Arts Space For London + Kin and Carta
WE MATCHED THE ARTS AND CULTURE ORGANISATION ARTS SPACE FOR LONDON WITH INDIVIDUALS FROM DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION FIRM KIN + CARTA, TO OFFER BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT AND STRATEGY ADVICE.
Arts Space for London has a mission to create a permanent home for grassroots culture in London. It is run by Arman Nouri and Kwame Lowe, who met while completing placements on the Public Practice programme, a not-for-profit social enterprise with a mission to improve the quality and equality of everyday places.
The proposed central facility will include affordable and flexible workspace for practitioners (both professional and non-professional), as well as those who are just interested in the fields of arts, culture and education. Performance facilities will also be included to allow for a broad and engaging programme of art and culture for visitors.
The team hopes that the space will help transform the types of art and culture produced in London, and break down boundaries in the industry. They argue that such an initiative is needed, given the lack of affordable workspaces for artists and those interested in art. Additionally, while the Mayor’s 2019 Cultural Infrastructure Plan is a step towards recognising the importance of art and culture in London, it prioritises established artists and arts organisations.
To help transition the Arts Space for London from a concept to a sustainable business the team were looking for strategy and business development advice. It was essential to the team to develop a sustainable approach to supporting arts and culture in London, particularly in light of the Covid-19 pandemic and its devastating effect on the industry. They aimed to develop a revenue-generating model, rather than rely on grants and volunteers, and were looking for actionable steps to further this plan.
We matched them with Melissa and Rhea from Digital Transformation firm Kin + Carta to work with the team on their strategy going forward. Together they worked on developing the concept for the Arts Space for London, helping to create a process for their next steps.
“Rhea and Melissa from Kin + Carta supported us to define and develop our concept, suggesting a structure for our design process, which involved a series of interviews with good friends and colleagues. During this time, Rhea and Melissa became part of our team and we’re very grateful for the match.”