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 over 370 studio units, runs work/live and studio residency schemes and manages an international agency programme for visiting artists. Acme is recognised as the key strategic development agency for artists' studios 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's long-term goal is to create a permanent and sustainable network of affordable, accessible and high-quality studios for artists in London.

In 2006 Acme achieved a further step towards this goal, designing and building 50 new artists' studios, in partnership with property developers Barratt, at The Galleria in Peckham, London SE15. The studios are part of a larger mixed-use development which includes private and affordable residential apartments. The Galleria is a pioneering example of a 'planning gain' partnership between an affordable studio provider, a property developer and the local authority. This project is part-funded by Arts Council England through its Grants for the arts - capital programme.

Acme also secured National Lottery funding through the Arts Council in 1997, which enabled it to buy and develop two studio buildings, the Fire Station in E14 and Copperfield Road in E3. Acme bought its third major studio building in Orsman Road, N1 in April 2000.

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 including funding bodies, local authorities, other studio organisations and development agencies.

Quick facts

374 studios in over 211,000 square feet, in 10 studio blocks throughout east and south-east London at inclusive rent levels of between £6.50 and £8.50/sq.ft./per year.
Nine work/live residencies at low rents for five years, plus two residencies of two-and-a-half years with free work/live space and bursaries of £5,000 a year at Acme's fully accessible Fire Station building in E14.
A one-year studio residency at The Galleria Studios with a free studio and a £10,000 bursary for a Southwark artist.
Eight low-cost work/live residencies for five years at The Sugar House in E15.
Eight units of living accommodation.
An international residency programmes for six cultural agencies from Australia, Germany, Sweden and Switzerland.
A waiting list of artists seeking non-residential studios in London.
A nationwide, free advisory service to artists on all aspects of property negotiation, conversion and management.
Space for two important publicly-funded galleries: Matt's Gallery and The Showroom.

Acme Studios consists of three exempt charities registered under the Industrial and Provident Societies Act 1965:

Acme Studios Housing Association Limited

Reg. No: 28377R
VAT Reg. No: 680 7763 03

Acme Artists Housing Association Limited

Reg. No: 27215R

Acme Housing Association Limited

Reg. No: 20468R
Members of the National Housing Federation

Acme Studios

44 Copperfield Road, Bow, London, E3 4RR
T 020 8981 6811/6821
Voice & minicom
F 020 8983 0567
E mail@acme.org.uk
www.acme.org.uk

Co-Directors

Jonathan Harvey, David Panton

Committee of Management

Robert Barnes
Zarina Bhimji
Naomi Dines
Jonathan Harvey (Company Secretary/Treasurer)
Henry Lydiate
Richard Millward
David Panton (Chairman)
Trevor Sutton

Staff

Jemima Brown (Artists' Liaison Officer)
Heather Deedman (Senior Artists' Liaison Officer)
Jonathan Harvey (Co-Director)
Calum F Kerr (Artists' Liaison and Research Officer)
Richard Kingsnorth (Finance Officer)
Roger Kite (Senior Manager, Repairs and Maintenance)
Julia Lancaster (Residency and Projects Manager)
John Lang (Manager, Repairs and Maintenance)
Ben Lawley (Rent Manager)
David Panton (Co-Director)
Caroline Vosburgh (Archivist)

Press

Alison Wright PR - alison@alisonwrightpr.com

Solicitors

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

Accountants

Alliotts
9 Kingsway
London WC2B 6XF