Grow FM is our summer programme of activities and events exploring the theme of ‘community as health’.  

The brainchild of curator-producers Yinka Danmole and Tadeo Lopez-Sendon, Grow FM is an experimental programme featuring new commissions by local and international artists and a roaming pop-up radio station, powered by the community for the community, broadcasting from Chiswick House & Gardens throughout the summer. Tadeo Lopez-Sendon said:

In an age where we witness the erosion of trust and social connections, Grow FM aims to re-centre community at the heart of social life.

What is Grow FM?

Grow FM is inspired by West London pirate radio stations, which became a lifeline for disenfranchised communities in the 1990s. It also influenced by our Victorian residents, the Tuke brothers, whose radical approach to mental health centred exchange and dialogue as a means of connecting with their patients. Yinka Danmole said:

Inspired by Chiswick House & Gardens’ history, with the Tuke brothers’ radical Victorian approach to mental health practices, the Grow FM programme explores ways of nurturing this precious public space for the local community, for new collectives and for cultural production.

Grow FM will encourage artists and audiences to come together physically and online, enabling new conditions for cultural exchange and production to thrive, especially for those groups and communities often overlooked today in Hounslow. Supported by the London Borough of Hounslow, as part of their Summer of Culture, the project includes paid placements for three young creatives as trainee audio producers. Xanthe Arvanitakis, Director of Chiswick House & Gardens Trust, said:

We know first-hand from Growing Together at Chiswick House, our thriving community engagement programme, that a strong sense of community is integral to our health and mental wellbeing. We are delighted to be working closely with the local people of Hounslow and this talented group of creatives to support Grow FM for improved health and wellbeing for all of us.

Grow FM Radio Station

From 14 July 

Inspired by West London’s connection to pirate radio heritage which served as a catalyst for communities disenfranchised from the mainstream media, Grow FM is a pop-up roaming radio station powered by local voices and produced by young people from the London Borough of Hounslow. Broadcasting for six weeks from Chiswick House & Gardens and streamed online, it features live conversations and debates, and participatory experiences all exploring the theme of community as health. 

Grow FM Trainee Audio Producer Placement

Applications by 25 April, placement runs May-August 

Supported by the London Borough of Hounslow, as part of their Summer of Culture, this is an incredible opportunity for three ambitious individuals from the Borough to learn the ropes as trainee producers on the radio station. This is a 12-week paid learning and development placement for local creatives to develop a career in the arts. The trainees will be supported throughout by experienced practitioners. Work with us – Chiswick House & Gardens (chiswickhouseandgardens.org.uk)