Hundreds of children to benefit after gallery secures major grant
Hundreds of children are set to benefit from clubs and art activities after a gallery secured major funding to continue running its services.
Peckham’s South London Gallery (SLG), in Peckham Road, received the grant from the Bukhman Foundation, a charity which supports arts and culture, education and medical research.
The cash boost will secure the future of the gallery’s Art Block, providing the necessary funding for staff costs and artists’ fees, materials, activities and events for the next two years.
Margot Heller, director of SLG, said: “We are immensely grateful to The Bukhman Foundation for their generous support to enable us to continue our work at Art Block.
“We very much look forward to this new chapter in the history of Art Block and to seeing its continued positive social impact and the creativity it will nurture.”
The Art Block, which is located in the Sceaux Gardens Estate at the junction of Peckham Road and Southampton Way, has supported more than 350 children and their families since it opened in 2017.
The service offers free after-school and holiday sessions three days a week for children aged between six and 16.
Its programme brings together youth work, play and art practice, with sessions featuring a range of activities from painting, textiles and drawing to photography, cooking and phone case customisation.
Activities and clubs are led by the Communities & Learning team, many of whom are young people from the area.
The team works to encourage children and young people to create their own talent shows and games which are hosted within the gallery or in neighbouring green spaces.
The children also regularly collaborate with visiting artists.
In 2024, artists based in Southwark, Lewisham or Lambeth were invited to lead a series of workshops over 12 weeks with the children and young people who attend SLG’s Art Block.
The children voted on who they would most like to work with, selecting artist duo Kneed – Ishwari Bhalerao and Leonie Rousham – for their project Art Block Ecologies.
From April to July 2024, Kneed worked with the children to create maps, instruments, films, audio recordings, meals and sculptures that represented the past, present and future ecologies of Sceaux Gardens.
Anastasia Bukhman, co-founder of Bukhman Foundation, said: “Art Block is a wonderful initiative that will bring children and young people closer to art and creativity.
“We are very proud to be supporting this programme and to be providing more opportunities for young people to create and grow in this accessible and inspiring space.”
The SLG is a registered charity. It receives Arts Council funding but relies on support from donations, grants and its own revenue generating operations.
Pictured top: Communities and learning assistant Eve with Graciella at an Art Block after school session (Picture: Charlotte Henry)