Arts charity opens new studios in Tottenham

Sarabande Foundation has opened 14 studios for use by painters, sculptors, photographers, fashion designers and “other daring creatives”

810 High Road (left) and artist Jingyi Li Sarabande (right) (credit Sarabande Foundation) — 810 High Road (left) and (right) artist Jingyi Li Sarabande (credit Sarabande Foundation)

An arts charity has opened its new studios in Tottenham.

Sarabande Foundation has taken over a pair of Grade 2*-listed Georgian townhouses in Tottenham High Road, near the football stadium, and is now providing 14 new studios for artists.

The buildings will provide space for painters, sculptors, photographers, fashion designers and “other daring creatives” to benefit from Sarabande’s support and mentoring programmes.

It also now hosts a new 60 square metre public gallery for exhibitions and public talks, plus a café.

Meticulous restoration work, supported by The National Lottery Heritage Fund, has allowed many of the studios to retain their original features, including historic panelling, fireplaces and floorboards, while “stabilising and upgrading” the buildings for long-term occupation.

As part of the conservation process, the layers of wallpapers and paints applied over the centuries are intentionally preserved. Project architects F3 refer to this treatment as “arrested decay”.

The restoration of the historically important buildings has been led by Tottenham Hotspur Football Club, using the lottery funding.

The studios now form part of Paxton17, a fast-growing creative quarter in Tottenham. Sarabande has had studios in the area since 2022.

Sarabande was set up by the late designer, Lee Alexander McQueen, to support the “next generation of fearless creatives”. In addition to providing scholarships and studio space for artists, Sarabande produces a number of events, from “the practical to the inspirational”.

Sarabande’s studios have been home to hundreds of ground-breaking artists and designers since the foundation first opened its doors in 2015.

Solve Sundsbo and Sarabande artist Phoebe Corker Marin (credit Sarabande)

Five Sarabande artist alumni have been commissioned by the foundation to create new artworks for the Tottenham building, including “intricately hand-carved flagstones” for the café’s floor and a new café counter with “a surreal umbrella design”.

Trino Verkade, director of Sarabande, said: “These remarkable new buildings will serve our artists but also the local community. The need for inexpensive artists’ studios is higher than ever.

“Tottenham is recognised as an economically deprived area but one field where it is flourishing is within the creative industries. Sarabande High Road is a significant cultural hub for Tottenham, and is helping to transform the area as part of its burgeoning art scene.

“For the past four years, the foundation and our artists have had an impact on the area welcoming local academies into the gallery, staging exhibitions, inviting in local artists and working with Tottenham community groups. We look forward to developing that relationship further with more spaces open to the public so that local residents do not have to travel into central London to experience cutting-edge art and culture.

“And now they can also get a great cup of coffee!”

Stuart McLeod, from The National Lottery Heritage Fund, said: “Investing in heritage means investing in the community it belongs to and thanks to National Lottery players, we are proud to support the restoration of these exceptional Grade 2*-listed Georgian buildings.

“These new spaces will not only protect an important part of Tottenham’s heritage but also open them up in a way that invites creativity and community. It shows the positive impact regeneration projects can have on placemaking, boosting the local economy and social benefits for Tottenham and its people.”

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