An international arts competition has launched in Thamesmead, offering £200,000 to artists who can help the area, which is set to gain thousands of new residents over the next 10 years, become a vibrant cultural destination.

Housing association Peabody has launched the Thamesmead Open competition, an ambitious open call for call, coinciding with the launch of its Cultural Infrastructure Plan for the area, the first to be published in London.

The arts commission is part of plans to "create the cultural facilities that Thamesmead must provide to create a culturally rich and vibrant new town for London, which will likely be home to over 100,000 residents by 2030, with 20,000 new homes."

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Adriana Marques, head of cultural strategy for Thamesmead at Peabody, said culture was “an essential part” of making the area better.

She added: “We want people to be proud to call Thamesmead home. A home for culture in our great city.”

The Tavy Bridge area of Thamesmead and Southmere Lake was used as a setting for Stanley Kubrick's A Clockwork Orange, offering a bleak view of the area, but it is hoped that Thamesmead Open will encourage a different kind of artistic vision.

It has been described as a "concrete jungle", but Thamesmead has actually featured in numerous films, TV shows such as Misfits and for music videos by Skepta, A$AP Rocky and the Libertines.

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Peabody say the plans show how they are prioritising culture in the same way as it plans for housing and transport, because "you cannot create great places to live without cultural infrastructure."

With £200,000 up for grabs, the commission is intended to make a bold statement for Thamesmead, putting the area on the map and raising cultural ambitions,

The funding will cover the artist and organisation fees, production costs and travel, and the idea can cover any location in Thamesmead, preferably relevant to the local community, whilst also reflecting the change that is coming.

The competition winner will be announced in June and the project has to be finished by March 2022.

A panel of judges, which will include Thamesmead residents and representatives from Greenwich Council and Bexley Council, will review applications and select the winner. The winner of the competition will be announced in June.