The Southwark Education Research Project (SERP) Reactivated was a vital initiative that revisited and preserved a ground-breaking heritage education archive. Originally active between 1989 and 1995, SERP engaged over 1,500 children and teachers across 15 schools in Southwark. Its impact was felt nationally and internationally, serving as a model for educational innovation, including influencing the landmark DCMS Creative Partnerships programme.
Decades later, Peckham Platform, in collaboration with the late seminal artist Barbara Steveni and artist Barby Asante, reanimated the project through Steveni’s personal archives. This work ensured that the legacy of SERP remains relevant today, at a time when educational policy is shifting, and opportunities for young people to engage in school-based cultural education are increasingly under threat.
The project delivered lasting outcomes for heritage, local communities, and young people. Accredited archivists worked to conserve and catalogue the vulnerable SERP archive, while volunteers were trained to gather oral histories, digitise materials, and make the collection widely accessible online. A series of learning exhibitions across Southwark engaged local communities, culminating in the archive being accessioned to Tate’s collection, with digital copies available at Southwark Archives and online for future generations to explore.
SERP Reactivated not only celebrated a pioneering educational initiative but also created an enduring legacy, highlighting the power of creative learning and its importance in shaping the future of education.
Funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) and the University of the Arts London (UAL).
