The Sarabande Foundation, established by the late fashion designer Lee Alexander McQueen, has inaugurated a new affordable art studio complex in north London. Located in Tottenham, the hub comprises 14 workshops for painters, sculptors, photographers, fashion designers, and other creatives, alongside a public art gallery and café.
Details of the New Hub
The foundation has taken over a pair of Georgian grade II*-listed townhouses at 808-810 High Road. The 60-square-metre display space will host exhibitions and talks, while a separate gallery called House of Bandits will showcase work from resident artists. Studios are available for rent at approximately £1 per square foot.
According to Trino Verkade, director of Sarabande, “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.”
Restoration and Artistic Features
The buildings have been painstakingly restored while preserving their original character. Studios retain historic panelling, fireplaces, and floorboards, and layers of wallpapers and paints applied over centuries have been intentionally kept. Five alumni of the foundation have been commissioned to create new artworks for the building, including hand-carved flagstones for the café floor and a surreal umbrella design for the café counter.
The restoration was led by Tottenham Hotspur Football Club and funded by a Heritage Enterprise grant from The National Lottery Heritage Fund.
