Team London Bridge Appoints Ellie Beecham as New Arts Director
Team London Bridge has appointed pioneering arts programmer Ellie Beedham as its Arts Director; a role introduced as part of the new London Bridge Culture Strategy which is expected increase visitors to London Bridge to 15m by 2025, boosting the local economy to £100m.
The new role, created as part of the London Bridge Culture Strategy, will see Ellie become responsible for programming and delivering cultural projects and events that animate the London Bridge area
New London Bridge Culture Strategy from Team London Bridge is expected to increase visitors to the area to 15m by 2025
London Bridge set to strengthen its importance as a cultural destination with the launch of Science Gallery London and return of Southwark PlayhouseEllie, a former Project Manager (Events and Enlivenment) at King's Cross, will be responsible for programming and delivering cultural projects and events in the London Bridge area that animate its public spaces. For the first time, it will bring together the area’s cultural assets and organisations including Tower Bridge, HMS Belfast, The Shard, Imperial War Museum, Unicorn Theatre, Bridge Theatre and the soon to open Science Galley London and Southwark Playhouse.
Ellie Beedham, London Bridge Arts Director, brings ambitious plans to the role, she said:
"I am thrilled to be joining Team London Bridge as Director of Arts and look forward to developing a programme of arts events and projects that will combine the broad range of heritage, arts, science, food and fashion in the area to create something extraordinary. The introduction of a Culture Strategy is a pivotal moment for London Bridge. Over the years I’ve seen the incredible value arts and culture can bring to an area. It is a keystone for transformation. London Bridge is about to be invigorated by the creative industries – with so many fantastic organisations to draw on there is tremendous potential.”
Ellie adds, “I have a long association with the Borough of Southwark as the former Chair of the Board of Southwark Arts Forum. Creating standout authentic culture experiences will be integral to my approach, my objective is to elevate the London Bridge area to its rightful role as a premier arts destination for the Capital.”
Initially, Ellie will be taking the lead in engaging London Bridge Cultural Strategy stakeholders before embarking on major programme developments. Ellie will be working with creative partners and landowners to transform public spaces around London Bridge into a series of temporary stages where significant cultural moments will engage, delight and often surprise audiences. An extensive programme will be developed over the coming years to curate London Bridge as a main stage for the Capital and make the most out of features including the Thames, the state-of-the-art station and striking riverside locations.
Ellie is a specialist in bringing together arts organisations to spearhead change in an area through innovative programmes and over the last 25 years has been involved in a wide range of pioneering projects which place art in the public realm to engage and develop communities. Her experience includes working on Lumiere London 2018; the Islington International Festival; Vintage Car Boot Fair at King’s Cross, Magnum’s 70th anniversary exhibition with Photo London; and performances for the reopening of the Southbank Centre.
The London Bridge Culture Strategy is the first ever arts vision for London Bridge backed by organisations including the Greater London Authority and Southwark Council. It is led by Team London Bridge, the Business Improvement District [BID] representing over 400 businesses in north Southwark.
Simon Howell, Chair, Team London Bridge said: “Our mission is to fulfil London Bridge’s potential as a destination ‘to go to’ not to ‘go through’ and Ellie is the ideal person to bring together the area’s assets to do this. We want to showcase London Bridge as a leading place for global commerce; a growing area for enterprise, culture and entertainment and home to a community of businesses ranging from multi-national companies, to art galleries. The Culture Strategy will strengthen the area as a leading destination for inward investment with a strong cultural offering that will add value to business operations and boost employee satisfaction.”
The London Bridge Culture Strategy, developed by Sherry Dobbin on behalf of Team London Bridge, launches 1 March 2018 at London Bridge Station. The station concourse will be transformed into a temporary auditorium with Yoko Ono’s IMAGINE PEACE being screened on the electric billboards and animated by a professional 100-strong choir singing John Lennon and Yoko Ono’s Imagine under the musical and staging direction of conductor/artist Esmeralda Conde Ruiz.
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Notes to editors:
Team London Bridge͛s vision is to ensure London Bridge excels as a leading place for global commerce and continues to develop as a pioneering local centre for enterprise, culture and entertainment.
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Team London Bridge is a Business Improvement District (BID). It was established in 2006 and currently has over 400 business members in the London Bridge area. These include PwC, EY, the GLA, Southwark Council, News UK, Red Bull, Imperial War Museum, and Network Rail.
London Bridge’s new Culture Strategy
- The Culture Strategy will increase visitors to the area to 15m by 2025, an increase of 50%
- The Culture Strategy will bring £100m additional revenue to the area by 2025
- Will increase dwell time in the area by over 100%
- London & Partners predicts 40m international and domestic visits by 2025, an increase of 30% (London & Partners)
- Culture is worth £42bn annually to the London economy (MoL)
- Culture attracts more than double the proportion of leisure visitors to the city than any other driver (London & Partners)
About Ellie Beedham
Ellie Beedham has over 25 years experience of visioning and delivering arts events in the U.K. and worldwide.
Ellie recently developed and delivered the cultural offer in King's Cross with partners including Wayne Hemmingway, Magnum Photos, The Roundhouse, Artichoke, Central St Martins College of Art and commercial West End theatres for developers Argent Llp. She is the Director of FOLKE the artist development agency.
Ellie trained at Ravensbourne College of Design and Communication, Cambridge University and the Courtauld Institute of Art.
About London Bridge
- London Bridge is a thriving commercial hub and destination with more than 50,000 workers and 400 plus businesses
- 350,000 travellers pass through London Bridge station every day
- 3,000 residents call London Bridge home
- London Bridge will be a programme hub in this year’s London Festival of Architecture, running throughout June