FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CELEBRATE YOUR HIGH STREET
The Streets is a new and ambitious programme bringing live music and performance to the
high streets of six outer London boroughs this summer. The idea is to animate local streets,
giving residents and visitors the chance to see and take part in something new and
spectacular, using their communal space - the high street - as its stage.
The high street is the heartbeat of the community – a place to trade, talk, socialise and feel
a sense of belonging. From dawn until dusk there will be mass percussion events, twilight
takeovers in empty shops and musical gems to be discovered in cafés, bars, corner shops
and markets.
Music and event producer, Serious, is working with a consortium of boroughs – Waltham
Forest, Redbridge, Croydon, Wandsworth, Richmond and Kingston-upon-Thames – to
reignite the full potential of the high street, putting cultural activity and commercial
priorities together.
The Streets launches on Thursday 9th July, 3.30pm, in Kingston-upon-Thames with
Australian percussion star, Ben Walsh, performing in the market place. Currently in
residency at the Southbank Centre, Ben will play his spectacular Drum Wheel – created from
recycled material – for a thrilling short performance. A ground-breaking drummer, Ben has
performed all over the world, constantly pushing the boundaries of percussion.
He
encourages everyone to participate and get involved: “to all the people with a small idea in
a big city which seems too difficult....just go for it people, just dive into the deep end, into
that creative pool”.
The launch in Kingston will be partnered with the International Youth Arts Festival and will
also include performances by a number of local artists.
The Streets will launch in the remaining boroughs throughout July with Ben Walsh on his
Drum Wheel plus performances by a number of local artists: on Friday 10th July at 2pm in
Leyton; Saturday 11th July, 1pm in Twickenham; Tuesday 14th July, in Tooting; Thursday 16th
July, 1.30pm, in Ilford and Tuesday 28th July, 6pm, in South Norwood.
The Streets programme will return in the autumn, becoming part of Festival on the Move in
the EFG London Jazz Festival, bringing music to shopping centres, shops, cafés, pubs and
libraries, aiming to engage and surprise residents with unexpected performances from a rich
artistic offering. Next year The Streets will continue with an explosive Summer Festival and
will partner once again with the EFG London Jazz Festival in late 2016.
www.thestreets.london Ben Walsh: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Akru-nNHfks
Press contact:
Sally Reeves sallyreeves@btinternet.com / 07790 518756 or 01223 864710
Borough council press contacts:
KINGSTON - Kingston Borough Council: Louis High louis.high@kingston.gov.uk 020 8547
4701
LEYTON - Waltham Forest Borough Council: Ian Mason ian.mason@walthamforest.gov.uk
020 8496 4726 / 07740 046143
TWICKENHAM - Richmond Borough Council: Elinor Firth e.firth@richmond.gov.uk
020 8487 5159; Emma Cookson emma.cookson@richmond.gov.uk 020 8831 6463
TOOTING - Wandsworth Borough Council: Justine Kenyon 020 8871 7037
jkenyon@wandsworth.gov.uk
ILFORD - London Borough of Redbridge: Richard Meade richard.meade@redbridge.gov.uk
020 8708 3756
SOUTH NORWOOD – London Borough of Croydon: David Mills david.mills@croydon.gov.uk
020 8760 5644