The White House

“Tenants shall be as free as possible to order their lives in their own way, so that they may pursue their originality…” LCC Becontree Estate Tenants’ Handbook, 1921

In August 2016, Create worked with architects Apparata to transform The White House, a derelict 18th century farmhouse on Dagenham’s Becontree Estate, into a new public space for art and social activity. The White House invites artists to live at the house, to make new art and join people living locally to create the vision for this new public building.

Since opening, The White House has been home to numerous artists and hosted a range of workshops, talks, dinners and events – with artist residencies resulting in activities including a socialist pantomime, a mockumentary film, a site-specific theatre production, and an anti-social social club.

Alongside the artist residencies, the House hosts a Front Room Programme, which includes coffee mornings, arts and craft groups facilitated by local people, poetry classes and film screenings. The Front Room Programme has been designed with the people that come to the house and is often a legacy of the artists’ projects and their own interests.

Find out more over at The White House’s own website.

The White House is supported by London Borough of Barking & Dagenham, Arts Council England, Paul Hamlyn Foundation and City Bridge Trust. APPARATA is a London-based architecture studio founded by Astrid Smitham ETH SIA RIBA ARB, and Nicholas Lobo Brennan. They are a Royal Institute of British Architects Chartered Practice, and Swiss Society of Engineers and Architects registered.

Past Residencies

Programmes

Where

The White HouseA new public space for art and social activity on the Becontree Estate in Dagenham.

Past Residencies

Programmes

Where