The Roundhouse's new centre enabling diverse young people to build careers in the creative industries will open next Spring.
Roundhouse Works is a £7.5 million extension to the former Victorian railway engine shed that will help "uncover new voices and empower the next generation of young creative entrepreneurs."
For the last 15 years, the Chalk Farm venue has run The Roundhouse Studios where thousands of young people have been given opportunities including training, mentoring and support in areas such as music, radio, spoken word and performance.
Alongside hosting high profile gigs and events in its main space, the Roundhouse has helped the creative development of the likes of Little Simz, Daniel Kaluyaa and Jack Rooke.
The new centre will double their capacity to support 15,000 young people and extend their reach to a wider age bracket of 11–30-year-olds.
Managers hope it will enable less well connected youngsters to overcome barriers to entry in the creative industries, equipping them with the skills they need to succeed via one-to-one mentorship with industry experts, networking events, workshops, and financial and pastoral advice from trained youth workers.
Designed by architect Patrick Dillon and Reed Watts Architects, the building is fully accessible and boasts three large rehearsal spaces for theatre makers, musicians, film makers, circus and performance artists, plus a podcast studio and an affordable workspace for creative entrepreneurs and freelancers.
Roundhouse Chief Executive Marcus Davey said: “The opening of Roundhouse Works is an exciting step forward in the Roundhouse’s mission to raise the UK’s creative potential. For decades we have been working with young people from all backgrounds, supporting them as they explore creativity and develop skills to help them thrive in the future world. Roundhouse Works will significantly increase the impact of this work, allowing us to reach more young people and provide even more opportunities for them.”
Georgia Attlesey, Founder of Pudding, said: "The Roundhouse made all the difference to my creative business just when I needed it most. Alongside providing a network of peers, space to work and access to training, the mentoring I received catalysed both my ambition and my approach. Roundhouse Works will create space for many more creative individuals to develop their businesses and erode the false binary between creativity and entrepreneurialism."
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