# Mayor of London announces funding for South Bank’s skate space

- Link: https://fundraising.co.uk/2018/03/07/mayor-london-announces-funding-south-banks-skate-space/
- Published: 2018-03-07T14:52:00+00:00
- Author: Howard Lake

**Sadiq Khan, the Mayor of London, has awarded £700,000 in community growth and 
development funding to develop the Queen Elizabeth Hall Undercroft. The world famous
skating space will be extended and a children and young people’s creative education
centre built.**

The funding is part of the Mayor of London’s £70 million [Good Growth Fund](https://www.london.gov.uk/what-we-do/regeneration/funding-opportunities/good-growth-fund-supporting-regeneration-london),
which drives investments in community growth and development across the capital.

Today’s grant was one to 27 projects across the capital, totalling £24 million. 
Over 200 organisations and groups submitted funding bids. The funding is for community
assets, workspaces, green infrastructure and cultural venues.

## Advertisement

As well as the extension of skate space, the funding will enable improvements to
lighting and a restoration of original 1960s banks and concrete paving.

 

![Children at a creative event at London's South Bank](https://wfay6x.infiniteuploads.
cloud/2018/03/south-bank-childrens-creative-hub.jpg)

_Children at a creative event at London’s South Bank_

 

Elaine Bedell, Southbank Centre’s Chief Executive, said: “We’re delighted to have
been selected as recipients for this generous grant, from such a strong pool of 
funding applications.The development of this space will give skaters and BMXers 
access to newly opened up, and restored, sections of the Undercroft whilst young
people and schoolchildren from across the capital will benefit from a new fully 
accessible arena for diverse creative and learning activities.”

## Crowdfunding

The grant builds on the joint [crowdfunding campaign](http://www.llsbdonate.com/)
for this space, launched by Long Live Southbank and Southbank Centre in June last
year, which has seen support from the international skateboarding community, general
public, businesses and philanthropists.

Louis Woodhead of Long Live Southbank said: “Southbank has a unique creative feeling
and it’s great to see this supported by the Mayor of London. LLSB and Southbank 
Centre have been working hard to show what can be achieved through collaboration
and we’re grateful to everyone who continues to donate and support the campaign.
Receiving the Good Growth Fund brings us closer to our vision to provide more space
and opportunities for this creativity to grow and flourish.”

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, explained: “I am using this funding to challenge
preconceptions about how regeneration takes place. I want to give all Londoners –
regardless of background – the opportunity to be actively involved in their city
and have more places to live, learn, work and play.”

 

## Other Good Growth Fund recipients

Music talent development organisation [Urban Development](http://www.urbandevelopment.co.uk/)
and dance development organisation and creative producer [East London Dance](http://eastlondondondance.org/)
also secured joint funding from the Good Growth Fund. They have received £1 million
to create the UK’s first National Talent House for urban culture in Stratford, east
London. 

The GLA funding will match £1 million (£500,000 per organisation) already secured
from the Arts Council England Small Capital Grants programme in 2017 and will enable
the fit-out of a 1,000+ square metre historic warehouse and modern extension as 
part of the Sugar House Island Development (formerly Strand East) adjacent to the
Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park that will be delivered by developers Vastint UK.

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