Category Archives: Borough of Culture 2023

Croydon is made a national laughing stock, Part 94. And Part 95

No sooner had the nation’s best-selling satirical magazine had a good laugh (again) at Croydon’s expense after featuring the latest example of the council’s bungled handling of vast amounts of public money, than the borough has popped up again in … Continue reading

Posted in Borough of Culture 2023, Comedy | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Podcast: Croydon Insider – the Borough of Culture Special

Posted in Art, Borough of Culture 2023, Boxpark, Croydon Insider, Fairfield Halls, Inside Croydon, Ken Towl, Neil Chandler, Under The Flyover | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Special screening: The Flying Fool, David Lean Cinema, Apr 29

Posted in Art, Borough of Culture 2023, Cinema, David Lean Cinema Campaign | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

There’s something for everyone to enjoy in our year of Culture

CROYDON COMMENTARY: The council’s cabinet member responsible for the arts, Councillor ANDY STRANACK, pictured above (he’s the one not wearing a tracksuit) outlines his plans for the Borough of Culture Last weekend saw the launch of This is Croydon, a … Continue reading

Posted in Andrew Stranack, Art, Borough of Culture 2023, Fairfield Halls, Selsdon Vale and Forestdale | Tagged , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Musical open house brings crowds flocking back to Fairfield

CROYDON COMMENTARY: There’s been widespread praise for the performers and performances at the Fairfield Halls for the Borough of Culture opening event, which LEWIS WHITE thoroughly enjoyed I went to the Sunday session of the Oratorio of Hope at the … Continue reading

Posted in Art, Borough of Culture 2023, Dance, Fairfield Halls, London Mozart Players | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

Year of Culture set to begin with an Oratorio of Hopelessness

CROYDON IN CRISIS: If, like us, you have been scouring the listings pages to find what’s planned for Croydon’s year as London’s Borough of Culture, you’re likely to be disappointed. But some of the PR deals surrounding the event have … Continue reading

Posted in Andrew Stranack, Art, Borough of Culture 2023, Community associations, Croydon BID, Croydon Council, Fairfield Halls, Jo Negrini, Mayor Jason Perry, Mayor of London, Music, Oliver Lewis, Sadiq Khan, Theatre, Tony Newman | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Fairfield Halls struggling to sell tickets for Culture opener

Our veteran arts correspondent, BELLA BARTOCK, on the council-owned arts centre’s struggle to win back its old audiences There’s mounting, and justifiable, concern that the Fairfield Halls, despite the best-efforts of its new-ish operators, are failing to win back audiences … Continue reading

Posted in Art, BH Live, Borough of Culture 2023, Croydon Council, Fairfield Halls, Improvement Board, Music, Neil Chandler, Tony McArdle | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 15 Comments

Windrush Generation’s exhibition is playing sounds of the 70s

After a week spent playing ‘silly games’ with the borough’s politicians, for a deserved break, KEN TOWL got serious about Lovers’ Rock Croydon’s musical heritage is immense. It is so rich and varied that the council is putting together some … Continue reading

Posted in Activities, Art, Borough of Culture 2023, Community associations, History, Ken Towl, Music, Whitgift Centre | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Arts Council backs project that will flag up Borough of Culture

South Asian arts organisation Subrang Arts has been awarded £23,661 by Arts Council England to deliver creative activities that will teach Croydon school children and local community groups about the rich cultural heritage of India. The project, called Kalasetu, will … Continue reading

Posted in Art, Borough of Culture 2023, Norbury Manor | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

It’s long overdue that Hurlstone’s music is heard once again

SUNDAY SUPPLEMENT: In the year when Croydon is London’s Borough of Culture, DAVID MORGAN suggests it presents an opportunity to revive some of the music of a once-admired composer Searching through some old press cuttings, I came across one from … Continue reading

Posted in Borough of Culture 2023, David Morgan, History, Music, Stanley Halls | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Mayor Khan reveals brand identity for Borough of Culture 2023

The Mayor of London’s Borough of Culture 2023 has launched its striking look – under the banner of This is Croydon – and is inviting Croydon communities and audiences to get involved. The Borough of Culture is an initiative by … Continue reading

Posted in Art, Borough of Culture 2023, Croydon Council, Fairfield Halls, London Mozart Players, Mayor of London, Music, Sadiq Khan, Talawa Theatre Company, Turf Projects | Tagged , , , , , | 10 Comments

Pianist Kempf plans his homecoming with Estonian orchestra

Croydon-born Freddy Kempf, one of the world’s leading concert pianists, is to make a return to his home town next year in a special gala concert with the Estonian National Symphony Orchestra at the Fairfield Halls, where tickets for under-18s … Continue reading

Posted in Art, Borough of Culture 2023, Fairfield Halls, Music | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Turmoil at Fairfield Halls as operating company suffers exodus

Our culture correspondent, BELLA BARTOCK, on changing times at the council-owned arts centre, and a diamond anniversary that has been forgotten by the council There’s yet more turmoil behind the scenes at the Fairfield Halls, where the chief executive and … Continue reading

Posted in Art, Ashcroft Theatre, BH Live, Borough of Culture 2023, Business, Croydon Council, Fairfield Halls, Jon Workman, Mayor Jason Perry, Music, The Wreck, Theatre | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 13 Comments

Ukraine’s national orchestra to play Croydon’s Fairfield Halls

The Fairfield Halls will stage one of the gala concerts in next year’s UK tour by the National Symphony Orchestra of Ukraine, it has been announced. Croydon’s arts centre will be one of 17 venues in the tour, the first … Continue reading

Posted in Art, Borough of Culture 2023, Fairfield Halls, Music | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Art projects can meet funders for culture year at Stanley Halls

Stanley Halls will be hosting a “Meet the Funders” session on November 3, to brief arts centres, arts groups and artists about how to access funding for projects when Croydon is London’s Borough of Culture in 2023. “Croydon in 2023 … Continue reading

Posted in Art, Borough of Culture 2023, Stanley Halls | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

You’re having a giraffe! BID’s art-washing effort for Culture year

Croydon BID, the business improvement district which represents some of the biggest employers in the town centre, is planning to unleash more than 30 eight-foot-tall statues of giraffes around their area next autumn. It was Croydon BID that was behind … Continue reading

Posted in Art, Borough of Culture 2023, Business, Croydon BID | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

Bailiffs instructed after council breaks High Court injunction

CROYDON IN CRISIS: The discredited council under Newman and Negrini won their bid for ‘Borough of Culture’ status by using material that senior staff knew to be stolen intellectual property. EXCLUSIVE by STEVEN DOWNES Katherine Kerswell, the chief exec of … Continue reading

Posted in Borough of Culture 2023, Business, Croydon Council, Jo Negrini, Katherine Kerswell, Mayor Jason Perry, Paula Murray | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Closed doors in Croydon for London’s Open House festival

If the 2022 Open House Festival is anything to go by, then when Croydon is London’s Borough of Culture next year, the capital could be looking at a cultural desert. There are only nine venues in the whole of the … Continue reading

Posted in Andrew Stranack, Art, Borough of Culture 2023, Croydon Council, Croydon Minster, Fairfield Halls, History, London-wide issues, Mayor Jason Perry, Mayor of London, Outside Croydon, Property, Selsdon Vale and Forestdale, South Norwood, Waddon, Walks, Whitgift Foundation, Woodside | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Council arts fund ignites row 11 years after deadly night of riots

EXCLUSIVE by STEVEN DOWNES The decision by the Mayor of Croydon, Jason Perry, to call a Borough of Culture funding stream “The Ignite Fund” has been slammed for being crass, ill-judged and insensitive by victims of the Croydon Riots. The … Continue reading

Posted in Art, Boris Johnson, Borough of Culture 2023, Broad Green, Business, Community associations, Crime, Croydon 8/8, Croydon Council, Mayor Jason Perry, West Croydon | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

London Mozart Players return with ‘revamp’ of the Messiah

The London Mozart Players, the “resident orchestra” of the Fairfield Halls that has been notable by their rare concert appearances at the council-owned venue in the last three years, has now published its performance dates into 2023, including what they … Continue reading

Posted in Art, Borough of Culture 2023, Fairfield Halls, London Mozart Players, Music | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Mayor Perry has LOST the plot over latest Allders scheme

Hammerson and Westfield are back in town, only this time they’re offering a bit of artwashing in the disused Allders department store building. EXCLUSIVE by STEVEN DOWNES Fabien Riggall, the founder of Secret Cinema, today confirmed Inside Croydon’s report earlier … Continue reading

Posted in "Hammersfield", Activities, Allders, Art, Boris Johnson, Borough of Culture 2023, Business, Cinema, Croydon Council, Dance, LOST, Mayor Jason Perry, Music, Planning, Theatre, Whitgift Centre | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 17 Comments

Mayor has weeks to save Fairfield Halls and Borough of Culture

It is symptomatic of BHLive’s lack of real connection with the borough in which they are supposed to manage its largest arts venue that they chose the day of the Croydon local election results to make the announcement of the … Continue reading

Posted in Art, Ashcroft Theatre, BH Live, Borough of Culture 2023, Brick by Brick, Business, Croydon Council, Fairfield Halls, Jo Negrini, Mayor Jason Perry, Mayor of London, Neil Chandler, Paula Murray, Sadiq Khan, The Wreck, Theatre, Tony Newman, Val Shawcross | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 10 Comments

Bafta-winner Scanlan joins calls for new bosses at arts centre

‘Things are far from perfick at the Fairfield ‘Alls’ says the award-winning actress who plays Ma Larkin, as the campaign to sack BHLive gathers momentum. EXCLUSIVE by STEVEN DOWNES Joanna Scanlan, the BAFTA award-winning actress, has called on Croydon Council … Continue reading

Posted in 2022 Croydon Mayor election, Art, Ashcroft Theatre, BH Live, Borough of Culture 2023, Fairfield Halls, Music, The Wreck, Theatre | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Council ignored £5m offer to revive Fairfield’s reputation

CROYDON IN CRISIS: Moves to take the management of the troubled arts centre out of the hands of Bournemouth-based BHLive are being resisted by Labour politicians. EXCLUSIVE by STEVEN DOWNES Senior officials and the Labour cabinet member in charge of … Continue reading

Posted in 2022 Croydon Mayor election, Art, Ashcroft Theatre, BH Live, Borough of Culture 2023, Brick by Brick, Croydon Council, Fairfield Halls, Jo Negrini, Music, Neil Chandler, Oliver Lewis, Paula Murray, Shifa Mustafa, Theatre | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

The grand scandal at the centre of Fairfield’s absurd saga

Arts correspondent BELLA BARTOCK solves the mystery of the vanishing grand pianos, and discovers more scandal at the council-owned arts venue The Fairfield Halls, following its shambolic and costly refurbishment, is now an arts centre without an art gallery, with … Continue reading

Posted in Art, Ashcroft Theatre, BH Live, Borough of Culture 2023, Croydon Philharmonic Choir, Fairfield Halls, Music, The Wreck | Tagged , , , , , , , | 17 Comments