Art programmes for children in Richmond could mirror successful Hammersmith model

Art programmes for children in Richmond could soon follow the example set by Hammersmith & Fulham, where 500 primary school pupils enjoyed free circus workshops, photography classes, and other creative activities during their School Arts Week. The initiative, run by the council and Lyric Hammersmith Theatre, partnered with local creative organisations to deliver 22 different activities to year 5 students. For Richmond parents and community groups watching neighbouring boroughs invest in young people’s creativity, it raises a timely question: could similar partnerships bring free arts access to our own primary schools?

Hammersmith’s week-long programme demonstrates how council-funded arts partnerships can reach hundreds of children at once.

How the Hammersmith model works

Collaborative funding unlocks scale.

Hammersmith & Fulham Council partnered with the Lyric Hammersmith Theatre as part of their Young People’s Borough of Culture programme, bringing together local creative organisations to deliver workshops across participating schools. The programme targeted year 5 pupils (aged ten and eleven) and offered everything from performance arts to visual media, all free at the point of delivery. By pooling resources and coordinating centrally, the initiative reached 500 children in a single week.

Richmond already has the cultural infrastructure, from Orleans House Gallery to the Hampton Hill Theatre, but lacks the formal partnership framework to deliver at this scale.

What Richmond could adapt

The gaps are organisational, not creative.

Richmond borough is home to established arts venues, active community theatre groups, and professional creatives who already run workshops independently. What Hammersmith demonstrates is the power of coordination: a single programme manager, clear objectives (in this case, year 5 pupils during one specific week), and upfront council funding to eliminate participation barriers. Richmond Council’s current arts strategy focuses on heritage sites and adult programming, with schools arts largely left to individual head teachers and PTA fundraising. A borough-wide schools arts week would require new budget allocation and cross-department cooperation between education and culture teams.

The model is proven; the question is whether Richmond's council sees similar value in dedicating resources to it.

What this means for you

If you are part of a Richmond parent group, school governing body, or local arts organisation, the Hammersmith example offers a ready-made case study to bring to Richmond Council. You can cite specific outcomes (500 children, 22 activities, zero cost to families) when proposing similar partnerships here. Contact your ward councillor or submit a representation during the council’s next budget consultation, typically held in January. Arts organisations interested in delivering workshops can approach Richmond’s Arts Service directly to register interest in any future schools programme. The opportunity exists; it requires coordinated advocacy to move from idea to funded reality.

Hammersmith has shown that council-led arts weeks can reach hundreds of children without adding costs to stretched school budgets. For Richmond, the question is whether enough voices ask for the same investment here.

The timing matters: summer term planning for 2026 begins in many Richmond schools this autumn, giving community arts organisations and parent groups a narrow window to propose similar partnerships now.

Frequently asked questions

Does Richmond Council currently fund arts programmes in primary schools?

Richmond Council funds arts education primarily through its heritage sites such as Orleans House Gallery, which offers some school workshops, but there is no borough-wide schools arts programme comparable to Hammersmith’s School Arts Week. Most primary school arts activities depend on individual school budgets or PTA fundraising.

Which Richmond organisations could deliver similar workshops?

Richmond has several organisations with the capacity to run creative workshops, including Orleans House Gallery, Richmond Music Trust, Hampton Hill Theatre’s education programme, and independent drama and arts tutors already active in local schools. The challenge is coordination and funding, not creative talent.

How much would a similar programme cost Richmond?

Hammersmith & Fulham has not published the exact cost of School Arts Week, but borough-wide programmes typically require tens of thousands of pounds to cover artist fees, materials, and coordination. Richmond Council’s annual arts budget and any reallocation would need to be agreed through the standard budget-setting process.

Can parents propose this directly to their child's school?

Individual schools can arrange arts workshops independently, and many do, but a coordinated borough-wide programme requires council involvement to achieve the scale and zero-cost access that Hammersmith delivered. Parents can raise the idea with head teachers and governors, but systemic change needs council backing and cross-school coordination.

Useful resources

• https://www.richmond.gov.uk/services/arts