Cubitt Artists, a non-profit gallery and studio space in central London that has operated for over 25 years, announced it will leave its current home in Islington this spring after its lease was not renewed. The artist-run cooperative, which houses 32 studios, is launching a fundraising campaign to find a new location and continue providing affordable studios, contemporary art programming, and opportunities for early-career artists and curators.
The loss of Cubitt's long-term home matters because it represents a significant blow to London's artist-run infrastructure, which provides vital affordable space and curatorial experimentation in a city with soaring real estate costs. Artists and curators including Helen Nisbet, Jennifer Higgie, Helen Cammock, Tacita Dean, and Dexter Dalwood have highlighted Cubitt's unique role in fostering peer-led, non-commercial art practice and community engagement, making its relocation a critical test of whether such spaces can survive in an increasingly expensive urban environment.