Artists' studios to open in News International’s former home

The Grade II-listed building, which will house 90 artists' studios


The educational arts charity Bow Arts has converted the former home of Rupert Murdoch’s
publishing company News International in Wapping, east London, into a new complex housing
90 artist studios, which is due to open in June. The site, which accommodates a
listed rum warehouse, was once home to the Sun, Times, Sunday Times, and News of
the World (News International is now known as News UK).

“These new studios come at a crucial time when young artists are being increasingly
y pushed out of the city by rising rent prices,” say the organisers.

“It’s a fabulous Grade II-listed building where we will create affordable work
spaces for early career artists and young designers, as well as access for
events in the amazing vaulted cellars that stretch for about a third of a
kilometre the entire length of the building.”

The property developer St George plc, which bought the 15-acre site in
2012, has donated the building to Bow Arts. Arts Council England is
also backing the project. Meanwhile, a Kickstarter fundraising campaign
aims to raise £50,000 by 17 April for the initiative (£13,252 has so
far been pledged; the project features on Art Basel’s crowdfunding
website which supports non-profit visual arts organisations).

Bow Arts, which was founded in 1995, runs five venues across east
London including the Nunnery, a contemporary art gallery in
Mile End. The organisation also operates a live/work scheme
across a number of sites in Bow, which provides housing for practising artists.