This Used to be Fields was commissioned by the Barbican with funding from the Arts Council of England and additional support from Creative Barking and Dagenham. Through a combination of heritage, technology and art, This Used to be Fields will build connections between the people of Becontree and leave a unique and meaningful legacy for the many and varied communities of Barking and Dagenham.

It is a collaboration between Historypin, a community archiving project created by not-for-profit company Shift, and Create which works to connect artists more closely with communities. In partnership with Valence House Museum, home to Barking and Dagenham’s archive, we are working with hundreds of local organisations, community groups and individuals to create a rich and multilayered communal archive of the Becontree Estate. All the materials gathered will be shared in a digital archive on Historypin.com to be explored, added to and enriched. The materials will also be brought to life through a new permanent public artwork in Becontree, in the form of a mural, commissioned by Create and Barbican.