develop in new ways.
 

Find out more

Community View

Community View

Community Views are free, interactive private view events for community groups and charity service users. 

They are designed for those who may otherwise struggle to access our programme, due to financial, health or social barriers. Community Views include access to see an exhibition (or film or piece of theatre) with connected creative workshops and activities.
 

Latest Online Community View
‘People need a night off and can’t always afford it. An arts experience for someone with disposable income would be food, drink, art, conversation – this shouldn’t be a luxury!‘
Attendee, Community View

Communities In Residence

community partners around price cut portraits artwork

Communities In Residence

As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, many of our spaces were left empty. Our Communities-in-Residence programme directly responded to this by providing free space to local community partners for creative, social and enterprise activities within a COVID-secure environment. This has enabled us to ensure that we continue to provide spaces for ideas and people to connect.

Our current Communities in Residence are Accumulate who provide creative activities for people who have experienced homelessness, Age UK City of London, supporting local older people and Key Changes who provide music engagement and recovery programmes for young people and adults affected by mental health conditions.

‘I have enjoyed everything about the Communities in Residence programme. Great place, great people, great activity. Thank you! ‘
Member of Accumulate