College to take on key role in ‘Creative Barking and Dagenham’

Barking & Dagenham College has become the host organisation for local arts programme Creative Barking and Dagenham.

Yvonne Kelly, Principal and CEO of Barking & Dagenham College explains: “We have an extensive modern creative and digital curriculum at the College, covering everything from animation, through to games design, media production, and more. With our fantastic industry-standard facilities (some of which are housed in the East London Institute of Technology), highly qualified technical team and of course our fabulous, talented students, we are perfectly placed to take on this key role within our borough.

“We’re very much looking forward to continuing our close relationship with our partners Barking and Dagenham Council, BD Collective and Studio 3 Arts, helping to enable the people of Barking and Dagenham to access, enjoy and make decisions about creative and cultural opportunities in our fantastic borough.”

Creative Barking and Dagenham is part of the Creative People and Places programme and is supported using public funding by the National Lottery through Arts Council England. The programme is about local people choosing, creating, and taking part in brilliant art experiences in the borough.

The College also runs the borough’s flagship cultural building, The Broadway in Barking. As well as being a performing arts venue and theatre presenting live music, dance, drama, comedy, The Broadway serves as a real-life training venue for those wanting to learn all the elements of successful backstage production needed for theatre, film, or television.

The consortium that runs Creative Barking and Dagenham issued a statement saying: “After 10 successful years as the host organisation for Creative Barking and Dagenham, Studio 3 Arts is now handing the role to Barking and Dagenham College, who will host the programme as it enters its next phase. Studio 3 Arts is remaining as the financially accountable organisation. The Consortium partners are Studio 3 Arts, Barking & Dagenham Council, Barking & Dagenham College and BD Collective and we will be looking to broaden the consortium partnership through new strategic relationships.

“There’s an exciting and ambitious programme ahead; we hope you’ll get involved and help us create brilliant arts opportunities for our borough. Watch this space for news on what’s next for Creative Barking and Dagenham.”