What role do community spaces play today?
Since lockdown, many organisations have had to rethink how buildings work. JW3 went from a busy arts and community venue to providing a virtual community space within days, while its physical building has shifted to being at the forefront of tackling food poverty in Camden. Office buildings have become care facilities. Theatres have closed. How will venues continue to shift over the coming months?
Hear from artists, architects, theatre-makers, and specialists on how we find community outside of physical spaces as we ask the question: what kind of power does space hold in our society?
Confirmed panellists include Fani Kostourou, Will Jennings, Jeremy Goldstein, Lauren Townsend and Alex Lifschutz.
Panellist Biogs■
Fani Kostourou
Fani Kostourou is Associate at Theatrum Mundi, leading on Research, Design and Creative Development. She is trained in architecture and urban studies at NTU Athens, ETH Zürich, and UCL London. Fani also teaches at the Welsh School of Architecture in Cardiff and the CANactions School for Urban Studies in Kyiv.
Jeremy Goldstein
Jeremy Goldstein is an artist, producer, and HIV+ activist with ACT UP London. For three decades he has championed underrepresented voices, and new forms of artistic and political expression. He is the founder and director of London Artists Projects and creator of the internationally acclaimed Truth to Power Café which will be presented at JW3 in 2021.
Lauren Townsend
Lauren Townsend is a Yorkshire-based emerging creative producer working in theatre, live events, film and community arts. A commitment to engaging all communities in the arts and increasing diversity in the creative workforce is at the core of her practice and she is keenly interested in establishing cross-collaboration between mediums and artforms. Alongside an emerging freelance career Lauren is currently Producer at the Lawrence Batley Theatre in Huddersfield where she is currently leading on delivery of their digital programme LBTV.
Alex Lifschutz
Alex Lifschutz is a Director of Lifschutz Davidson Sandilands, the architects who designed our beautiful JW3 building. Following a degree in sociology and psychology and research in cognitive psychology, Alex studied at the Architectural Association in London. He joined Foster Associates in 1977 and in 1986 formed Lifschutz Davidson Sandilands. Alex is interested in the ability of design to create buildings and cities that respond to change, and which are easily adapted by those who use them.
Will Jennings (Chair)
Will Jennings is a writer and visual artist interested in the intersection of architecture with wider culture, economics, environment and politics. He is a Fellow of the 2020 Future Architecture Platform and a book of his work will be published by Canalside Press in 2021.
