Rapid increases in property values in Southwark, mirrored across our capital, have greatly impacted the ability to provide workspaces at a price that is affordable for people working in the creative industries. Artists and small creative businesses have often had to work from dilapidated space on short-term leases whilst, ironically, enhancing the desirability of an area that makes redevelopment more likely. 

Southwark Studios is pioneering a new solution to this fundamental problem of long-term sustainability. We engage with Developers throughout the planning process, working in collaboration to integrate spaces for the creative industries within mixed-use redevelopment sites. We negotiate to ensure that developers achieve their affordable workspace planning obligations, whilst guaranteeing the terms we need to ensure that workspaces remain affordable for Artists in the long-term. 

For over a decade we have developed this new method of delivering the next generation of London’s cultural infrastructure, with the sites we have secured used by the Greater London Authority as examples of best practice.

Southwark Studios, working in partnership with our consultancy arm Affordablework.space, continues to seek new opportunities to partner with Developers. We are keen to replicate our success and secure more of the spaces that are vital for local creative industries to continue to work in our capital.