Across arts and community sectors, the way that activity and development are funded is often in short term, project-based works. It is widely acknowledged that this can lead to a lack of opportunity to plan long term, and often results in a lack of resources and opportunity to make lasting change. For a community to embark on putting together a 100-year plan, each smaller, short term project can be viewed as part of a wider landscape plan.

For 2022, The Portland Inn Project will embark on writing our 100 Year Plan for our neighbourhood. This work will also inform the development of a set of influencing tools so that other areas can benefit from the work we are doing on our street.

The 100-year plan borrows from landscape architecture and design thinking to empower communities, funders and policymakers to resist short term project-based thinking, and to begin to think more holistically and sustainably, the longer-term, which can have significant benefits, socially, politically and environmentally.