Around 230 artists and creatives are being forced to leave their affordable studios in Camden's Regent's Park Estate by January 2027, after the council identified fire safety risks linked to changes in building regulations. The decision has triggered a campaign, including a petition, urging the local authority to rehouse the affected creatives.
The studios are located in the Cartmel, Langdale, and Coniston housing blocks, which were vacated by residents in 2022 due to disruption from HS2 construction nearby. The buildings are slated for eventual demolition and redevelopment. In the interim, Camden Council partnered with Bow Arts Trust to convert the 'virtually uninhabitable' flats into affordable studio spaces for the local artist community.
However, the mixed-use blocks now fall into a fire safety 'grey area' due to their height, making it unlikely they will meet inspection standards. The council stated that temporary improvements would not be financially viable given the planned demolition.
Artists Describe Studios as 'Life-Changing'
Children's book author Andy Stanton, known for the 'Mr Gum' series and winner of the first Roald Dahl Funny Prize, moved into Langdale in March last year. He described the studios as 'life-changing' and highlighted the lack of affordable spaces in North London, 'especially in Camden'. 'We all knew it was going to be temporary, but suddenly the accelerator has been put down. It's a real shame, and we're imploring the council to look at making spaces available,' he told the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS).
Painter Jennifer Louise Martin, who has had studios across London for ten years, said her Cartmel studio was the first affordable space she found near her home. 'Because I've got young kids, I was really chuffed to find somewhere in Camden,' she said. She added that many are 'devastated' and that she invested heavily in the studio, not expecting the contract to end so soon.
Wider Studio Crisis in London
The evictions come amid a broader crisis in affordable artist workspaces. A 2022 King's College London study found 13,780 creatives were on waiting lists for affordable spaces. Since then, studio rents have risen faster than inflation, and in 2025, a survey by London's Affordable Artists Studio Network (LAASN) reported rents exceeding £20 per square foot for the first time.
Mayor of London Sir Sadiq Khan has warned that artists are being 'priced out of neighbourhoods they helped to regenerate'. In January, City Hall committed £2.2 million to reverse the decline in studios, aiming to support artists in establishing local roots.
Council and Charity Respond
Marcel Baettig, CEO of Bow Arts Trust, told the LDRS the charity was 'devastated' by the premature end of the initiative and would work with Camden Council to find alternatives. 'These spaces are vitally important—a lifeline for emerging creative people who contribute so much to the cultural life of Camden and Greater London,' he said. 'The loss of an affordable studio is about much more than losing a place to work. For many artists, it can mean the end of their career and the loss of their ability to remain part of London's creative community.'
Councillor James Slater, Cabinet Member for Planning and a Sustainable Camden, acknowledged the disappointment and said the council is 'in the early stages of investigating possible accommodation elsewhere in the borough'. Ms Martin also noted that the council regularly commissioned work from local artists for its cultural programme, questioning where they would recruit from if artists lose their spaces.
