Brought to you in partnership with Wembley Park.
You don't see artists' studios all that often in London these days — rising property prices are pushing creative types out, replacing paint splashed walls and pottery kilns with glass and metal boxes. Apparently 3,500 studios have closed in the last four years alone — but there's one area of London that's bucking that trend.
Wembley Park, in keeping with its role as a new creative district for London, is encouraging artists to carry on working in the area. Among the bounty of shops, bars and restaurants in the vicinity, Wembley Park Studio Project, run by SFSA, opened in February 2018, offering 28 artists an affordable, subsidised space in which to continue their creative work. The artists, in exchange for use of the space, pledge their time to help with projects in the local community, including running free art classes, and helping local students to prepare portfolios.
Artists at the studios work across ceramics, painting, drawing, quilt making, fashion and illustration, making for an eclectic output — and plenty of expertise to plug back into the community.
There's a chance for the public to meet Wembley Park's resident artists at an Open Studios Weekend in June. Doors to studios will be thrown open, offering a behind the scenes look at the work these artists do, and a chance to talk to them about it. Plus, if anything takes your fancy, you can buy or commission it directly from the artist, cutting out commissioning costs.
Open Studios Weekend at Wembley Park takes place 9-10 June 2018, noon-6pm.
