Category: News

Free Studio in Ealing Road Awarded to Midhun Gopi

ASC announces our fourth free studio awardee in Ealing Road studios, Midhun Gopi.

Artists’ Studio Company is delighted to announce visual artist Midhun Gopi as the 2026-27 awardee of our free studio at ASC Ealing Road. Midhun’s year-long free workspace residency began in April 2026.

About the artist

Midhun Gopi is a London-based visual artist originally from Kerala, India. Working primarily across painting, drawing, and mixed media, his practice is rooted in personal and cultural journeys between Kerala and London.

His work blends real and imagined spaces, using layered surfaces, fragmented imagery, and archival materials to explore migration, memory, belonging, and transformation. Through landscape imagery and cartographic forms, he considers how histories of movement shape identity and how places continue to exist through memory, emotion, and imagination.

He holds an MFA in Painting from the University of Hyderabad and an MA in Museums, Galleries and Contemporary Culture from the University of Westminster. His work has been exhibited across India, the UK, and Europe, including London, Bordeaux, Amsterdam, New Delhi, and Moscow. Midhun is currently based at ASC Studios in Alperton through the Brent Free Studio Scheme.

We caught up with Midhun to discuss his work and his experience as an artist working in Brent

What does it mean to you to have your studio based in Brent?

Brent has been my home in London, so having a studio here feels especially meaningful. The borough is shaped by migration, cultural diversity and many different personal histories, which connect closely with the themes explored in my work.

My relationship with Brent has developed through local exhibitions and community projects. In November 2025, I participated in Tracing Brent: Stories Behind the Silence at Firepit Art Gallery. In April 2026, I took part in an open studio at ACAVA Barham Park Studios in Wembley. In June 2026, I designed and delivered Canal Stories: Recycled Zine, Paper Boat and Community Map Workshop as part of the Grand Union Summer Festival.

These experiences allowed me to connect with local people through ideas of journeys, memory, home and place-making. Having a studio in Alperton gives me the opportunity to deepen this connection and create work informed by Brent’s landscapes, communities and stories.

How does it feel to have won a year of free studio space, and how do you think this will benefit your practice?

Winning a year of free studio space feels both exciting and reassuring. Affordable and secure working space can be difficult to access in London, so receiving this support gives me the time, stability and freedom to concentrate more fully on my practice.

The studio will allow me to work on a larger scale, experiment with new materials and develop a more ambitious and connected body of work. It will also help me build relationships with other artists at ASC, participate in open studios and become more involved in Brent’s wider creative community.

Are there any upcoming projects you’ll be working on that you can tell us about?

I am currently developing a new body of paintings and mixed-media works exploring migration, memory, belonging and changing urban landscapes. Rooted in journeys between Kerala and London, the works bring together archival traces, landscape imagery and map-like forms.

This project continues ideas developed through my travelling exhibition, VIA, as well as my recent participation in Brent-based exhibitions and community programmes. During my time at ASC Studios, I hope to expand this research through larger paintings, drawings and installation-based works.

I am also interested in developing participatory projects with local communities, building on my recent Canal Stories workshop. These activities could invite people to explore their own journeys, memories and relationships with place through drawing, mapping, collage and storytelling.

For other artists looking to grow their art practice in the borough, how has this scheme changed your perspective on the creative opportunities available in Brent?

The scheme has helped me recognise the range of meaningful creative opportunities developing across Brent. My participation in Tracing Brent, the Grand Union Summer Festival, the ACAVA open studio and now the Brent Free Studio Scheme has allowed me to connect my studio practice with local communities, organisations and places.

It has shown me that opportunities often grow through sustained local engagement—attending events, meeting other artists, responding to open calls and contributing to community projects. I would encourage artists in Brent to remain active, share their work and apply for opportunities, even when they are uncertain about their chances.

Receiving a professional studio space has also changed how I think about the scale and ambition of my practice. It has given me greater confidence to develop new work and to see Brent not only as the place where I live, but as an important part of my creative identity.

To learn more about Midhun and his work visit his website and Instagram.

About the Brent Free Studio Scheme

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. Midhun was selected from a number of applications by a panel with representatives from ASC and Brent Council.

Check out the 2025-2026 Brent Free Studio Winner Sapna Patel 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.

The Recent Graduate Studio Discount Scheme provides vital support for emerging creatives in the early years of their artistic practice.

Through this initiative, ASC is offering up to 40% rent discounts on selected studio spaces at the charity’s Stockwell Road site in Brixton.

To qualify for the scheme, successful candidates must have graduated from a fine art or design degree, or an MA course, within the last 2 years.

About the studios

Stockwell Road is located in the heart of Brixton. The property has been leased by ASC since 1999 and is an established community of artists and makers. This is the charity’s largest building, providing 158 studios across 3 floors. 100% affordable workspace for artists and makers, 5-year lease renewed in 2026.

Located at 246 Stockwell Road, Brixton, London SW9 9SP, a 3 min walk from Brixton Underground (Northern Line and Victoria Line) and a large number of buses.

Explore available studio spaces and learn more about ASC Stockwell Road here.

To register your interest in the Recent Graduate Studio Discount Scheme, please complete our Google Form linked below. A member of our lettings team will review your details and get back to you shortly.

Register here

Supported by Artists’ Studio Company (ASC) a registered charity dedicated to keeping art affordable and accessible in London since 1995. Charity Registration number: 1045067

Artist Kirti Virmani recently debuted documentation of her site-specific installation at Lambeth County Court at our Cleaver Street project space. Supported by Plaintiff Press, the exhibition features her accompanying artist book. Learn more about the project and explore Kirti’s work here.

About

Kirti Virmani is an Indian-born visual artist based between London and India, working across photography, printmaking, and sculptural forms. Her interdisciplinary practice centers around ideas of rebellion and hope. What she observes through her photographic lens becomes the source material for what she constructs and deconstructs through her print and sculpture practice to navigate and reconfigure the existing gender narratives we find ourselves in.

Virmani is interested in unlayering the physical and emotional veils that have come to cloak feminine existence. Through her making process, she seeks to unmake these layers, to unwrap and release essence, allowing it to surface and breathe. Her practice reflects on the weight of the self and the weight we carry collectively, navigating the tensions between intimacy, inheritance, and holding space. She holds a Master’s in Print from the Royal College of Art and has exhibited her work in both the UK and India.

About the installation

weight of me is a site-specific installation housed in the now-decommissioned Lambeth County Court. The work explores themes of identity, home, and holding space. As Kirti Virmani writes:

“In my thousand-walled home, reside the thousand voices that preceded me. In my thousand-walled home, I am free to be in and out. I am free to close and to open. In my thousand-walled home, voices echo and surround.”

The work considers the relationship between containment and freedom, examining the tension between the structures we inherit and those we create for ourselves. It asks what happens when walls become permeable, when private thoughts, memories, and desires move beyond the boundaries that hold them. At the centre of the installation are voices drawn from journals written by women. Over the years, Virmani has collected these writings, some found, some shared willingly, all entrusted to the archive of lived experience. They speak across generations, carrying desires, doubts, observations, and acts of resistance.

For the artist, these journals have become a kind of scripture, texts she returns to for guidance and reflection. They inform her understanding of womanhood, inheritance, and self, encouraging her to question, dismantle, and reconstruct the gendered narratives that shape our lives. To write is to speak into a wall. To keep a journal is to create a room of one’s own; within its pages, wishes can be confessed, fears named, and futures imagined. Through this lens, the act of writing becomes an act of freedom. Ultimately, weight of me is an invitation to listen and be held, to the voices that came before us, to the architectures we inhabit, and to the possibility of rebuilding ourselves on our own terms.

About the Artist Book: Weight of me
Edition of 200 | Produced at Plaintiff Press

Parallel to the site-specific installation at Lambeth County Court, the artist book weight of me translates the concept of the “thousand-walled home” into a tactile, intimate object. Comprising a set of five envelopes, the publication exists as an independent artwork that extends the project’s exploration of journal archiving and what it means to carry the weight of many voices.

Just as private thoughts are folded into letters, individuals are folded into the architectures of their families, histories, and inherited ways of being. Within this work, the envelopes themselves become homes: fragile architectures containing the whispers, breaths, and silences of the women who came before us.

While the installation invites visitors to move through a physical space, the book invites readers to physically unfold and inhabit the archive. Moving from the heavy, inherited weight of maternal histories to the open potential of an empty journal wrapped in red, weight of me is an invitation for the reader to add their own weight, speak into the wall, and begin building their own thousand-walled home.

Each edition includes a text from the artist alongside a journal excerpt from the archives.

“The weight of me is the weight of all women
that have preceded me
mothers, grandmothers, aunts, sisters…
The weight of me is that of a holy book
wrapped in red on the mantle of our 4 walled home.
The weight of me now is an empty journal,
wrapped in red, for me to write my own story,
to add my own weight.
To build my 1000 walled home”

Quote by Kirti Virmani

To find out more about Kirti’s work click here for her website and instagram

The doors have officially closed on TRACING BRENT | Mapping Place, Time, and Memory, and we are still feeling the incredible energy and warmth brought to the space by the local community.

Running from 16th May to 29th May 2026 at the ASC Canalside Gallery in Alperton, this unique group exhibition was brought to life through a competitive open call process. Guest curators Marco Ferrara and Simmi Dullay meticulously reviewed submissions to select a phenomenal, talented lineup of Brent artists. The resulting showcase featured thoughtful, deeply moving works from local creatives at all stages of their practice, all exploring what it truly means to live, breathe, and create within the London Borough of Brent.

Exploring Shared Histories

The exhibition centered on how personal, collective, and inherited experiences leave traces across spaces and generations. Visitors were invited to engage with three powerful, intersecting themes:

Energy and Memory: How our lived experiences leave lasting impressions on our bodies and neighbourhoods.

Nonlinear Time and Continuity: How we experience history beyond a simple timeline. Through cycles, repetitions, and local change.

Place and Power: How our sense of culture and local belonging is shaped by wider historical and global influences.

From deeply personal storytelling to innovative visual techniques, the gallery was transformed into a space of active remembrance, exploring which stories are preserved and how local histories resurface within everyday life in Brent.

Behind the Scenes: Bringing the Vision to Life

Before the doors opened for the exhibition, a massive amount of care and collaboration took place behind the scenes. Local artists and makers arrived at the gallery with their chosen works in hand, bringing the diverse themes of the exhibition to life. Guest curators Marco Ferrara and Simmi Dullay then spent hours intentionally arranging each piece to ensure all work was displayed in a beautiful, thought-provoking way. Their shared vision seamlessly connected the individual stories of the artists into one cohesive, visually stunning community narrative.

A Vibrant and Busy Public View Night

The opening Public View on 16th May was an absolute triumph. The atmosphere was vibrant, positive, and incredibly busy all evening, with a steady stream of guests arriving throughout the night. The exhibition drew a fantastic crowd, from local Brent residents to art lovers who traveled from all across different parts of London.

It was a deeply thought-provoking night filled with connection, as locals and the exhibiting artists mingled, shared their personal stories, and expressed immense enthusiasm for the collection. A key highlight of the evening was a speech by our guest curators, Simmi Dullay and Marco Ferrara, which was beautifully paired with an acoustic musical performance that brought an extra layer of warmth to the gallery space.

Consistent Community Support

The incredible momentum from the opening night didn’t stop there. The gallery remained open to the public until 29th May 2026, maintaining a fantastic, busy turnout throughout its entire two-week run. It was wonderful to see a steady stream of visitors continuously engaging with the artwork and keeping the vibrant spirit of the exhibition alive right up until the final day.

Artist Spotlight Highlights ✨

Our exhibitors shared the deep personal stories, techniques, and memories behind their work. Here is a glance at some of the incredible local talent that shaped the exhibition:

Midhuni Gopi | @midhungopi.studio

“I am a Brent-based artist living and working in Wembley, and my practice is rooted in memory, migration, and the evolving meaning of home. Through layered painting using rice paper, acrylic, gouache, and watercolour, I create textured works where fragments of landscapes, maps, and symbols emerge like traces of remembrance. For Tracing Brent, my work reflects on how place is never fixed, but shaped by movement, memory, and the stories we carry with us. As an artist living in Brent, I feel connected to its rich sense of cultural overlap, shared histories, and everyday transformation.”

Nibras Hamadi | @nibbyhamadi

“My practice as an Iraqi British mixed media artist is rooted in storytelling and shaped by living in Brent for most of my life. Working across diverse materials, I explore identity, memory, belonging, and cultural inheritance. Recurring motifs, such as the Hijab and the mother-and-child relationship, function as symbolic forms carrying narratives of care, protection, and lived experience. Through a layered visual language, I seek to trace the intersections between individual histories and collective memory. Within Tracing Brent, my work reflects the richness of our communities and how identity shapes both personal and shared narratives”.

Neemat Auladin | @neemcreates

“My creative practice uses an impressionistic style with soft pastels and acrylic on wood to celebrate the vibrant layers of Mauritian heritage, from its French colonial history to the Chinese Mauritian culture of Port Louis. As an artist in Brent, participating in the Tracing Brent exhibition allows me to weave my personal history – including the boat racing culture of Mahebourg (Regrette), my mother’s hometown – into the borough’s diverse global tapestry. This is an intentional effort to anchor my spiritual and artistic roots within a community where multiple worlds and identities converge.”

To find out more about the artists and their work click here

A Massive Thank You

An exhibition of this depth and scale requires an immense amount of vision and dedication. We want to extend a huge thank you to our brilliant local guest curators, Marco Ferrara and Simmi Dullay. Developed as part of the Creative Enterprise Programme, their incredible work in selecting such a talented lineup and putting together a visually stunning, thought-provoking show gave our community something truly special to experience.

We also want to thank every resident, neighbour, and art lover who attended the Public View launch on 16th May, visited during the run, and took the time to share their insights on our visitor feedback forms. Your feedback is vital to helping us support future community art initiatives.

Supported by Culture

This exhibition was proudly funded by Brent Council as part of the Mayor’s Creative Enterprise Zone (ERA) and proudly supported by ASC.

Missed the exhibition or want to relive the experience? Head over to our social media pages to view our short highlight reel capturing the best moments of the show!

We are dropping 27 ultra-high-spec, self-contained artist studios in Fish Island, just 10 minutes from Hackney Wick station.

These are bespoke studios for creatives working in fashion, film, design, and photography who want a premium, long-term home for their business.

What’s on offer:

• Stunning natural light (floor-to-ceiling windows) & balconies

• Own street access (for selected studios) + 24/7 smart access

• Premium amenities: AC, high-speed broadband, showers, bike storage

• Long-term, secure leases

• Rents from £600

We are currently opening early expressions of interest. If you want to be at the top of the list, please register your interest using our form below and sign up on our waiting list. We will be in contact in due course with upcoming details as soon as we launch!

Register Your Interest now!

Register here

Artists Studio Company (Trading) is wholly owned by Artists Studio Company, a registered charity, no 1045067

We are thrilled to introduce our newest creative hub located in the vibrant heart of Deptford. 23 brand new self-contained studios for artists / creatives overlooking Deptford Creek. A Permanent building offering flexible terms, triple height ceilings, mezzanine storage.

Location: 26 Creekside, London, SE8 3DZ

The Space & Amenities:

• 23 Secure, Long-Lease Studios featuring dramatic triple-height ceilings and mezzanine levels.

• 24/7 Access & High-Speed Broadband to fit your workflow.

• Excellent Facilities: Fully equipped kitchen, secure bike storage, and select premium studios boasting their own private street access.

Pricing:

Studios range in size to accommodate various practices, with rents starting from £520 + VAT.

 Spaces are limited. Register your interest now!

Register here

Artists Studio Company (Trading) is wholly owned by Artists Studio Company, a registered charity, no 1045067

TRACING BRENT | Mapping Place, Time, and Memory

We are thrilled to announce TRACING BRENT, an upcoming exhibition showcasing some of the creative talent in the borough. The exhibition features thoughtful works from local creatives, artists and makers exploring the deep connections between place, time and memory.

Exhibition Details:

Public View Event: Join us on 16th May @ 6pm 🥂
Exhibition dates: 16th May – 29th May 2026
Opening Times: 4pm – 7pm (Closed Sundays & Mondays)

Public View Tickets Here

Location:

ASC Studios Alperton Canalside Gallery, 243 Ealing Rd, London, Wembley, HA0 1QL

This exhibition has been curated by local artists Marco Ferrara and Simmi Dullay as part of the Creative Enterprise Programme, funded by Brent Council as part of the Mayor’s Creative Enterprise Zone (ERA).

Supported by Artists’ Studio Company (ASC) a registered charity dedicated to keeping art affordable and accessible in London since 1995. Charity Registration number: 1045067

Please Apply By: Midnight on the 12th of April 2026

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 our free studio 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 11th May 2026 – 10th May 2027.

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:

1. 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.

1. 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 20th April 2026. 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 27th April 2026

The successful applicant will occupy the studio space from: 11th May 2026 – 10th May 2027.

How to apply

Brent Free Studio: Sign-Up Form

For any questions please contact: lettings@ascstudios.co.uk
Closing date: Midnight on the 12th April 2026

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 info@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

• ASC expects the artist to use the studio at least two days per week (on average). If ASC notices the space is not being used, the artist’s time may be adjusted unless a reason is communicated

• 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