Founded in 2000, LEAN has much to be proud to have achieved its primary ambition: to establish itself as a sustainable, creative agency and local cultural education partnership supporting the growth of creative partnership working across the borough of Lewisham.
Based at The Albany in Deptford since its inception, LEAN’s local and city-wide profile has grown as each year has passed and its credibility is built on its clarity of mission, LEAN has a small but stable and committed staff team and an experienced Board of Directors.
LEAN’s regular annual programme of training, project management and support has reached diverse target audiences, including artist educators, education professionals, youth workers, health professionals, HE students and young people of primary and secondary school age. Work has been broad based, encompassing both formal and informal settings and has been commissioned in partnership with a number of different statutory and voluntary agencies.
Those in a position to invest in infrastructure that builds Lewisham’s capacity to be a creative place to live, work and learn have been quick to see the pivotal position this established company occupies.
LEAN TIMELINE
2000 – Unincorporated Association
11 November 2004 – Company Limited by Guarantee
24 May 2007 – Registered Charity
2003 – ongoing – One-to One surgeries
2004 – 2008 – Annual journal of creative education published – CreatEd
2007 – 2009 – Speak Out
2008 – ongoing – Lewisham Youth Arts Network launched
2012 – 2022, and beyond – Lewisham Live
2013 – Rainbow Collective
2015 – Arts and Resilience Community of Practice (CoP)
2015 – 2025 – Arts Freelancer Breakfast Club
2016 – 2020 – South East London Arts Award Network in partnership with the Royal Borough of Greenwich
2017 – Bellingham Regeneration Arts Group (BRAG)
2017 – ongoing – Meet the Funder sessions and surgeries
2019 – 2025 – Creative Careers programme and Army of Creatives
2021 – ongoing – founder member of Lewisham Visual Arts Network
2021 – 2022 London Borough of Culture 2022, Education Partner
London Borough of Culture Impact Report
2023 – 2025 Moving Stories project
2023 – 26 LEAN hosts Fundraising Development Manager for Arts
2023 Director Jane Hendrie retires after 20 years at the helm
2024 – LEAN facilitates new LCEP
2026 – Chair Veronica Jobbins MBE retires after 26 years involvement as Trustee
Maria Turley elected as the new Chair, with Sheree-Marie Abraham elected as the Vice Chair
