An independent not for profit artist led work and project space in Manchester’s Northern Quarter. A place for making, doing and sharing by artists Rosanne Robertson and Debbie Sharp.

The Penthouse is the place to get your heads and hands dirty with ideas and new beginnings which fly from our rooftops directly into the city around us and beyond.

The Penthouse is the permanent studio base of Rosanne Robertson and Debbie Sharp.

Noise Above Noise was borne of The Penthouse- described as

“Performance series Noise Above Noise elevates Manchester’s underground scene to the fifth floor of a tower block”. Frances Morgan- The Wire.

“The Penthouse, found on the top floor of a 1960s office block at the less-saturated edge of the Northern Quarter, is not your average exhibition space. Formed by Rosanne Robertson and Debbie Sharp in late 2012, the studio offers access to the duo’s workspace, used by a variety of creatives to generate multi-sensory experiences, with an emphasis on the divergent and unique…The hands on environment is unlike any other in the city, and encourges experimentation like nowhere else”. Charlotte Davies- The Skinny.

Our main project of 2016 focuses on the effect of space and place on artistic production with dedicated artist residencies at The Penthouse and a public seminar on the subject Sept 2016. Email or tweet us for appointment- we aren’t usually open outside of public events which are advertised via website.

David Dale Gallery and Studios is a non-profit contemporary art space based in the east end of Glasgow.

Established in 2009, David Dale Gallery and Studios promotes pioneering contemporary visual art through the commissioning and year round programming of new work and projects by early career international and UK based artists. Maintaining a commitment to providing opportunities and supporting the development of artists, curators and writers, David Dale Gallery and Studios intend to encourage professional development, education and community participation whilst delivering our core aim of presenting outstanding contemporary visual art. Additionally, the organisation operates an affordable artist studios facility, for the production and development of new work by emerging artists.

Limbo is an artist-led organisation based at the former electrical substation off Margate's High Street.

Limbo was set-up to create a resource supporting cultural development and experimentation in Thanet and beyond; providing affordable artist studios a gallery/project space and a programme of exhibitions, artist residencies, events and off-site projects.

Through its projects Limbo aims to create new points of reference or entry, through which challenging and unfamiliar ideas and methodologies can be experienced and discussed.

The project space at the Substation is the focal point for Limbo’s exhibition programme. It appears to be in transition: gallery lighting and whitened walls contrast with the imposing industrial structure of the room, where the transformers, rectifiers and switchgear once stood. Limbo takes inspiration from this aesthetic, aiming to bring different histories and practices together in one place.

The first properties to be managed by Acme Studios were 105 and 117 Devons Road in Bow, E3, in the heart of London’s East End. These redundant and semi-derelict Victorian shops, licensed to Acme in 1973 by the Greater London Council (for 21 months), marked the beginnings of an organisation which would become the largest provider of working and living space for artists in the United Kingdom. As part of the licence artists were required to carry out extensive repairs in exchange for very low rents (£3 per week) and agreement to hand properties back when required for demolition.

from: 'Artists in East London'
online available at: www.acme.org.uk/download.php?pdf=149‎
(accessed September 2013)

'Groundbreaking times: the first ten years of Acme' - Jonathan Harvey

Setting up Acme Studios in 1972 was driven by necessity. As a group of recent graduates coming out of Reading University Fine Art Department, it was about thinking: ‘We have to get to London, London is where it’s happening. How on earth does one afford to have a space to live and work there?’

At that time, there were a lot of boarded-up, unused premises in east London – one or two of our contemporaries had made approaches to the Greater London Council (GLC) and had successfully negotiated an odd shop here or an old house there. This alerted us to the possibility and we went direct to the GLC and said: ‘Look, there’s all this empty property that’s just sitting there unused.’ Much of it was destined for major housing redevelopment which was delayed because of the economic down-turn. The GLC responded: ‘Well, you’ve got two alternatives, one is to squat, but we’ll get you out, and the other is to go away and form a housing association.'

It took seven people and ten pounds each to register as a charitable housing association. The GLC transferred two properties in Bow on Devons Road – I had one and my co-founder David Panton had the other. Each had a 21-month life, no utilities, and were in appalling condition, but when you’ve got no money and there’s a lot of space – even though it was short term – we made very good use of them.

I think the GLC was impressed by how quickly we were able to put the properties back into use, so it started to transfer more. We needed five houses for the seven founder members, but when we were offered more and more property, we said: ‘We know so many artists that could benefit from this.’

There was no intention to start an organisation – we sort of stumbled into it – but within a year we were managing about 90 houses and realised this was becoming more than a full-time job. There is still a huge challenge to be able to live in London and practice as an artist. Affording somewhere to live is challenging enough, but then to have somewhere to work – that challenge, or demand, has never gone away. (...)

from: 'Groundbreaking times: the first ten years of Acme'
online available at: www.new.a-n.co.uk/news/single/groundbreaking-times-the-first-ten-years-o...
(accessed September 2013)