Case study: Securing historic cultural space through a Community Asset Transfer
This case study is aimed at local authority culture, regeneration and property officers.
Summary
198 Contemporary Arts and Learning is an exhibition space in Brixton founded in 1988, after the Brixton riots. It is in an area formerly known as the Frontline. Following the 1981 Scarman Report, funding for regeneration came into the area through Brixton City Challenge, particularly for spaces serving the Black community. 198 Contemporary Arts and Learning is especially important because it's an incubator of emerging talent from Black artists, curators and arts educators. The organisation was renting its premises from Lambeth Council for 27 years before completing an asset transfer for the freehold in 2015, under the council’s Community Asset Transfer programme.
Challenge
Diverse-led cultural and community spaces often lack the capital funding, professional property and legal expertise needed to embark on a community asset transfer. 198 Contemporary Arts and Learning is strongly embedded in the community, and acts as an incubator for emerging Black artists, curators and arts educators. It was renting its premises from Lambeth Council for 27 years when the opportunity for a community asset transfer arose.
Aim
198 Contemporary Arts and Learning wanted to:
- invest in its space and secure its long-term future
- own and operate its own site without being a tenant of the local authority.
Action
198 Contemporary Arts and Learning began negotiating with Lambeth Council to transfer ownership of the freehold from the council to the organisation. The process began in 2013 and lasted two years under Lambeth Council’s community asset transfer programme. The freehold was secured with £75k in cash funds paid to the council and a further £100k of services delivered in kind to the council over 5 years.
In 2017 the organisation began redeveloping the premises. They secured £500k from the Mayor of London’s Good Growth Fund, levering in other funds including from the council. Lambeth Council provided a mix of grants and a long-term loan. The loan drew on the council’s ability to borrow at a lower cost than 198 Contemporary Arts and Learning. This loan helped to unlock further capital funding, including the Mayor’s Good Growth fund.
Impact
The combination of the cash payment and in-kind service provision allowed the organisation to own its asset – putting the future of the space in the hands of the community. The organisation completed the community asset transfer in 2015.
Next steps for you
Consider how you can provide long-standing cultural and community spaces with the support to acquire their own freehold, including access to low-cost finance or in-kind repayment.
If you would like to find out more, please email [email protected].
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