Space Register
The Space Register
Between Jan 1 2025 - March 31 2025, the Space Register process will be temporarily paused. This is to allow for review and revision of the way we offer support to organisations on the Register.
Organisations are still encouraged to sign up to the Space Register during this period and will have access to initial meetings with our team to assess space needs. This will ensure we have updated information about cultural space needs once we reactivate the full Space Register process in April 2025. We also recommend you review our online resources.
If you are currently on the Register no further action is required. If you are currently in active discussions with us based on a past submission onto the Register, these will continue during the pause period.
What is the Space Register?
The Space Register is a way to let us know that you are looking to either open a new cultural space or want to increase the size of an existing cultural space.
Please check you are eligible before registering by reading the information below.
If your existing space is at-risk, please see the Culture and Communities at Risk team.
Who is the Space Register for?
Organisations eligible for consideration through the Space Register are those who are looking for long-term new or additional space to deliver cultural activities. This includes the ‘production’ of culture (rehearsal, fabrication, making) or the ‘consumption’ of culture (performance, exhibiting, showcasing).
Before registering please check that you are looking for support to:
- develop an idea for long-term cultural space
- find a cultural space for an existing idea or organisation
- develop an existing cultural space to increase capacity.
We do not offer support to:
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individual artists or creatives seeking individual workspaces or studios
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office space requests
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community or commercial organisations whose primary activity is not cultural
- short-term or events space requests.
The priorities for the Space Register
Once the team receives Space Register submission via the form, we review and consider options for support.
We use a set of priorities to help us determine where best to focus our limited resources and team capacity. These priorities are:
- Cultural spaces led by or designed for and/or serve communities historically excluded from accessing and securing cultural space, including Black, Asian and minority ethnic, children and young people, Deaf and disabled people, LBGTQ+, low-income groups and older people.
- Projects that deliver innovation and/or meet a cultural space demand that isn’t currently being met.
- Projects that provide more of the type of cultural spaces that have reduced in quantity in London, despite ongoing demand as evidenced in the Cultural Spaces Health Check and Cultural Spaces Datanotes.
- Projects that deliver improved cultural space environmental sustainability or contribute to net zero through new or expanded premises.
What kind of support could we provide you with?
If your submission meets some of the priorities, we can consider different kinds of support including:
- guidance and training to ensure that your organisation is ready to take on space successfully
- support with the planning process if you have already identified a space through working with a developer
- providing the opportunity to access funding when projects meet multiple of the priorities listed above
- making a referral to space opportunities that we are aware of, if your organisation is ready to take on space (e.g. business plan, staffing structure, resource planning that takes space operating into account). Please be aware that such opportunities are limited.
We do not offer:
- estate agent-type service for properties on the open market
- our own space or buildings
- funding to support the rental of space or purchase of buildings
- capital funding to fit out or refurbish buildings.
As a reminder, the Space Register is only one potential source of assistance - we encourage you to continue to use your own networks and other sources in your space search. For example, consider contacting your local authority if you haven’t done so already.
Need a document on this page in an accessible format?
If you use assistive technology (such as a screen reader) and need a version of a PDF or other document on this page in a more accessible format, please get in touch via our online form and tell us which format you need.
It will also help us if you tell us which assistive technology you use. We’ll consider your request and get back to you in 5 working days.