#27 10 year capital development programme which started in 2005
50 stories from The Acme Archive
In 2005 Acme were awarded a £2 million grant from Arts Council England’s Grants for the Arts Capital Fund. This grant contributed to the 10 year development programme that delivered 4 new buildings between 2006 and 2012, providing 132 studios, each of which delivered something new and innovative.
The first studio building delivered as part of this programme was the Galleria building in 2006. The presence of artists in the building was used as a marketing tool to sell flats within the development and the launch of the studios was attended by David Lammy, then Minister of State for Culture. Acme’s Leven Road building, launched in 2009, is part of a pioneering mixed use building, developed in partnership with San Housing. It is notable as being the UK’s first 100% affordable development, both in terms of housing and workspaces. Harrow Road was delivered in 2010. This was developed as a planning gain partnership between Catalyst Housing and Acme, brokered by the London Borough of Brent. The studios within the building were advertised on the hoardings during development, which gained a local audience of artists looking for studios in the area. Matchmakers Wharf was delivered in 2012, with a 999 year lease, and launched in September of that year.
These four buildings added to Acme’s portfolio of permanent buildings, providing long-term accommodation for artists, and would be joined in the following year by three additional studio buildings.