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Background to Green Heart Partnership
GHP was set up in 2004 as a partnership initiative between Arts Council England, East and the eleven local authorities of Hertfordshire. It was established to demonstrate the value of culture and creativity in the business of local government, and aimed to focus on one particular priority for local authorities in Hertfordshire at that time: the environment.
| Green Heart Partnership partners | | Borough of Broxbourne
Dacorum Borough Council
East Herts Council
Hertfordshire County Council
Hertsmere Borough Council
Lee Valley Regional Park Authority
North Hertfordshire District Council
St Albans City & District Council
Stevenage Borough Council
Three Rivers District Council
Watford Borough Council
Welwyn Hatfield Council
Arts Council England, East
Funding for the core work of the partnership came in the form of annual subscriptions from each of the partner local authorities (redirecting their previous subscriptions to the Local Government Arts Forum) matched by a substantial Grants for the Arts award from Arts Council England, East. Specific projects were funded by the individual partners and GHP’s approach has also secured significant match funding from local, regional and national partners.
Based on their knowledge and experience of delivering collaborative arts and environment initiatives, Haring Woods were appointed as the project managers of GHP in 2005. Haring Woods began to explore the way in which their own practice and experience could support the development of GHP and extend its achievements.
GHP is focused on improving the design quality, function, and sustainability of public spaces, and has supported the development of policy and strategy as well as physical developments in the public realm in Hertfordshire.
GHP follows Haring Woods’ core methodology of brining a range of professionals together with artists to instigate a creatively-led and inter-disciplinary working process. The team consists of Planning Officers, Environmental Officers, Health and Safety Officers, Highways Engineers, external stakeholders among others and together they address the inevitable knowledge gaps in the project teams.
Haring Woods quickly identified the value of the Perception AREA community engagement approach to support these inter-disciplinary teams to make informed decisions. By placing artists at the heart of the community, it enables them to capture the perceptions of local people and qualitative information that can direct and help focus the team’s decisions. | 
