Small venues facing challenge to survival

By Noah Vickers, Local Democracy Reporter

London’s smaller arts and cultural venues are facing major challenges to their survival, a cross-party group of politicians has warned.

Mayor Sadiq Khan has been urged by the London Assembly’s economy committee to make more permanent, affordable premises available for grassroots cultural organisations – particularly those based outside the city centre.

They warned that small museums, galleries, theatres and music venues are struggling to access long-term or affordable leases in London, with some having to move between various locations – restricting their ability to plan for the long term.

Tarek Iskander, artistic director and chief executive of Battersea Arts Centre, said the only reason his organisation exists is because it is only charged a peppercorn rent by Wandsworth council.

He added that venues like his had been “buffeted by a perfect storm of the global pandemic, cost-of-living crisis, rampant inflation, devastating energy bills and critical skills shortages,” along with reduced investment.

“If I compare it to four years ago, it’s indescribably more difficult,” he said.

“There was definitely an opportunity for recovery [after Covid], but with the extra things that have happened since, it’s been quite difficult to get back to where we were.”

The committee’s report said the Mayor should use planning powers to support cultural organisations to access space in appropriate locations, not just on the high street, as well as providing advice and support to the organisations themselves.

It also calls on him to lobby the Government to ensure that London’s grassroots cultural organisations do not lose out as part of the redistribution of Arts Council England funding away from London.

Pictured top: Tarek Iskander, artistic director and chief executive of Battersea Arts Centre (Picture: Noah Vickers/Local Democracy Reporting Service)