The Artist's Garden, the world's only public sculpture garden dedicated to works by women, is under threat of closure after its operator was told to vacate the site by October 1. The garden, located on the roof terrace of Temple Underground station, has been run by the arts charity theCOLAB since 2021, but its licence will not be renewed, according to a report by The Guardian.
Why is the garden being asked to leave?
Places for London, the property arm of Transport for London (TfL) that owns the building, said the terrace and station roof require "essential repair and safety works" that necessitate clearing the site. However, curator Claire Mander, who founded the garden, disputes this, arguing that the repairs are related to the vacant commercial space below and that the plans do not indicate a large-scale overhaul of the terrace. She told The Guardian she fears the space will be handed to a private developer.
Campaign to save the garden
A petition and campaign have been launched to save the garden. The petition states: "This is bigger than one project. It is about keeping public land for the public. It is about private landowners not profiting from cultural and community place making. It is about women being seen, heard and represented in the fabric of our city." A Crowdfunder aims to raise £38,000 to support the campaign and obtain a High Court Declaration.
What's at stake
Of the nearly 1,500 monuments across London, only four percent are dedicated to women, half as many as those honouring animals. Additionally, only 13 percent of public sculptures in London were created by female artists. The Artist's Garden was established to address this imbalance, showcasing works by women artists in a public space.
Alternative locations and future plans
Places for London said: "The terrace is legally protected public open space and will always remain publicly accessible. We are working with Westminster City Council and local stakeholders to explore alternative locations nearby for The Artist's Garden, while also developing future plans for the terrace at Temple." They also noted that the leaseholder of the adjoining commercial space is Vinyl Factory, a cultural operator, and any future proposals will protect public access and be subject to approval.
London Centric reported that Soho House founder Nick Jones has shown interest in taking on the lease of parts of the station not needed by London Underground. The campaign continues to gather support as the deadline approaches.
