The Battle to Save a Legendary Dalston Studio

In 2005, 10-16 Ashwin Street was founded in the heart of Dalston by the arts organization V22. Since then, it has hosted hundreds of artists, including Dame Phyllida Barlow, who had her first studio in the complex. At the end of February, the current occupants – 39 artists split across 31 studios – received an eviction notice from Hackney Council. Citing safety concerns, which the artists refute, the council gave residents six weeks to move out of the building. Ironically, this came just weeks after the council released ‘The Dalston Plan’, which committed to protecting the character of Ashwin Street. Here, artist Rosanna Dean, acting as a representative for 10-16 Ashwin Street, discusses the fight to save the street – and Dalston – from gentrification.

Chloe Stead What can you tell me about the history and current usage of 10-16 Ashwin Street?  

Rosanna Dean 10-16 Ashwin Street isn’t just another studio complex. It’s a really special, interwoven community of creative, socially engaged people working together and supporting one another. For a while, it had been squatted and was pretty run down, but in 2005 when V22 moved in, they fixed the roof, carried out renovations and established artist studios. A few years later, the now-legendary Café OTO moved in. V22 was part of the steering group that set up The Dalston Curve Garden in 2010. More recently, several charitable organizations – including Bootstrap Charity, Dusty Knuckle and Sistah Space – joined the street.

CS When did you find out that you had to vacate the building and what reasons were given?

RD Despite the building having passed all its recent safety tests, the council is claiming it isn’t safe. However, we have done everything they’ve asked and more to mitigate their concerns. Also, in every agreement V22 had, the responsibility for the building’s maintenance was always with the council. V22 highlighted some things that needed attention a few years ago, which went ignored for years, and by the time the council did act, things had gotten so bad that the back of the building had to be demolished. This meant an artist who had been in the studios for 17 years, Ansel Krut, had to move and The Curve Garden’s plans to open a site to help vulnerable groups in the community had to be abandoned.  

CS Do you feel like you’ve been the victim of gentrification?

RD Yes, unfortunately the creativity of this area is a reason so many people want to live here and visit from all over the world. Of course, it’s a well-trodden path: artists moving in, making an area desirable and then being priced out, but although it’s a familiar story we should be fighting for a new way of doing things, not just rolling over. I’ve got friends who have left London and say, ‘leave; it’s over’, but I can’t do that. I believe it’s worth fighting for.

Why keep destroying the very things which make Dalston desirable? In the UK it really feels like the long-term democratic future of the arts is at stake. Despite its reputation and track record, currently we rank among the lowest spenders on culture.

CS Is how you are being treated indicative of a general pattern in the area? 

RD Sadly it is – The Curve Garden is under threat even though it is such a hugely loved and supported community space. Colvestone Primary School was just closed by the council despite its amazing reputation and a huge community campaign. Café OTO had this precious project space, which some of us had exhibitions in and used as a rehearsal space, but a recently arrived bar, that’s often empty, complained to the council about noise – despite playing loud music themselves, and got their way, which led to us losing the space. But if V22 manages to keep the building, they’re proposing a new music project space, ceramics studios and community workshop spaces.

As other boroughs in London make short-term decisions, evicting artists from the communities they helped create, selling buildings for profiteering and destroying the reason so many people want to be there, Hackney Council has an opportunity to do something different. They could be cultural leaders and show how valuable the arts are, and the enormous value artists give to the community.    

CS Why should the 10-16 Ashwin Street studio stay?

RD Not only do we support a wide range of local businesses – we use the local timber merchant, art supply stores, coffee shops, music venues – but as artists we challenge the status quo and try to imagine how things could be done differently. Building thriving communities where people feel inspired and welcome, where they can be creative, improves everyone’s quality of life.

CS What can people do to help support you?

RD We’re asking people to email the Mayor of Hackney and councillors and spread the word on social media by following V22, Café OTO and The Curve Garden. The more coverage we get in the press, the more we have the potential to put pressure on and resolve this issue.

_{Main image: Residents outside of 10-16 Ashwin Street, 2025. Photograph: Henri Kisielewski}