Background

 

 

Wimbledon Art Studios are based just off of Garratt Lane, behind Wimbledon Greyhound Stadium between Earlsfield and Tooting. We are the largest, single site art studio complex in London and Britain and we have helped to bring regeneration to an otherwise neglected part of the borough of Wandsworth, SW London.

Established in 1993 within a working paper warehouse the studios opened with 6 artists renting spaces alongside the paper business. Now, the original warehouse consists of over 100 studio spaces with another 60 studio spaces in a newly, purpose built ‘Blue Studios’ building, on the same site.  We currently have over 200 artist tenants.

Art Studios have traditionally been established in rundown buildings awaiting either demolition or redevelopment with landlords exploiting this temporary opportunity to offer artists a work space for a few months or in luckier cases, a year or so.

Wimbledon Art Studios’ alternative philosophy is to help artisans towards becoming  independent through ongoing career development in a stable & encouraging environment. Many of the artists at the studios tend to stay long term and have the opportunity to become a part of a ‘community’, in what otherwise could easily be a very isolating career.

The twice yearly Open Studio Art Shows are the only time that the doors are open to the public and it is only then that you get some sense of the scale of the place. Wimbledon Art Studios is now a well respected and vibrant hub of contemporary art with artists ranging from the emerging to the well established.

The artists produce work across almost every discipline including painting, ceramics, weaving, photography, furniture making, textile design & sculpture, with a high percentage of them working professionally, full time. Many of the emerging artists juggle their studio time around full or part-time jobs and often work late nights or weekends to pursue their interests. Therefore the Studios provide 24 hour access, full security and free parking on site.