New Burgh House director Moira Lascelles has pledged to keep Hampstead's historic community hub free and open to all, with no plans to introduce admission charges for exhibitions. In her first six months leading the 320-year-old house in New End Square, she has outlined ambitions to broaden its audience and launch new cultural partnerships.
Free Access and Community Focus
Lascelles, an architectural historian with a background in community art engagement, said: "We don't charge for any exhibitions and I really want to keep it that way. It's so important to have access to heritage spaces, and a paywall is prohibitive - I am interested in opening the doors as wide as possible."
Burgh House, which operates as a community arts hub, gallery, performance space, and archive of historical artefacts, was saved from sale in 1979 by a resident-led trust after falling into disrepair. Today, it hosts music performances, talks, local artist exhibitions, and displays on Hampstead's past.
Lascelles says her tenure won't bring "a radical departure" but plans to introduce artists in residence and commissions responding to the collection. "It's about how we involve artists and tell the story of Hampstead past and present taking inspiration from this amazing place and its rich history," she added.
Funding and Outreach
Despite being owned by Camden Council, Burgh House receives no council funding, relying instead on hiring the venue for weddings and celebrations, plus support from trusts, foundations, and bequests. Lascelles has formed a "cultural network" of small venues in Hampstead and Highgate to collaborate and promote each other.
She is also focusing on reaching wider audiences across Camden, particularly older and younger people, including local school pupils in young curator programmes. Harking back to Dr William Gibbons, the physician who championed Hampstead Wells Spa, she wants to promote culture as beneficial for mental health.
"In 2019 Camden was named the loneliest borough - Burgh House has been a community hub for a long time, that's something I will be leaning into as a good place to come and visit," Lascelles said. "The Heath is free, we are free, we want to bring in programmes that break down the barrier and be a place that's welcoming."
New Chamber Music Partnership
This week, Burgh House launches a three-year partnership blending chamber music with art, celebrating the legacies of late Hampstead couple Milein Cosman and Hans Keller. Cosman was an artist who fled Nazi Germany in the 1930s, and Keller was an Austrian writer and violinist who fled Nazi-occupied Vienna in 1938. Their Hampstead home became a post-war artistic hub.
The collaboration between Burgh House, Chamber Studio, and The Cosman Keller Art & Music Trust includes a new exhibition of prints by Cosman and performances by emerging chamber musicians. Lascelles called it a "no brainer" to nurture the next generation while celebrating Hampstead's cultural heritage.
"Hans Keller and Milein Cosman were central figures in the area's artistic life, and we are delighted to honour their legacy through this collaboration," she said. The residency builds on Chamber Studio's Hans Keller Forum, with selected string quartets and trios receiving coaching from established musicians. Each residency includes a free public masterclass and a ticketed evening recital in Burgh House's Music Room.
Anna Rowe, chief executive of Chamber Studio, said: "Hans Keller believed passionately in the importance of chamber music and the value of mentoring young ensembles. We are delighted to continue that legacy through this partnership with Burgh House and The Cosman Keller Art & Music Trust, giving exceptional young musicians the opportunity to learn from world-class artists while sharing their performances with new audiences."
The exhibition, "Hampstead in Print: Milein Cosman and Her Circle," runs from October 21 to March 28, 2027, in the Wells Room gallery, featuring recent acquisitions including illustrations of Benjamin Britten, Barbara Hepworth, and Henry Moore. Masterclasses will be held on October 21, December 2, and February 17 from 2pm to 5pm, with recitals on October 22, December 3, and February 18 at 7.30pm.
