Canary Wharf's floating arts venue is set to grow with the arrival of Artship. We take a look around.
If you've been along to South Dock in Canary Wharf lately, then you might have been intrigued by this oddly named vessel:
This is Artship London, an almost 90-year-old cargo vessel that will soon become an arts hub for Canary Wharf. Artship arrived in South Dock at the very end of last year, and is undergoing an extensive refit to make her safe for the public. She's berthed right next to Theatreship, an even older vessel that's been operating successfully as a performing arts venue since 2024. Combined, Artship and Theatreship will soon form a multipurpose floating arts centre — like a buoyant Barbican — and a rare independent cultural gem for this part of town.
80 years late to the party
Artship might have got here 80 years sooner. She was built in Holst-Shiffswerft near Hamburg in 1939, right on the eve of war. The ship, originally known as Unterelbe, was quickly requisitioned by the German navy, and converted into a transport for U-boat torpedos. Unterelbe was then earmarked to take part in Operation Sea Lion, the Nazi invasion of Britain. That never happened, of course, but we're happy to welcome her now under a flag of art rather than a flag of war.
Remarkably, Unterelbe was still seaworthy after eight decades of peacetime cargo service. She made the journey over from the continent in 2024 under her own power — though only after emergency engine repairs in open water. Now she has a new home, a new name and a new purpose; a second-coming for what is the oldest purpose-built diesel cargo ship in the UK.
Making her shipshape
Much work lies ahead before she's in any condition to open as an arts venue, but it's already clear that this will be a special place. Artship's hold is simultaneously roomy and intimate, with such delicious acoustics you'll want to burst into soliloquy. Artists and videographers have already made informal use of this work-in-progress space, and site-specific sound installations are planned as part of an early public show.
The wider ship holds many curious details. The crew area contains what must be the world's smallest sauna, installed during a spell under Finnish ownership. Artship's German origins are also evident. "Rauchen verboten" (no smoking) warns a battered sign near the engine room. Meanwhile, the wheelhouse includes an Atlas Echolot depth-sounding device, which originated on a German submarine. Who'd have guessed that a U-boat sonar still functions in the docks of 21st century Canary Wharf?
Two years of Theatreship
While Artship is fitted out, its older sister Theatreship goes from strength to strength as a performing arts venue. "It's been amazing!" says owner Inigo Lapwood. "We've had programming I'm really proud of. We just finished a BFI-supported season of Silent Films with new live scores. They were completely packed out."
Mashing together the old and the new and mixing up genres is Theatreship's USP... as if floating in a 100-year-old ship were not novel enough. An evening here might mix visual art installations with live performances, classical quartets with electronic bass-lines, or international roots alongside traditional British folk. "In an increasingly digital world it's a very analogue experience," says Lapwood. "Sharing space, sharing experiences, and sharing conversations, all onboard a living piece of London's history, surrounded by 100-year-old rivets".
And Theatreship is a magical space. The audience enters at the bow, to find themselves in what must be the most homely, inviting and affordable bar in Canary Wharf (well, technically, it's just outside the estate, on the Millwall side of the dock, but it's only five minutes from Canary Wharf Tube).
Through the curtains, the performance area awaits, a similarly intimate space in a unique setting. "It felt like being transported to a different time, reminiscent of people gathering around a fire to share songs," felt one reviewer. "I thought places like this in London were myths and legends and part of the past," shared another.
I ask Lapwood for his own highlights from the first two years of his floating arts centre. "[It's] often the things I'm not expecting: it's coming down the stairs on a Monday night to find 50 people all sitting in the bar resurrecting old tunes on older instruments, playing together spontaneously. It's 100 people gripping the arm-rests of the cinema seats on Free Mystery Cinema night, when a film from the 1930s that nobody in the room had seen before still has the ability to shock and inspire. It's the people sharing a pint with us saying they've finally found a place in Canary Wharf where they feel they belong".
Theatreship has proven its worth over its first two years, but with Artship's arrival, London will soon have an armada of the arts and a flotilla of cultural expression. At least, it will if the continued expansion of the Docklands doesn't swamp the decks. A new residential tower, 77 Marsh Wall (and planning application here), will directly overlook the current berths, and it's not yet clear how its construction (if approved) will affect operations. We'll be keeping an eye on the development.
Until that's settled, it's (show)business as usual on Theatreship, with a packed programme of upcoming events.
