Camden Art Centre has secured its future by acquiring a 99-year lease on its north London building, thanks to a £1.9 million fundraising campaign. The initiative, led by artists and galleries, ensures the longevity of the popular gallery, which celebrates its 60th anniversary this year. The building, owned by the London Borough of Camden, had been leased to the gallery on a peppercorn agreement for the past 23 years.
Martin Clark, the director of Camden Art Centre, said, “It’s been just nine months since we quietly launched the campaign. Reaching the target so quickly is testament to how loved Camden Art Centre is and what an important part of the visual arts landscape it is, not just in London but internationally.”
Clark emphasized that securing the building was a crucial step following reduced funding from Arts Council England in 2022. With the lease acquisition, they now look forward to creating continued stability.
“During the eight years that I’ve been at Camden, it has been at the top of my to-do list. We got to a point with the council a year ago where they agreed that they would sell us the long lease, which was fantastic,” he added.
Securing the future of Camden
Artists and galleries provided significant support for the campaign, many of whom have held exhibitions at the centre over the last two decades. Trusts, foundations, and individuals also contributed. Notable artists like Chantal Joffe, Alvaro Barrington, and Kara Walker supported the 60th Anniversary building acquisition fund.
Celebrated artist Antony Gormley, who first exhibited at Camden Art Centre in 1981, also contributed, remarking on the institution’s pivotal role in his career. The centre has hosted numerous significant exhibitions, including those for artists like Phyllida Barlow, Allison Katz, Mohammed Sami, Hilma af Klint, Forrest Bess, and Martin Wong. Mohammed Sami’s 2023 exhibition, “The Point 0,” was praised as “utterly magnificent” by The Telegraph.
Richard Wright’s recent show is his largest institutional display in the UK in over 20 years. UK gallerist Sadie Coles highlighted Camden Art Centre’s excellence, noting, “Camden Art Centre is for me a place of excellence: for the exhibition programme, the garden, the bookshop, and the ways it is both local and intimate, and an internationally recognized champion of artists.”
