Cultivating creative workspace in London: How coworking can help creatives thrive

As the creative industries develop, so must the creative workspaces they inhabit.

With the growth of digital creative practices and businesses — photographers, videographers, digital artists, website design, animators and more — the artist’s studio is not a one-size-fits-all approach. The push for hybrid working across all industries has shown that individuals needs workplaces that are as flexible as they are, allowing them to come in when they want to but avoiding the commitment of a long-term office space. And with costs ever-increasing for studio space in London and other major cities, many artists and creatives are forced to either work in cramped shared accommodation or move away from their home.

With all of this, we can see that there is a real need for innovation and new ideas when it comes to providing creative workspaces in London.

As one of the leading studio providers in London, Artist Studio Company (ASC) is committed to providing accessible, affordable, and supportive spaces for artists and designer-makers in the capital.

But the traditional artist studio space doesn’t work for everyone — which is why we’re opening a new venue, The Handbag Factory, in October 2023. The Handbag Factory offers a creative coworking community with dedicated and flexible desking options, as well as containing an in-house print studio facility, meeting room, and event hire spaces.

We think that The Handbag Factory is a really unique space. It’s not reinventing the wheel, nor will it solve all of the challenges facing creatives in London in a flash (we wish it could!), but we hope that it marks a step forward in how we think about workspace solutions and how we can serve artists and makers as well as the wider creative community.

Through open and community-driven desking spaces, The Handbag Factory offers coworking in the same spirit as our traditional studio workspaces - with energy, collaboration, and affordability. The Handbag Factory extends our support in a new way to the broader cultural sector in London, generating networks across the creative landscape. 

Creating Opportunities

As part of this engagement, The Handbag Factory offers a range of membership options for dedicated desking, and coworking creative individuals and not-for-profit organisations at rates significantly below those charged by commercial operators.

The high rental costs and lack of feasible sites in London often make it extremely challenging for artists to secure work spaces they can easily access and afford. Many creatives are finding themselves forced outside of the capital towards other UK cities or abroad.

By acquiring and repurposing diverse buildings throughout the city, ASC has bridged the gap between artists and accessible spaces since 1995. The Handbag Factory extends this model, offering coworking opportunities to those within the wider cultural sector at an affordable rate, allowing members to focus on their goals and creative practices.  

Community Engagement  

ASC takes pride in fostering a sense of community among its resident artists and designer-makers, organising regular events, workshops, and exhibitions that encourage collaboration among the artists and designer-makers themselves and with the broader public. These initiatives provide valuable networking opportunities, allowing them to showcase their work, gain exposure, and forge connections within the art industry.

At The Handbag Factory, we look to establish a similar sense of community, inviting interaction and engagement from across our coworking hub and galleries to develop a creative hub.

Looking for a new workspace in London to develop your creative or cultural practice? Reach out to our team to book a viewing or trial day, or sign up to our newsletter to hear all the latest.