The secret life of Wood Green

1 November 2022

3 Min Read

1 November 2022

Tucked behind Wood Green High Road is a little known hub of artists and makers, writes Manoj Ambasna

Wood Green is a creative powerhouse with an unusually high concentration of artists, designer-makers, musicians and recording studios, all of which operate in the area’s so-called Cultural Quarter (a cluster of studios located in disused office buildings, many managed by our team at Collage Arts).

If you would like to find out more about the creatives who work here, join us from the 12th–13th November for N22 Open Studios. This is a chance to come and talk to artists about their work. You will not be pressured to buy anything, but you are welcome to take home a piece of original artwork at a reasonable cost.

The Collage Arts community programmes aim to tackle issues, like loneliness among older people and gang culture, by using a creative approach. As a result, we run a performing arts programme for young people and a lunch club for older men and women of colour, among many other programmes. We are able to make a difference because we have space, a tenacious fundraising team and an abundance of creative professionals at our disposal. Many of our activities are funded, in-part, by the money raised from renting out studio space.

N22 Open Studios is a chance to learn f irst-hand about what artists do. We have two posters this year. One features the designer Carmelle Powell, who brings a unique twist to masquerade and carnival costumes. The second features artist Umar Murtaza, whose work is heavily influenced by his training as a pharmacist. Visitors will be able to see both of their work. We also have an exhibition by the Frame Perfect collective, as our contribution to Black History Haringey 365 (an effort to celebrate Haringey’s Black history all year round).

Art spaces like ours are under threat. This year already we have lost nearly a quarter of the spaces we operate (after being outbid on a building, we had to say goodbye to artists who had been with us over 20 years). This trend is being replicated across London; a 2018 report by the Mayor of London suggested that 24% of artist studios included in the study were at risk of closure by 2023. But we are starting to have conversations with developers and landlords in the area, and are keen to highlight the value that artists bring to Wood Green.

This our f irst open studios since lockdown. During the pandemic, when we couldn’t open the studios, we continued to support the community. Over 100 older women of colour worked with us online; we continued to support schools with virtual and face-to-face programmes. But there is always more we can do. So, if you have ideas about how we can apply creativity to new challenges in Haringey, come and talk to me at the event, and be prepared to be amazed at what is happening in some converted office blocks.

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