Acme Studios is a London-based charity which provides affordable studio space, residencies and awards for non-commercial fine artists.

Acme currently manages 425 studios in 12 buildings in London, providing space for over 500 artists.

History

Acme Housing Association was set up by a group of recent art graduates in 1972 as a device for securing somewhere to live and work. Co-founder David Panton explains:

'We first approached the Council in the spring of 1971,having seen a vast amount of empty property in East London, due eventually for demolition, but which looked suitable for our needs. The Council said no, they were not prepared to deal with us as individuals, but suggested we formed a housing association that could accept responsibility for returning the short-life property on time...we were offered two derelict shops in Bow

Bow, London

Bow is an area of London, England, United Kingdom in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets. It is a built-up, mostly residential district located east of Charing Cross, and is a part of the East End.-Bridges at Bowe:...

 in spring 1973 on a nominal rent of £3 per week with an expected life of 21 months, which had been empty for over 2 years.'

The GLC

Greater London Council

The Greater London Council was the top-tier local government administrative body for Greater London from 1965 to 1986. It replaced the earlier London County Council which had covered a much smaller area...

 were impressed with Acme's management of the two houses and soon offered them more. Within two years Acme was the largest single manager of short-life housing in London. The introduction of 'right to buy' in the 1980s altered the housing market and the supply of short-life housing began to dry up. Like many other artists' studio organisations, Acme began leasing large ex-industrial premises. The advent of National Lottery

National Lottery (United Kingdom)

The National Lottery is the state-franchised national lottery in the United Kingdom and the Isle of Man.It is operated by Camelot Group, to whom the licence was granted in 1994, 2001 and again in 2007. The lottery is regulated by the National Lottery Commission, and was established by the then...

 for capital projects enabled Acme to purchase two buildings - the Fire Station in Poplar, E15 and Copperfield Road in Bow, E3. Acme also purchased Orsman Road in Hackney

London Borough of Hackney

The London Borough of Hackney is a London borough of North/North East London, and forms part of inner London. The local authority is Hackney London Borough Council....

, N1 through cross-subsidising the sale of work-live units.

New-build studios

In 2006, Acme opened the Galleria in Peckham

Peckham

Peckham is a district in south London, England, located in the London Borough of Southwark. It is situated south-east of Charing Cross. The area is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London...

, London. This purpose-built studio building contains 50 studios and was 'negotiated through planning gain

Planning gain

Planning gain refers primarily to the increase in the value of land which results from planning permission being granted for that land. This increase in land value mainly accrues to the owner of the land, but a levy or tax may be applied to divert some of the planning gain to the public sector...

, helping to meet local employment needs alongside the development of residential units for private sale.' Acme has utilised planning gain to achieve further new-build studios at Leven Road in Poplar, Harrow Road in Kensal Green

Kensal Green

Kensal Green, also referred to as Kensal Rise is an area of London, England. It is located on the southern edge of the London Borough of Brent and borders the City of Westminster to the East and the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea to the South....

 and Matchmakers Wharf in Homerton

Homerton

Homerton is a place in the London Borough of Hackney. It is bordered to the west by Hackney Central, to the north by Lower Clapton, in the east by Hackney Wick, Leyton and by South Hackney to the south.-Origins:...

(due for completion in 2012).

Residencies and Awards

Acme's Residencies, Awards and Community Programme has a number of different strands: work/live residencies and bursaries at low rents, and awards which provide free studios and grants. The programme also includes studio residency schemes for selected artists whose practice naturally embraces or reflects the areas and communities where the studios are based, resulting in direct public engagement in creative visual arts activity. This is in contrast to many other schemes where there is often a requirement for artists to deliver quantifiable outcomes.

International

Acme International Residencies Programme has been managed by Acme since 1987 and enables international governments, cultural agencies and foundations to offer artists major work/live residencies in London.