The Tottenham arts venue has announced it will be “hitting pause” on some of its work, reports Grace Howarth, Local Democracy Reporter

A Tottenham arts centre is being forced to “step back” from some of its activities amid a funding shortfall.

The boss of Bernie Grant Arts Centre has appealed for local residents to donate and share their views amid what they described as “financial and structural pressures”.

The multi-arts centre is named after former Tottenham MP Bernie Grant, one of Britain’s first black MPs.

Azieb Pool, artistic director and chief executive of the venue in Tottenham Green, said: “We’re hitting pause on some of our work – not because we want to, but because we have to.

“Like many in the arts, we’ve been under serious financial pressure, and it’s time to take a step back so we can build something more sustainable for the future.”

The centre will continue to deliver on priority projects and existing programme commitments but is pausing new hires and venue activity.

As well as striving to make new strategic partnerships and funding relationships, Bernie Grant Arts Centre is consulting with stakeholders and the community on what shape it should take in future.

Despite the setback, the chair of the board of trustees, Geoffrey Williams, said the centre “was not going anywhere” and urged people to “buy a ticket, make a donation, or share your thoughts through our survey”.

He said: “We have taken this step as part of a necessary strategic transformation. It is a moment to stabilise, reassess, and rebuild a stronger, more resilient Bernie Grant Arts Centre. Our goal is to ensure that this vital space continues to serve the community in the best possible way.

“This hasn’t come out of the blue. We’ve spent months looking at how we work, what’s realistic, and how we honour the legacy we’re here to protect.

“We’ve made the tough call to pause some public activity, as well as new hires and bookings, so we can focus on what matters most and make sure we’re still here for the long run.”

Reacting to the challenges Emily Arkell, Haringey Council’s cabinet member for culture and leisure, said the council was “deeply saddened” and was working closely with the centre.

Cllr Arkell said: “These challenges are, however, unfortunately not unique to the centre and currently are being experienced by the arts and culture sector across the country.

“We are grateful to the board of trustees for the work they are doing to reassess, stabilise and secure the centre’s future, and over the last six to twelve months the council has worked closely with the centre and the trustees during this difficult time.

“We have been proactive in offering support and are pleased that the trustees have agreed to take this up. We will continue to advise, support and help the trustees through their reset period.”

Azieb added that pressure on black artists and black-led organisations was “real and growing”.

She said: “We’ve worked hard to support and platform our community, and that work has never felt more urgent. We’re still delivering key projects, working with our community, and staying true to our mission. The support we’ve had so far has been deeply appreciated, it’s kept us going.”

To take part in the survey:
Visit https://bit.ly/4jQvmFu

To donate:
Visit https://square.link/u/tCvxyIup

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