The Keats House Consultative Committee met on 31 October 2025 to discuss achievements at Keats House, priorities, projects, and activities at Keats House, and to receive an update on risk management. The committee was also scheduled to approve the minutes from their previous meeting.

Achievements at Keats House

The committee was scheduled to note the achievements at Keats House between April and September 2025, as detailed in the Keats House 2025-26 mid-year update report. According to the report, Keats House has been delivering its annual Activities Plan, contributing to departmental, corporate, and wider cultural sector outcomes and initiatives.

The report noted that 5,089 people visited the house and the Keats House 100 exhibition between April and September 2025, a 21% increase compared to the same period last year. If sustained, this would bring visitor numbers close to pre-pandemic levels. Additionally, 21 public events at the house engaged 677 people with themes of the centenary, poetry, and creativity.

Keats House has also continued to host school groups and participate in projects funded by the City Corporation's Education Strategy Unit (ESU) through their Cultural & Creative Learning Fund. A total of 29 taught sessions were delivered to 513 students from 22 different schools, including sessions for ESU-funded projects like Green Changemakers, Culturally Speaking, and Change the Record.

Volunteers have contributed 362.5 hours of their time, expertise, and enthusiasm to support activities at the house in the first half of the year, providing visitor tours, poetry readings, and collections care.

Keats House supported local community partner events for Hampstead Summer Festival and took part in Open House Festival 2025, with 395 people visiting the house for free on Sunday 14 September.

The report also mentioned that comprehensive and detailed surveys of the building and its immediate environment have been commissioned, leading to condition reports and prioritised recommendations for both the Grade I listed Keats House and the Grade II listed Ten Keats Grove buildings.

Risk Management

The Culture, Heritage & Libraries Committee was asked to confirm that the risk register appended to the Keats House 2025-26 mid-year update report satisfactorily sets out the key risks to the Keats House charity and that appropriate systems are in place to identify and mitigate risks.

The Keats House Risk Register contained one 'RED' risk, two 'AMBER' risks, and four 'GREEN' risks, managed by the Head of Heritage and Museums. A new risk, 'Tree event or failure', was added to the register with a 'Red' score of 24, due to the potential for tree or limb failure causing public safety issues, damage to heritage buildings, and loss of habitat. Actions to control this risk include annual inspections of all trees and closure of the garden in extreme weather conditions.

Priorities, Projects and Activities 2026-2029

The committee was scheduled to discuss priorities, projects, and activities at Keats House for the years 2026-2029.

According to the Keats House Activities Plan 2025/26, the main objectives of the Keats House Charity in 2025/26 are to:

• Implement the projects and activities identified in the Activities Plan for delivery in 2025/26.
• Develop a longer-term Business Plan for Keats House, to ensure the future sustainability of Keats House charity and its operating model.
• Deliver maintenance and access improvement projects at Keats House.

Between April 2025 and March 2026, Keats House plans to support Corporate Plan outcomes by:

• Actively engaging with young people through Cultural & Creative Learning funded partnership projects.
• Growing their offer for families with young children and older people.
• Improving access for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) and adults with disabilities.
• Continuing to support, develop and diversify their workforce by providing a range of paid and volunteer opportunities, including for young people aged 16 – 18.
• Making their collections more accessible and relevant by launching their new collections management database, including an online, searchable catalogue.
• Collaborating with strategic partners and establish new partnerships, to enrich and diversify their offer.
• Delivering the 'Keats House 100' exhibition and redisplay of items from 1925.
• Devising and delivering a year-round events programme, including talks, live interpretation, creative workshops, and special events.
• Researching and developing a new exhibition and events programme for 2026/27.
• Supporting local community stakeholders to deliver cultural events.
• Improving their marketing, particularly within the local and London context.
• Supporting City Surveyor's to improve the appearance, safety and security of their premises at 10 Keats Grove.
• Reviewing and developing their visitor experience, collections and policies to support applications for Museum Accreditation¹ and Visit England's Quality Assured Visitor Attraction Scheme.
• Rebuilding their income streams, including admissions, retail sales, private hires, creative project grants and charitable donations.
• Continuing to support formal learning in primary, secondary and higher education institutions, by providing taught sessions at Keats House, special learning projects and Summer School.
• Undertaking specific actions to reduce their climate impact and improve the sustainability and biodiversity of their site and services.
• Working with Heath Hands volunteers and the Learning Team to maintain and enhance the garden at 10 Keats Grove.