News

“Dear Donatus,

“The recent closure of the Streatham Space Project has caused a good deal of concern locally. In response, local people have come together to create Streatham Arts Community (or SAC) to promote and work towards the reopening of this crucial arts space for the benefit of our community.

“As David Harvey and I [Jane Wroe Wright] are both well connected with local groups such as Streatham Theatre Company, The Friends of Streatham Hill Theatre, The Streatham Society, InStreatham BID, Streatham Action, Streatham Choral, Streatham Festival and more, we believe that we are well placed to take a coordinating role in these efforts. It is in this capacity that we are writing to you to offer Streatham Arts Community’s connections and experience to Lambeth Council to enhance the efforts that, no doubt,  you are making towards the same end.

“We share your frustration that Streatham Space Project failed to capture the imagination of patrons, and has proved to be too expensive for local groups to use for their activities. We have over 100 local people who support the reopening of the space and its theatre with a viable and sustainable business model. 

“In the first instance, we would like to meet with whoever is handling this matter in your office so that we can explore how best to support your initiatives. We are also available to meet with any operating companies with whom you are discussing the possibility of running the space.

“Having created the Streatham Arts Community, it is our intention to hold a public meeting on the 8th May to discuss a way forward and to explore what talents and connections we have that might be useful.

“Please take this as an invitation to that meeting. We very much hope that you will wish to send a speaker for the panel. Please let us know if you are agreeable to this, and any suggestions about who else might be a constructive addition to the panel.

“If you can arrange access, it would be ideal to host this within the Streatham Space Project itself; failing that we will advise you of the time and the place for the meeting – please let us know if you can attend and your thoughts for the panel.”

House of Commons, 14 April 2025

I am writing following the closure of the Streatham Space Project. I know from the conversations I have had with local residents that there is a strong desire locally for the space to continue to be used as a community hub, and as a venue to hold theatrical productions.

I believe it is important that theatre is allowed to flourish in Streatham. We have a diverse and vibrant community, which has a history of a thriving theatre scene. Unfortunately, over the years this has faded. I am proud to be supporting the work of those locally that are working tirelessly to bring theatre back to Streatham.

I believe that it is right that theatre in Streatham should be supported. The taIents of local residents should be encouraged. For many, theatre is not accessible due to financial means or living in an area that lacks the facilities. I am ambitious for our community, and those that live here. They deserve the same opportunities to watch theatre that those living elsewhere have.

I am therefore asking for action to be taken that will secure the future of theatre in Streatham through working alongside local groups, such as the Friends of Streatham Hill Theatre, to give those growing up in Streatham today the same opportunities that they would have had many years ago.

I would be grateful if you could inform me on how Lambeth Council is planning to work with local residents to support theatre in Streatham.

Steve Reed OBE MP

“Communities can ask the council to list certain assets as being of value to the community.

“If an asset is listed and then comes up for sale, the new right will give communities that want it six months to put together a bid to buy it. This gives communities an increased chance to save local facilities of community value.

“The legislation does not give a right to buy the property in question – but it does give potential bidders the time to put a proposal together.”

“It’s incredibly sad to hear that Streatham Space Project is to close.

“We’d be happy to support any new group that may come forward.

“We’re trying to speak with the culture team at Lambeth to see what help they may be able to provide.”

Streatham loses a key performing arts space with the closure of Streatham Space Project

“The trustees of Streatham Space Project (SSP) have made the decision to close the venue and to cease our activities from the end of March 2025.

After our announcement in September 2024 that we were facing financial difficulties, we took steps to streamline the organisation and reduce our overheads whilst pursuing other funding options and models of operation. Sadly, we have not been able to find a sustainable model for the venue and the Board feel that closing the venue now is the responsible thing to do.

Since we opened in 2018, Streatham Space Project is immensely proud to have programmed over 600 shows and events, welcomed over 40,000 visitors, and provided over 28,000 affordable tickets to events spanning different art forms and cultures.

Streatham Space Project has supported 984 emerging artists that have benefited from mentoring from the team and having their work programmed at the venue with subsidised rehearsal space. And thousands of local children and their families have benefited from the free-to-access Family Days, affordable children’s theatre and free theatre workshops. All of these have been in line with our charitable objectives to promote arts for the people of Streatham and the local area. We have also enjoyed hosting parties and marking key events for many locals.

We would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who has worked so hard to make Streatham Space Project such a vibrant hub for the community, the funders who helped make our activity possible, and our audiences from Streatham and beyond who supported our programmes. We’re so sorry not to be able to keep going.

The trustees think it is important to highlight the backdrop to our decision:

• COVID-19 pandemic from which programmes and audiences have not recovered
• Energy prices and other cost increases
• The cost-of-living crisis impact on audience figures and community activity
• The reduction of funding for the arts in London as part of the Arts Council England’s 2023-2026 Investment Programme.

As any person working in the arts can tell you, the increasingly difficult funding and financial climate is deeply worrying – it prevents vital stories from being told, important ideas from being explored, reduces creativity and joy to luxuries only accessible to those who can afford them and is impacting on the next generation of theatre-makers and arts practitioners.

Brian Harris

Chair of Trustees”