Category: News

ASC is excited to launch a limited number of micro-units, dedicated work-spaces tailored for artists, designers and those who work in the arts and culture sector more broadly, whose work suits a quiet, clean, and collaborative environment.

Ideal for:

These small, dedicated workspaces are ideal for visual artists looking for a quiet, clean and affordable studio alternative, especially those whose practice suits a quiet, clean and collaborative environment. We also warmly welcome writers, designers, architects, curators and other professionals working across the arts and cultural sector.

What You Get:

• Natural light via large skylights
• Heating & Air Conditioning
• Free tea & coffee
• Bookable meeting room (discounted fee)
• Casual meeting & breakout areas
• Networking opportunities with a wide range of creatives
• Invitations to private views and events in our galleries

Access Times:

• Weekdays: 8am – 8pm
• Weekends: 10am – 5pm

Please note: these hours are fixed and cannot be extended.
Unfortunately, the micro units are not wheelchair accessible at this time.

Eligibility & Suitability

We welcome practitioners from across the visual arts and wider creative and cultural sectors.

Price & Size:

• £290 PCM
• 60 SQFT

Only 4 units available.

Suitable for:

• Quiet, clean practices
• Digital/lens-based work
• Design, writing, planning, research-based practices

Please note: ASC reserves the right to withdraw an offer if the practice proves unsuitable for the space.

Not suitable for:

• Dusty, noisy, or tool-heavy practices
• Activities requiring machinery or large equipment

Work must be appropriate for an open-plan space with shared facilities

Book to View

About The Handbag Factory

Located in the heart of Vauxhall, The Handbag Factory is a multi-use building designed to nurture creativity and community across the arts and creative industry. Bringing together, like minded people, allowing a space to work, create and connect with others within the creative industry!

• Coworking Hub for Creatives – home to a dynamic mix of architects, illustrators, writers, designers and more
• Bainbridge Print Studios – specialist open-access printmaking studios offering workshops and facilities for screenprinting, relief, and intaglio processes
• Two Large Hire Galleries – hosting exhibitions, fashion shows, launches, talks, and networking events throughout the year
• ASC Gallery – Our curated exhibition space presenting contemporary art projects from emerging and established artists

This is also the location of ASC Studios’ Head Office, from which the ASC team manage 9 studio buildings across London.

The Handbag Factory
3 Loughborough Road, London SE11 5RB
www.handbagfactory.org

ASC Studios:www.ascstudios.co.uk
Contact: lettings@ascstudios.co.uk

ASC announces our third free studio awardee in Ealing Road studios, Sapna Patel.

Artists’ Studio Company is delighted to announce fashion designer, weaver, and stylist Sapna Patel as the 2025-26 awardee of our free studio at ASC Ealing Road. Sapna’s year-long free workspace residency began in April 2025

Sapna specialises in textiles and weave and is the creator of Club Sapna, a vibrant space celebrating the diverse South Asian community through music, culture, and shared experiences of identity and displacement. Her work draws on traditional weaving and craft techniques from Gujarat, exploring South Asian textiles and amplifying community voices through her garments. Rooted in her London upbringing and Gujarati heritage, Sapna’s project is a joyful celebration of culture, creativity, and safe spaces for expression.

By Sapna, the fashion brand founded by the artist herself, explores what it means to navigate the relationship we have with ourselves, our surroundings, our upbringing and various journey that pour into our identities. She said:

“Being born and raised in London whilst having strong connections with Gujarati Culture meant that I had struggled with the experience of understanding my identity – I was never British or Indian enough for society. I found that I could pour my experiences into fashion, and collectively build a community that celebrates this journey of discovering who we are through our shared experiences of diasporic displacement. I curate one of a kind pieces that are made from sustainable materials (deadstock, charity shop, donated fabrics etc) that fuse western silhouettes with South Asian materials. These peces are an accumulation of the Western and South Asian experiences I had growing up, and encourage the community to authentically be themselves in any space they occupy.”

Selected from By Sapna Lookbook 2025:

The Ealing Road Free Studio scheme was developed in partnership with Brent Council, allowing an artist who is resident in the borough access to a free studio space, as well as the opportunity to exhibit at ASC’s Canalside Gallery. Sapna was selected from a number of applications by a panel with representatives from ASC and Brent Council.

The previous artist in residence at Ealing Road studios was painting and textiles artist Emily Moore, who transitioned from graphic design to fine art, completing an MA in Painting at the Royal College of Art in 2020. She received the prestigious Valerie Beston Artists’ Trust Award during her studies. Emily is a co-founder and co-chair of RCA BLK, a community group supporting Black visual artists at the RCA. After graduating during the Covid lockdown, she began creating ‘crochet paintings’—a fusion of textiles and fine art—drawing on everyday life and domestic materials to challenge traditional painting conventions. Emily has exhibited her work extensively including Lisson Gallery, Gagosian, Lychee One, Royal Academy of Arts, etc.

ASC is a leading charitable provider of affordable workspaces for artists and makers in London, supporting thousands of creatives since it was established in 1995.

Please Apply By: 9 March 2025

Artists’ Studio Company in partnership with Brent Council are excited to announce our applications for our Free Studio Scheme are now open. This is an incredible opportunity aimed  at an Artist, Designer or Maker who lives in the borough of Brent.

We are inviting Brent Creative residents to apply for the scheme which will support a creative talent within the local Brent community. The successful applicant will receive a rent-free studio for one year, starting from 16th April 2025 – 15th April 2025

Eligibility

We would love to hear from you if:

• You are a Brent resident
• You work as an Artist, Designer or Maker
• You are a committed to using the space and a proactive creative
• You are at a point in your artistic practice where this opportunity will help further your career
• Applications from all ages and career stages welcome

We especially welcome applications from local people that wish to support the local community and as well as the aspirations of the ERA CEZ, Brent’s new Creative Enterprise Zone.

The Studio

The studio is located at ASC Ealing Road studio building, 243 Ealing Road, Alperton, London HA0 1QL, which sits minutes away from Alperton Underground Station, alongside the Regents Canal. 

It is a bright, self-contained, compact studio space at 98sqft with secondary natural light via an internal window and with its own lockable door. There is access to a nearby washout sink, a newly fitted communal kitchen and bookable project space. It is located on the ground floor with full disabled access.

*Please note that due to the space’s small size and lack of an openable window, it may not be suitable for all types of work. We kindly ask you to consider whether your practice is a good fit for the space before applying.

What we’re asking for from the successful candidate

• During or at the conclusion of your time in the studio we ask for a commitment to complete one or more of the following:
  • Exhibition of completed works or works in progress held in the onsite Canalside Gallery open to the public
  • A public blog or or publicly available journal documenting your time in the studio 
  • Host a workshop with the local community
  • Give a talk or presentation about your work open to the public
  • A documentary or short film of your experience
  • A curated online presentation of completed works or works in progress during your time in the studio

*If the above does not fit into your practice or you have a project you would like to produce you are welcome to provide support and request alternative concluding outcomes as long as it is in line with CEZ. Please keep in mind this would be required to be publicly accessible and will be reviewed if in line with the scheme.

• To meet with the Business Support Manager at the start, midway and near the conclusion of the year, OR submit a case study or report (template provided) at  the end of the year.

Key dates and Information

• Shortlisted applicants will be contacted the week starting 17th March 2025. If you have not been notified by this date you have not been successful.
• For those shortlisted you will be invited to an interview via video, with a panel made up of an ASC representative and Brent Councillor and they will decide the successful candidate. Interviews will take place the week starting 31st March 2025.
• The successful applicant will occupy the studio space from: 16th April 2025 – 15th April 2026

How to apply

APPLY NOW: https://forms.gle/JEn7TjpLUR9oCJ9S6
For any questions please contact: lettings@ascstudios.co.uk 
Closing date: Midnight on 9th March 2025

If you would prefer to submit your response in a format other than our Google Form,  here are the alternative submission options available:

• Word Document Submission

Please email us at lettings@ascstudios.co.uk. We will send you a Word version of the submission form, which you can complete and return to us via email once finished.

• Video Response

For those who prefer to communicate their ideas verbally, we also accept video submissions. Please record a 2 – 3 minute video response that addresses the required prompts or questions. Once recorded, email the video file or a link to the video (e.g., via Google Drive, Dropbox, or another file-sharing platform) to lettings@ascstudios.co.uk 

If you have any questions or require further assistance with these alternative formats, please don’t hesitate to reach out.

Terms and Conditions

• The application is open to fine artists or designer makers – which may include but is not limited to sculpture, painting, drawing, print, fashion design, textile design, illustration

• ASC reserves the right to terminate the contract if the artist/designer/maker fails to comply with the competition brief

• Photo ID and proof of address will be required for shortlisted candidates

• The winning artist will be responsible for paying for their own electricity used in the studio

• In accepting this you agree to publicity with Brent Council and ASC for use in potential magazine, social media, website and to third party local media and press

• This is primarily free workspace opportunity only, with the offer of up to 3 meetings with ASCs Business Support Manager – offered month 1, 6 and 11.

• You are a Brent Resident

As part of ASC’s 30th Anniversary celebrations in 2025, we are seeking proposals for six curated exhibitions to be held at the ASC Gallery, one of three bespoke new exhibition spaces at The Handbag Factory in Vauxhall.

Submission Guidelines:

• Deadline: 31st January 2025
• Proposal Requirements:
  • A brief outline of your project (maximum 200 words).
  • Links to participating artists.
  • Submission in either Word or PDF format.

Criteria:

• Projects must include at least one ASC studio artist as both the lead curator and a participant.
• Curated shows should include more than five artists and maintain a professional and distinct theme.
• Exhibitions will run for 2–3 weeks, with scheduling flexibility required to fit into the 2025 calendar.
• Collaborations with non-ASC artists are welcome, provided the primary curator is an ASC studio artist.

After reviewing all submissions, six projects will be selected to reflect ASC’s diversity and creativity. Selected curators will receive support to bring their projects to life in their best possible form.

Submit your proposal to Darren O’Brien at gallery@ascstudios.co.uk

Announcing a series of open studios across ASC studio sites, throughout summer and autumn 2024

In 2024 we are excited to welcome visitors into 6+ studio sites across London for a series of open studios.

Visitors can meet artists and makers across a range of disciplines, buy works directly, view an exhibition or project in the building, or simply see an artist at work in their studio.

As in past open studio events, many artists will be self-curating projects and exhibitions within their studio buildings to welcome and meet new audiences.

Open studios are free and we welcome all to attend!

See a full list of our upcoming open studios, or visit our Open Studios page to stay up to date on individual events.

ASC is pleased to share an opportunity for temporary free studio spaces dedicated to emerging artists and makers in central London. Based in Holborn, the studios would be available from March to October 2024, in the aim of supporting early career artists and makers who may otherwise have financial barriers to accessing a studio space.

ASC is a charity that provides affordable creative workspace across London, founded in 1995 by artists to support artists and makers in becoming self-sufficient in their practice.

Who are we looking for

We are seeking applications from early career artists and makers who are dedicated to developing an artistic practice or career but do not have the means to sustain a studio space.

Eligibility:

• Recent graduate (2021 onwards) from an arts course or degree; OR have no formal education but committed to developing an artistic practice 
• You do not currently have a studio, and finance has been a barrier to sustaining a studio in the past 3 years
• We are particularly interested in hearing from applicants from backgrounds that are underrepresented in creative fields
• We are particularly interested in hearing from applicants who are resident in or have ties to the local Camden borough

About the studios

• Up to 25 individual artist/maker studios in Georgian townhouse, varying sizes, most with natural light
• Available from mid-March to mid-October 2024 (up to 7 months), 7 days access with daytime hours
• Close to Holborn and Chancery Lane stations
• £150 refundable deposit* at the start of tenancy
• Free rent and services/utilities (including wifi, heating, electricity, water, security)
• Cycle storage in building
• Artists will receive priority for future studio spaces with ASC
• Access to a project space for creative and community activities
• Opportunity to take part in a final exhibition to conclude your tenancy

*Please indicate in your application if the deposit required would be a barrier to accessing the studio. ASC may be able to waive the deposit on a case by case basis.

Other key considerations:

• Disability access with a lift to all floors
• Not suitable for noisy, dusty or noxious practices
• No kilns in studios

How to apply

Click here to access our application form (Google Form).

Deadline: 5pm, Wednesday 6th March

Potential decision date: Tuesday 12th March [Edit: Please note this has been delayed until late March]

Potential move-in date: Thursday 14th March [Edit: Please note this has been delayed until late March]

This application is only available for individual artists and makers. If you are a group that is interested in a free studio, please see ‘More Information’ below.

More Information

If you would like more information about the studio spaces or selection process, or require an alternative application format, please contact lettings@ascstudios.co.uk or call 020 7274 7474. Please mention whether you would require an offline PDF format for the application, or a 10 minute phone call to be scheduled with ASC.

We are also keen to work with artist groups, collectives and creative communities who are established in or around Camden and London but may not have been able to access studio space due to financial constraints. 

There is an opportunity for ASC to offer larger studio spaces for this purpose. If you fit into this category, please contact lettings@ascstudios.co.uk with some more information about your group and why you would benefit from a free studio space. 

ASC announces our third free studio awardee in Ealing Road studios, Emily Moore.

Artists’ Studio Company is delighted to announce painting and textiles artist Emily Moore as the 2023-24 awardee of our free studio at ASC Ealing Road. Emily’s year-long free workspace residency began in October 2023.

Emily began her fine art practice following studies in graphic design, after which she completed an MA Painting at the Royal College of Art in 2020.

During this time Emily was awarded the Valerie Beston Artists’ Trust Award, which gives one RCA student each year the opportunity to develop their practice with a studio space and additional support.

Emily is one of the founders and co-chair of RCA BLK, a grassroots community group that encourages and supports the practice of contemporary visual artists who identify as Black within the RCA’s wider community. 

After graduating during the Covid lockdown, Emily began experimenting with textiles, drawing together her fine art practice to create ‘crochet paintings’. Her work is inspired by everyday conversations and occurrences, using materials and a style of work traditionally associated with the domestic sphere and interjecting it within a canon of classical painting.

Emily says, “It’s so valuable to have this free studio space – not only for a sense of security and having the space to create, but also for the freedom to explore different avenues of my creative practice. 

I’m also really excited to be able to work at Ealing Road studios with the opportunity to engage with the borough I grew up in. Throughout the residency, I’ll be exploring how to connect with the local and creative communities in the area.”

The Ealing Road Free Studio scheme was developed in partnership with Brent Council, allowing an artist who is resident in the borough access to a free studio space, as well as the opportunity to exhibit at ASC’s Canalside Gallery. Emily was selected from a number of applications by a panel with representatives from ASC and Brent Council.

The previous artist in residence at Ealing Road studios was Warren Reilly, a painting, textiles and social design artist born and raised in Brent. Warren achieved an MA Textiles in Practice from Manchester School of Art before returning to London, where he continued his practice, working with Brent’s London Borough of Culture campaign as creative director for ‘Fashioning Our History’ and  curating The Mixed Museum’s digital exhibition ‘By The Cut of Their Cloth’. You can watch our interview with Warren during his end-of-residency exhibition here.

ASC is a leading charitable provider of affordable workspaces for artists and makers in London, supporting thousands of creatives since it was established in 1995.

Ahead of The Handbag Factory’s official launch in November 2023, the ASC main office has moved to its new creative coworking venue and event space.

The Handbag Factory is a new affordable coworking venue based in Vauxhall which promises a unique workspace for professionals and practitioners in and around the creative industries.

The space, managed by Artists Studio Company (ASC), includes over 60 coworking desks, along with a meeting room, refurbished event hire space, and a permanent public art gallery. Doors first opened on 5th October, with a launch evening planned on Thursday 23rd November that will showcase the venue, introduce ASC and The Handbag Factory to the local creative community and welcome individuals and organisations working in arts and culture. 

In the lead-up to its opening, ASC has completed an office move to the new location from our previous headquarters at The Chaplin Centre, Thurlow Street. 

You can now find the ASC team at The Handbag Factory, 3 Loughborough Street, London SE11 5RB with office opening hours from 10 – 5pm.