Havering London

Variable Matter has established a new cultural placemaking organisation, Havering London, coordinating a public, private and voluntary sector partnership of strategic organisations and community representatives. This consortium approach, led by David Shearing and Mathew Russell, was the driving force behind Havering’s bid to be London Borough of Culture. Building on their long-standing work in the borough, Shearing and Russell have played a pivotal role in creating a bold new vision for Havering’s cultural future.

Havering London has developed A Good Life (2025–2028), a partnership strategy designed to act as a three-year catalyst for nurturing and growing the cultural life of a rapidly changing place. It forms part of a larger £2.5 million investment into Havering, which Havering London is proud to be driving forward with partners, delivering real impact for communities across the borough.

Havering London brings together a wide range of partners, including Creative Health Havering, Fuse (Local Cultural Education Partnership), Havering Changing, Havering Museum, London Borough of Havering, New City College, Romford BID, and the Centre for Performance, Technology, and Equity (PTEQ) at the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama alongside arts and health organisations, education providers, and community groups. 

A full list of partners can be found at www.haveringlondon.com. Together, they are committed to creating a strong, collaborative foundation for cultural development across the borough.

A Good Life offers a transformational approach to the long-term wellbeing of Havering’s residents, responding to the pressures and opportunities of a radically evolving place. Empowering communities, nurturing social connectivity, addressing inequality, building a sustainable creative ecology, and promoting good physical and mental health are at the heart of the strategy.

Images used with thanks to Havering Changing and photographer Hannah Davis.