Winning Through Despite the Pandemic

The pandemic has impacted on the world of arts, culture, and leisure over recent weeks and months, with many events being postponed or cancelled. However, despite the current challenges, there has still been plenty going on. Below we give you a flavour of this and the organisations we have been working with as organisations fight back and get their events going:

The London Design Festival has established itself as a key event for the creative community not just in London but the world.  After much consideration by the organisers, supporters, and the Mayor’s office over recent months there was an overwhelming consensus that this year’s festival should run. The festival said:

“There is a feeling that the design community should stand united in such challenging times and…put the spotlight on the brilliance of London’s design scene at a time when it needs to be promoted more than ever.”

The organisers are working hard to adapt the festival to keep people safe. There will be an increased focus on local Design Districts and online participation will really come into its own enabling people to enjoy the festival’s highlights, talks and workshops from wherever they live.   The organisers are showing great empathy for its participants and remaining flexible for those still deciding if they can join the festival.

London Calling is proud to be working closely with the organising team as they finalise their print marketing and event schedule and offering fast turnaround digital opportunities to build awareness and changes to the festival’s line-up.

Greenwich and Docklands International Festival runs from 28 August – 12 September.

This impressive and London based free outdoor arts festival has managed to pull out all the stops post lockdown to build a spectacular festival which usually runs from June to July.  This September, visitors will be able to choose from open-air theatre, dance, art installations and music for all ages in Royal Greenwich and East London.

This is the largest arts festival in the UK and highlights this year will include – pop-up performances celebrating the NHS and the themes of togetherness and the environment.  ‘Watch On Your Doorstep’, will bring street theatre and circus to local London communities, with further dance at ‘Dancing City’ situated among the skyscrapers of Canary Wharf.

London + Culture Calling have driven awareness for the festival through a door-to-door campaign to 500 households across the local East London neighbourhood.

Amberley Farm Museum based deep in the South Downs National Park is a 36-acre former quarry and limeworks. Visitors go back in time with over 40 exhibit areas to discover, including a narrow-gauge railway, historic buses, rural crafts and extensive communications displays.  London + Culture Calling are supporting its autumn and Christmas programme of events through a regional wide door to door campaign targeting 10,000 families, supported by Neighbourhood print display campaign.  It’s a great attraction and we’re especially looking forward to their spooky Halloween walk.

The Hampton Court Food Festival also ran over August Bank Holiday weekend.

Visitors were able to explore the palace, enjoy the grounds and live entertainment from regular festival favourites, all with social distancing and safety measures in place. The hand-picked selection of artisan producers, street food and boutique drinks companies were required to have undertaken a COVID-19 specific risk assessment and ensure that they were COVID-19 Secure in line with the government guidance.

We worked with them at lightning speed to deliver 30,000 festival leaflets to households living close to the Palace to promote the event and inform people that advance booking was essential.