About Acme

Acme Studios is a London-based charity, formed by artists in 1972, which supports the development of fine art practice by providing artists with affordable studio and living space. Acme provides 425 studio units, runs work/live and studio residency schemes and manages an international residencies programme for visiting artists. Acme is recognised as the leading studio development organisation in England and has helped more than 5,000 artists with this fundamental means of support. Acme Studios is funded by Arts Council England.

Acme continues to build on its success in creating a permanent and sustainable network of affordable, accessible, professionally-managed and high quality studios for artists in London.

In addition to the provision of studio and living space, Acme has taken a leading role in helping develop the affordable studio sector in England. In recent years it has been working nationally with other studio organisations and Arts Council England to establish the National Federation of Artists' Studio Providers and in London has led on Capital Studios, an advocacy programme on behalf of affordable studio providers in the capital.

Acme provides an advisory service on studio provision to a wide range of organisations and individuals including funding bodies, local government, other studio organisations, development agencies and artists.

Quick facts

• 429 studios in 11 studio blocks across eight London boroughs at inclusive rent levels of between £8.10 and £12.00 per sq.ft. per year, with an average of £9.50 per sq.ft. per year.
• 12 work/live residencies at low rents for five years including a two-and-a-half year bursary with free work/live space and bursary of £5,000 a year at Acme's fully accessible Fire Station building in E14.
• An 18-month Southwark Studio Residency at the Galleria, SE15 with a rent-free studio and a £10,000 bursary for a Southwark artist.
• A two-year Tower Hamlets Studio Residency at Leven Road, E14 with a rent-free studio and a bursary of £10,000 a year.
• Four awards for art college graduates at Childers Street, SE8 each providing a bursary and rent-free studio: Adrian Carruthers Award, Camberwell Studio Award, Chadwell Award and Chelsea Studio Award.
• A 12-month Bow Cross Artist Residency in partnership with the Swan Foundation which provides a £10,000 bursary and £10,000 towards project costs.
• Five units of living accommodation.
• An international residencies programme for seven cultural agencies from Australia, Canada, Germany, Sweden and Switzerland [three].
• A waiting list of artists seeking non-residential studios in London.
• A nationwide, free advisory service to artists covering all aspects of property negotiation, conversion and management.
• Acme Project Space, which provides an opportunity for those artists who are part of our Residency, Awards & Community Programme and our International Residencies Programme with a public space within which to develop projects, show new work and engage in a critical dialogue with a wider audience.
• Space for an important publicly-funded gallery: Matt's Gallery.

Organisation Information

Acme Artists Studios Limited
Reg. No: IP30662 R

44 Copperfield Road,
Bow, London, E3 4RR 
T 020 8981 6811
F 020 8983 0567
E mail@acme.org.uk
W www.acme.org.uk

Founders and Directors
Jonathan Harvey - Chief Executive
David Panton - Director Property Development

Board
Robert Barnes
Sarah Davenport
Naomi Dines
Jonathan Harvey (Company Secretary/Treasurer)
Henry Lydiate
Richard Millward
David Panton (Chairman)
Caroline Summerfield
Trevor Sutton

Staff
Jemima Brown (Artists' Liaison Officer)
Heather Deedman (Senior Artists' Liaison Officer)
Dr Arantxa Echarte (Artists’ Studios Research and Development Associate)
Jack Fortescue (Communications Officer)
Jonathan Harvey (Chief Executive)
Calum F Kerr (Artists' Liaison and Research Officer)
Richard Kingsnorth (Head of Finance and Resources)
Roger Kite (Senior Manager, Repairs and Maintenance)
Julia Lancaster (Residency and Projects Manager)
John Lang (Manager, Repairs and Maintenance)
Ben Lawley (Rent Manager)
Lea O'Loughlin (Manager, International Residencies Programme)
David Panton (Director Property Development)
Jennie Ryerson (Projects Assistant, International Residencies Programme)
Sam Tilling (Development Officer)

Solicitors
Trowers & Hamlins
Sceptre Court
40 Tower Hill
London EC3N 4DX

Accountants
Alliotts
Imperial House
15 Kingsway
London WC2B 6UN

Designer
Area
cara@designbyarea.com

Web designer
Flat Earth
124 Agar Grove
London NW1 9TY
www.flatearth.co.uk