As an arts education charity, we believe art can be a powerful force for community cohesion, social engagement, skills development and urban regeneration. We are committed to a programme of outreach and community art activities, mainly focused on our local boroughs of Southwark and Lambeth.

We are very happy to be working with Southwark Council to renovate the old Newington Library building on Walworth Road, near Elephant and Castle. The Council has offered us the building for two years, to run Art Academy courses and manage the community activity space and exhibition space. We want to bring life back to the building, make it more accessible to the local community and provide a great venue for local people to enjoy diverse activities. The space also allows us to provide Resident Artist studio spaces, something we are very proud of after a series of studio closures in the local area.

“All the tutors who have come to us including currently have made a huge impact in terms of empowering the members, who are a diverse group, with varying needs and limitations. For some they have had the opportunity to experiment and develop new skills while other more confident and established artists have found new ways to express themselves through printmaking and recently, ceramics.” BEAM.