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Musicians’ Union urges music community to get behind Brixton Hill Studios as it faces closure
By Chris Cooke | Published on Friday 23 June 2023
The UK’s Musicians’ Union has urged artists, musicians and others to formally express their support for the Brixton Hill Studios, which is facing closure due to what has been described as an “astronomical rent rise”.
The union suggests that people – and especially anyone that has made use of the facilities at the South London studio complex – write to the local MP for the part of London where the studios are based, Bell Ribeiro-Addy.
In a blog post earlier this month, the team behind Brixton Hill Studios said: “It’s with the heaviest of hearts that we write to you confirming that South London’s favourite ‘playground’ for adults is being threatened with closure at the end of the summer”.
Noting that the studios have offered a recording and rehearsal space for the South London music community for nearly ten years – and that the facility even managed to survive the various COVID lockdowns – the blog post added: “Unfortunately the one thing we can not compete with is an astronomical rent rise”.
The blog post also confirmed that the studios have just four months left to run on their lease. Which means even management can find an alternative location with affordable rent, there will inevitably be some down time. “It’s a big old job to dismantle and rebuild somewhere else”, the blog post went on. “We only have four months in which to find somewhere suitable that is also within budget and sustainable for the next ten to 20 years”.
The MU yesterday stated that: “The closure of the studios would be a significant blow to the artistic community, as access to spaces for cultural enrichment is crucial for the well-being and creative expression of artists in Brixton and the wider capital. The studio has long-served as a thriving hub for musicians, providing a nurturing environment for collaboration, experimentation and talent development”.
It added: “Sadly, Brixton Hill Studios is not an isolated case. Similar spaces throughout the capital have either closed their doors or are currently under the threat of closure due to exorbitant rent increases or the looming threat of redevelopment into luxury apartments and living spaces. This trend poses a serious risk to the artistic ecosystem, stifling the growth of emerging talent and limiting the availability of affordable resources for musicians”.
A template letter provided by the MU that musicians are urged to sent to Ribeiro-Addy asks the MP to “offer your support and guidance in helping the studios to retain their home until a suitable venue is found for them so they can continue providing a much needed service to the community. With under four months until their lease ends it does not give them very much time in which to relocate and rebuild”.
Commenting on the campaign to save the studios, the MU’s National Organiser For Live, Theatre And Music Writers, Kelly Wood, says: “We are deeply concerned about the impending closure of Brixton Hill Studios, a renowned and beloved cultural institution that serves as a vital part of the music industry and infrastructure”.
“This studio”, she adds, “holds immense significance for musicians, providing a supportive ecosystem where many artists forge meaningful connections and cultivate creative collaborations”.
“We must proactively safeguard our venues and studios against escalating rent increases”, she concludes, “and prioritise the protection of these valuable spaces, which are essential for enabling artistic expression and fostering a vibrant creative community”.
