‘London Made Me’, is the Mayor of London’s first-ever supported boutique pop up project showcasing the city’s most exciting artists, creatives and makers. The project officially launches this Thursday 10th November by Deputy Mayor for Culture and the Creative Industries, Justine Simons and doors will open to the public on Friday 11th November on London’s iconic Regent Street. As the first of its kind, this highly anticipated project comes at the right time to transform our high streets tackling the problem of empty units while building much needed resilience in the creative industries.
With more than 8,700 chain stores closed down in the first half of 2021, landlords having to pay rates on empty spaces of more than 3 months and new letting rules coming into force to rent out empty spaces on the high streets after 6 months of being empty, The ‘London Made Me’ presents a tangible, commercial solution to alleviate some of this while also raising awareness around such critical topics.
The pilot project sees 14 selected London-based creative businesses come together in an intensive 4 week programme aimed to inspire, tool-up and empower the city’s most exciting creatives to ultimately launch their own curated spaces bringing independent creatives back on the high street.
London Made Me Pop-Up Shop launch event, 59-61 Regent Street, London W1. Justine Simons OBE (centre), Deputy Mayor for Culture and Creative Industries, with participants. November 10, 2022. Photo: Eleanor Bentall Tel: +44 7768 377413
The project is an integral part of the second phase of the Mayor of London’s Creative Enterprise Zones programme, helping support local high street re-activation across the partner boroughs in the programme and boost pandemic recovery in the sector. The aims of the project are to:
- Pilot an exciting new model of artist and creative-led experiential retail to support London’s creative economy and build resilience;
- Promote culture and creative sector-led re-activation of London’s high streets;
- Provide innovative, effective, practical training and skills support to artists, sole traders, creatives and small creative businesses to support their success, resilience and growth; and
- Embed creativity in communities through engagement activities that create vibrant, socially inclusive and integrated places.
Multiple partners have come together to launch this exciting initiative including Project Director Alice Mayor (of We Built This City), Hypha Studios, The Crown Estate, London & Partners and many more.
Selected creative businesses include Attique, Bea Jareno Jewellery, Bleur Gallery, EM Wear, Francesca Castellano, House of Frisson, House of Aten, IIello Uwaoma, Moxi by Mimi, Sian Dorman Creations, VADHER Leathers, Will Redgrove.
London Made Me Pop-Up Shop launch event, 59-61 Regent Street, London W1. Bleur. November 10, 2022. Photo: Eleanor Bentall Tel: +44 7768 377413
LMM Project Director, Alice Mayor, adds:
“With so much accelerated change on our high streets, there’s never been a better time to support and empower creative entrepreneurs to bring fresh, exciting and meaningful ideas into our empty shop spaces.”
“The London Made Me programme is the first of its kind in offering both educational training on how to secure, design and run commercial shop spaces, as well as the practical hands-on experience of building and trading the physical shop itself.
“I have no doubt that the legacy of this programme will be far-reaching for all the creative businesses involved and offer a huge step forward in the rebuilding of London’s high streets post pandemic”.
Opening Times:
London Made Me pop up shop will be open to the public from 11th November – 27th November 2022. The press launch will take place on 10th November 2022 from 10am.
Located at 59-61 Regent Street, London, W1B 4DY.
Opening times: 11am-7pm (Mon-Sun), 11am-8pm (Thurs).
It will feature 14 London-based creative businesses across the visual arts, sustainable fashion, handmade ceramics, upcycled single use plastic, leather accessories and more. There will also be an in-store events programme of live art, workshops and product demonstrations.
Creative Enterprise Zones:
Creative Enterprise Zones are a Mayoral initiative to designate areas of London where artists and creative businesses can find permanent affordable space to work; are supported to start-up and grow; and where local people are helped to learn creative sector skills and access pathways to employment.
The programme launched in 2018. The zones are in Croydon, Haringey, Hounslow, Lambeth, Lewisham, Hammersmith & Fulham, Ealing and Waltham Forest, with a single zone across both Hackney and Tower Hamlets.
