25th February 1972, ‘Revolution of Art in North Ken?’, ‘Kensington News and West London Times’ p5
FOLLOWING the announcement that £5,000 was being granted by the Royal Borough for its programme in the London Boroughs’ Arts Festivals this June, a meeting was held last week in which a North Kensington Arts Council was mooted.
Held at the Electric Cinema, Portobello Road, Mr. Anthony Perry of the North Kensington Amenity Trust suggested that a North Kensington arts programme funded by £4,000 from the council be drawn up.
Arts Council chairman Mrs. Sheila Donaldson Walters and Festival organiser Chris Bell, also at the meeting, agreed to put the proposal forward to the council.
Mr. Perry, Mrs. Walters, Mr. Bell and Mr. Bruce Wightman, a North Kensington arts activist, all felt that the council would put up the money if presented with a definite programme for the arts in North Kensington.
Said Mr. Perry: “An artistic programme would be one good way of bringing the people of North Kensington together as a community. One stage, one spotlight, one ballet dancer and even a record player’s worth of Tchaikovsky and you would have a crowd of 2,000 who were glad to see something living presented to them for a change. In this area there are children who scarcely know what a flower is.”
The £4, 000 budget will include such items as mural wining under the motorway by children from Isaac Newton School – to develop their artistic sense. Photographs would be made of the children at work and shown to the parents in an attempt to involve them as well, and to break down traditional anti-art “long-heir stuff” feelings.
