Dedicated Makers Studio Site. Over 90 studios in Purfleet, Thurrock.
Press Release 23|06|2021: High House Production Park (HHPP) and Second Floor Studios CIC (SFS CIC) have signed a landmark Memorandum of Understanding to develop high quality and affordable maker workspace at the flagship Purfleet-on-Thames location.
Proposals could see more than 90 purpose-built studios for new creative production entrepreneurs as well as those who are relocating to Thurrock. The innovative and sustainable purpose-built building will complement existing activity at the world-class centre of excellence for creative production that is already home to the Royal Opera House Production Workshop and Costume Centre, and the Backstage Centre production facility.
Alex Beard, Chair of HHPP and Chief Executive of the Royal Opera House, said: “The signing of this Memorandum of Understanding is a great moment for the HHPP, and builds on strides already made over more than a decade to make Thurrock a national hub for creativity. We hope that the creation of more than 90 state-of-the-art studios at our iconic Purfleet-on-Thames location will enable creative entrepreneurial talent, artists and makers to thrive, giving them the space to expand, connect with others in the industry, and contribute to overall health and diversity of the UK's world-class creative industries.”
A key aim of Creative Estuary is to identify innovative ways to provide more sustainable and affordable spaces for cultural production in South Essex and North Kent, which the Purfleet-on-Thames project aims to achieve. Creative Estuary is funded through the Cultural Development Fund from the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport and was one of only five places in England to be awarded this investment in 2019.
Jessie Sheffield
Emma Wilcox, Project Director of Creative Estuary, said: “This initiative marks the start of an exciting phase of work for Thurrock. They are key partners of Creative Estuary and, like us, totally committed to culture and creative industries. This builds perfectly on the ambition that brought HHPP into being 10 years ago. This project also complements the work we are undertaking in Purfleet-on-Thames around place making and finding holistic ways to integrate cultural infrastructure into community buildings and outdoor spaces, facilitating even more places for creative activity.”
The collaboration between SFS and HHPP will contribute to ensuring this key site remains a world-class hub for cultural production in the Thames Estuary and supports the ambition of the Creative Estuary programme.
Laura Hudson, Free Fall.
“Second Floor Studios have always provided affordable workspace for artists’ and craft and designer makers. From 1997 to 2016 makers represented a core proportion of members within our dedicated studio sites. With the continued pressure on land values SFS have adapted to the market and more recently opened three schemes within mixed use developments which has required us to positively discriminate against some makers and heavier practices. SFS have been seeking an in-perpetuity opportunity to house and support larger format makers: such as carpentry, sculpture, stone masonry and metalwork within purpose-built facilities. This exciting collaboration with HHPP within their flagship International Centre for Excellence for Creative Industries is a great alignment of values and timing. SFS will be securing a plot with HHPP on a 125-year leasehold with the ambition to deliver a 40-45,000 square foot studio building dedicated to housing makers and artists of Essex, Kent and London. We are looking forward to playing our role in the overall regeneration strategy for the Thames Estuary and are eager to begin the hard work with all those involved to bring this site forward for the makers in real need of secure, long-term, truly affordable workspace.”
“Our sector has been decimated over the last decade and SFS are leading in the replacement of affordable workspace. SFS has a very simple core mission - To create vibrant communities that live long beyond our lifetimes. In March 2019 SFS opened the Deptford Foundry; the largest new build studio project within zone 2 in a decade and in securing this partnership with HHPP, SFS will be bringing forward the largest in perpetuity, maker focused studio project in the Thames Estuary. As you would anticipate we are incredibly excited for the future and all the people we can support in fulfilling their creative aspirations.”
Nichole Herbert Wood, Chief Executive, SFS CIC
Work with us to develop this new site.
We are starting our search to find an architect practice/team for this artist studio sector landmark project within the Creative Estuary please register for our Expression of Interest pack.
contact@secondfloor.co.uk.
The EOI has been carefully constructed to encourage responses from a broad range of practices and teams. The three most compelling EOI’s will move froward to a part funded stage two tender. - 05/09/2021 EOI NOW CLOSED.
Notes to Editors
High House Production Park
High House Production Park (HHPP) is a world class centre of excellence for creative production and skills training. A collaboration between the Royal Opera House, Creative and Cultural Skills, Arts Council England, Government and Thurrock Council, the 14acre site is a campus for creative and cultural industries next to the M25 and at the heart of the Thames Estuary Production Corridor. HHPP is a charity overseen by a Board of Trustees chaired by the CEO of the Royal Opera House. Thurrock Council are trustees and are commissioned by the charity to provide day-to-day management of the site.
Creative Estuary
Creative Estuary has a vision to forge a new future founded on creative energy and innovation, along the length of the Thames Estuary. The programme includes a number of work-streams including one dedicated to the development of Creative Assets. The ambition is to give cultural industries room to grow by providing the right physical spaces for creative communities. The cultural assets work-stream aims to identify, unlock and transform buildings for use by creative and cultural industries while continuing to support existing and planned cultural infrastructure, bringing more spaces back into creative use. HHPP is identified as one of two pilot schemes.
The project is supported by the Department of Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) and led by a consortium of public sector and cultural organisations. They include the South East Local Enterprise Partnership (SELEP), Kent and Essex County Councils, the Greater London Authority, 11 local authority areas represented by Greater North Kent Partnership and Opportunity South Essex, South East Creative Economy Network (SECEN), University of Kent, University of Essex, Locate in Kent and cultural organisations Metal and Cement Fields. In early 2019 the University of Kent was awarded £4.3million from the DCMS Cultural Development Fund on behalf of the partners. The Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport funds the Cultural Development Fund which is administered by Arts Council England.