The arts in Camberwell

With its internationally renowned Camberwell College of Arts, Camberwell has been a hive of creative activity since the nineteenth century.

Today, numerous artistic and cultural individuals, groups and organisations are being inspired in and working in studios and workshops in Camberwell.

There are also many creative opportunities for children and young people, such as Camberwell Choir School.

Camberwell's public arts venues include

• Blue Elephant Theatre
• GX Gallery
• House Gallery
• South London Gallery, a modern art gallery of national standing

Vanguard Court is a cobbled alley of artists' studios behind Lucas Gardens. Regular open days are held there.

The highlight of Camberwell's creative year is Camberwell Arts Festival which takes place in June.

In addition, in 2006, 2007 and 2008 Camberwell Green was host to Bonkersfest, a celebration of madness, creativity and eccentricity organised by Creative Routes.

Creative Camberwell

The Creative Camberwell network seeks to bring together local creative individuals and organisations to harness the potential of creative activity in Camberwell. The network aims to provide

• opportunities for creative exchange, debate and showcasing that will in turn encourage new creative activity, partnerships and collaborations
• access to local cultural information, contacts and opportunities and to link with other localised strategic networks of similar activity
• promote Camberwell as a desirable place to live and work and in particular, to take an active role in supporting regeneration and urban renewal, aiming to be as inclusive as possible
• create visibility and define the ethos or brand that is Camberwell as an area of cultural activity
• listen to the needs of the local community and to develop a network that can have a real voice and an advocacy function with the aim of influencing local policy and opening up the debate around the value of arts and the creative and cultural industries
• provide a conduit through which local business could also link and help build the profile of the area

Steering committee

Creative Camberwell was founded in 2007 by the following organisations, which reflect the breadth of artistic and cultural activity in Camberwell:

• Camberwell Arts
• Collective Artistes
• Cooltan Arts
• Creative Routes
• Southwark Arts Forum
• The Synergy Centre

In late 2007 Creative Camberwell carried out a survey of creative people and groups in Camberwell.

Creative Camberwell has recently formed a partnership with the SE5 Forum. It can be contacted through Camberwell Arts.