London has a well-deserved reputation around the world for its vibrant visual art scene, plus all the associated sectors such as art materials suppliers and framing shops. However, this status as a hub for creativity and innovation is increasingly under threat from developers who are snapping up all the spaces that artists have traditionally used as studios.
There has been an established trend for young and emerging artists to rent cheap studio space in former warehouses and factories in the less fashionable parts of London. This has allowed them to establish themselves as artists and build up a sustainable income without crippling overheads.
However, as these areas have become increasingly gentrified, artists have been priced out by developers and many emerging creatives can no longer afford to live or work in the capital. There is growing concern about the impact the loss of affordable workspaces will have on London’s art scene.
The pushing back of artists further into the fringes of the capital, or even to towns such as Margate, Folkestone and Hastings, where rents are more affordable, disrupts the organic and collaborative nature of the art scene. This is particularly detrimental to young artists who often work in shared studio spaces and build up a supportive community.
The redevelopment of formerly ‘bohemian’ neighbourhoods also destroys the unique character and cultural richness of the area. The new developments are often affordable only to the elite, leading to a lack of diversity and replacing the innovative and creative spirit of the area with a closed off sense of exclusivity.
Indeed, the new developments often borrow the aesthetic of the original neighbourhood, such as ‘edgy’ industrial interior design with exposed brickwork and pipework and concrete flooring. This is now a fashionable urban choice for offices and apartments, but it evolved from the artists and craftspeople who worked in abandoned buildings.
Ironically, these people can no longer afford to rent such spaces, while the wealthier new occupants invest in recreating sanitised versions of the original space, without any regard for the authentic cultural identity of the area. This problem is not just confined to London; it is also happening in other UK cities including Bristol, Manchester, and Edinburgh.
The Guardian newspaper reports that in London, the average studio size has halved since 2020, leading to a campaign to protect affordable spaces for artists. This is not just to provide places for creatives to work, but also for smaller galleries, which are often collectively run by artists and provide a sustainable source of income.
The post-industrial areas of London, such as Hackney, Shoreditch and Peckham were once considered undesirable places to live, and artists were able to cheaply rent large well-lit spaces in empty factories and warehouses. However, these areas are increasingly gentrified, and it is now extremely difficult to find such places.
The Guardian reports that a recent survey by the London studio charity Acme found that last year, almost a third of artists were doubtful that they would be able to continue working professionally over the next five years, and only 12 per cent said that they could support themselves solely from their artwork.
Space Studios manages buildings for creatives in London, including Hackney and Tower Hamlets, but the chief executive Eline van der Vlist explained that they are gradually being pushed further to the fringes of the city.
When asked if this dislocation would impact artists, she replied: “To a certain extent, yes. Collectors still look to London to see new work. The other day, an influential American figure asked me to show her some work by emerging artists. I doubt very much that she would have travelled to, say, Norwich.”
She added: “One thing we found in our research is that small, local galleries do not have the resources to go outside London to look at work, let alone transport it back to the capital. There’s no time to do the legwork. That’s why artists being located close together is very important.”
“Artists support the local economy – buying materials and other things, not to mention going into schools to give talks, open studios and things like that. If you take artists’ studios away, the first thing that’s going to fall are the smaller galleries, then the not-for-profits and charities relying on artists doing all sorts of voluntary work, community art murals, etc.”
It is hoped that the fresh campaigns to preserve creative and cultural spaces in UK cities will lead to innovative solutions, helping the next generation or artists to survive and thrive.