Brief
Southwark Council requested We Are Placemaking to curate, manage and produce a Streets for People event as part of their Streets for People strategy, which seeks to create a cleaner, greener, safer and more welcoming neighbourhood.
The aim of the event was to bring together the surrounding community, including local businesses, schools and residents. It needed to feel open, inclusive and accessible to everyone, offering a day of activity and celebration for all ages while enhancing the public realm.
What we did
Working to this vision, we set out to create a vibrant, engaging street event that not only celebrated the people and businesses of Bellenden Road but also invited the wider community to come together, connect and enjoy their local space in a new way.
The day was a celebration of hyper-local talent and partnerships, showcasing the creativity and spirit already rooted in the area. Local DJs brought their energy to the street, South London Samba delivered a vibrant live performance, while spoken word artists from Poetic Unity gave powerful performances that resonated with passersby. Children and families got stuck into playful, hands-on activities from London Play, including volleyball, space hopper races and junk modelling – creating moments that felt spontaneous, joyful and deeply connected to place. One of the more interactive highlights was smoothie cycling, which proved popular across all ages.
Food was a big part of the event, with traders from the street itself taking part. The Begging Bowl, Life of Fish and Jerk Shepherd brought flavour and a true sense of local pride, giving attendees the chance to enjoy what’s already great about Bellenden Road.
Given the hot weather on the day, we made sure hydration was taken seriously. Bottled water was readily available for staff and the public throughout the event, ensuring everyone stayed safe and comfortable while enjoying the experience.
In support of Southwark’s active travel goals, we brought together a number of local cycling partners. Joy Riders delivered a free Dr Bike workshop, Peddle My Wheels hosted a pop-up bike market, and Community Cycleworks offered a knowledge-sharing workshop to encourage ongoing confidence and access to cycling in the area.
The result was a lively, busy day event that brought Bellenden Road to life – not just as a street, but as a shared space for community, creativity and connection.
Deliverables
Event and Production Management: creating a creative design deck, developing a budget and producing a detailed schedule of the event.
Stakeholder Management: liaising with the client and the public realm stakeholders.
Logistics Management: creating a sound logistical plan for the installation and de-rig of the event and working with multiple suppliers.
Sourcing and Management of all suppliers: daily consultation, management and ownership of supply chain.
