“Thanks Ken – Ken Thanks”
at ‘Dingwalls’ in Camden Lock (22 July 2008)
In February – a weekend fire destroyed a good part of Camden Lock and a number of the familiar buildings remain empty and charred. One day in May – Mayor Ken Livingstone was defeated in the London Mayoral Elections. One evening in July the two came together – the flame was rekindled for Ken and the water doused the defeat.
At a good spirited event at Camden Lock’s “Dingwalls” Ken mingled with the many who had tirelessly campaigned and supported him. Beer and sandwiches flowed and the cameras flashed. Optimistic words of co-operation and alliance between “organisations of the left” were spoken at an event that succeeded in erasing the memory of two (minor) hiccoughs and inspired new beginnings. As yet no-one knows the scale of what may occur in the next four years. So the campaign to return a socialist mayor begins now.
For London’s artist community we have maintained the successful ‘artbid4ken’ fundraising campaign website as a place where progressive dialogue on the arts can take place. Artists have a massive mountain to climb to secure the future for the arts and to create the space for artists in London.
We are all beginning to feel the pinch. Local authorities are preparing themselves for a huge maintenance bill to keep art centres, local galleries, art spaces and studios up and running – with no gold medals there! A short distance from the ‘Olympic Village’ local libraries and historical landmarks are being sacrificed: William Morris Gallery – Bethnal Green Institute – Woolwich Railway Museum – Bancroft Local History Library…
