Mayor Backs Ealing Artists' Studios

More than half a million pounds awarded to new project at St Bernard's Chapel

An old Ealing chapel's been given the green light to be transformed into artists' studios.

Mayor Sadiq Khan, has granted over £530,000 funding to a Catalyst Housing and Acme project to deliver the affordable studios at St Bernard’s Chapel.

The Grade-II listed Chapel is located next to Catalyst’s 270 new-build residential development, St Bernard’s Gate near Ealing Hospital. The scheme will deliver high quality and affordable workspace for local artists accommodating 20-25 studios over two floors as well as an exhibition and project space for the artist tenants.

Catalyst, who own the Chapel and much of the surrounding land, will match the GLA’s funding, and Acme will help with the projects design and manage the space once construction has completed.

Rod Cahill, Chief Executive of Catalyst, said: “The affordable artist studios at the St. Bernard’s Chapel will bring together new and existing artists in a long term, sustainable workplace that has been designed to foster creativity. It is a terrific use of this fine building and will add so much vivacity to this new residential community.”

David Panton OBE, co-founder, Acme, said: “As champions for the provision for genuinely affordable and sustainable artist studio space in London since 1972, we are excited to be working with Catalyst again on this new scheme at St Bernard’s Gate. While Acme continues to partner with developers and housing associations on new-build schemes, this project to refurbish a Grade-II listed chapel will take Acme back to its roots of repurposing historic but challenging buildings into spaces for the development and production of art.”

Deputy Mayor for Planning, Regeneration and Skills, Jules Pipe, said: “This is a great example of a project which aims to give Londoners of all backgrounds the opportunity to be actively involved in shaping how their city develops. The Mayor and I are committed to supporting ‘good growth’ by building a city where all Londoners have access to the same opportunities and I look forward to seeing the positive impact this project has in the future.”

The £70 million Mayor’s Good Growth Fund is awarded to projects which put local communities at the heart of regeneration, enabling Londoners to actively participate in their local communities and give people a voice in shaping how the capital will grow.

Funding for the Chapel has come as part of the first £30 million to be awarded to projects across the capital.

17 December 2018