Barking’s burgeoning reputation as London’s latest creative hotspot took another boost this week when Be First issued a call for organisations to run new artist’s studios by the River Roding.
Barking and Dagenham Council’s pioneering regeneration company hopes the new Abbey Road studios will be as inspiring to artists as its St John’s Wood’s namesake.
Councillor Darren Rodwell, Leader of Barking and Dagenham Council, said: “We hope our own Abbey Road studios will inspire artists to produce ‘Something’ special, just like the Beatles did at their studios in St John’s Wood.”
Peter Murray, Be First Board member, said: “The best developments and productions are when creatives and the community ‘Come Together’ and produce a thing of art – just as John, Paul, George and Ringo did with their Abbey Road album 50 years ago.”
David Harley, Be First’s Head of Regeneration, said: “We want to hear from ambitious creative organisations who share our ambition to bring art to the heart of Barking.
“We already have a thriving artists’ community along the River Roding and of course we recently launched our pop-up arts gallery at Barking station, so the new studios at Abbey Road will further bolster our credentials as London’s latest creative hot spot.”
And Cllr Rodwell said the new studios also add to the River Roding’s growing reputation as one of the capital’s up and coming waterside developments.
Cllr Rodwell said: “We want to create a buzzing waterside community for everyone to enjoy, including artists and artisans. These new studios add to our wider vision to create a Roding Riviera for ordinary people.”
Artists and organisations are invited to send their tender to lease over 3,000sq feet of studios by 26 August.
To find out more go to https://befirst.london/project/artintheheart/
