Team London Bridge and the London Bridge Business Improvement District

Ellie, 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, Arts Director, Team London Bridge, brings ambitious plans to the role, she said:

"I am thrilled to be joining Team London Bridge as Arts Director for London Bridge 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 70^th 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.