Waltham Forest council publishes £70,000 tender for Blackhorse Lane CEZ identity

Waltham Forest council has released a tender valued at £70,000 for the design of the Blackhorse Lane Creative Enterprise Zone’s identity.

Blackhorse Lane was the first Creative Enterprise Zone (CEZ) to become accredited by the Greater London Authority in July 2020. The CEZ initiative comprises designated areas of London which aim to boost the creative sector and those working in it. In these areas, artists and creative businesses can find permanent affordable workspace and local people are encouraged to learn creative sector skills and find new jobs.

In line with its goal to develop an external perception as one of London’s principle creative business locations, Blackhorse Lane requires a new identity. This will include a new name, a tone of voice that is representative of its grassroots communities, and new physical assets and digital platforms to communicate this.

Social inclusion and diversity will be a strong focus during the project as it is central to the ethos of CEZs. The branding must highlight this attitude and seek to be welcoming to everyone.

The client requests that corporate and council ownership is less visible within the new identity. It should instead champion its stakeholders, including creative businesses and local supply chains, workspace providers, creative educational establishments and local schools, and residents and community groups.

While the identity should shine a light on existing talents within Waltham Forest – like the tailors and seamstresses that have grown up and worked in the area – it should also cater to the emerging generation of creatives that possess new and innovative skillsets across multiple disciplines, according to Waltham Forest Council spokeswoman.

Currently, the creative hubs within the zone are overshadowed by the industrial units of Walthamstow Wetlands and Strategic Industrial Lane on one side and residential homes on the other. With the inclusion of the Blackhorse Workshop and Creative Works and Big Creative Education buildings, creative co-working spaces are slowly emerging, but Blackhorse Lane seeks an identity and assets that will bring the creative community even further into the limelight, according to the spokeswoman.

Noteworthy cultural assets in the Waltham Forest area are William Morris Gallery, Soho Theatre Walthamstow, Fellowship Square, and Big Creative Education. The ultimate goal of the project is to raise profile of the Blackhorse Lane CEZ within Waltham Forest and London-wide, as well as emphasising its role in the sector nationally.

The deadline for applications is 16 September 2022 at 11:30pm. The contract is set to start on 10 October 2022 and end on 31 January 2023. Find out more information and apply here.