For those short on time, here are the dive in points:
0.00 - 02:30 LAASN intro
02:30 Quantum of space is stable
06:00 What is the crisis? Affordability
06:20 Defining artists studios
07:55 What artists and makers earn
08:55 Research Roland refers to
09:36 As a society we need to make a decision, do we want to live among artists?
10:30 Rent increases and how they align to CPI
12:30 2025 Rent position for London
13:25 Averages for London Rent, size and occupancy
14:10 Affordability challenge for the sector
15:50 Defining Affordable
16:40 Defining Herbert Affordability Formula (HAF)
19:20 Current system for defining affordability, its failings
22:57 Funding gap challenge
As LAASN we have solutions and call to be included in conversations for London planning.
Recorded 06.06.2025 Huge thanks to Charlie Goodall for film and production.
LAASN 2025 Data Note
About LAASN
The London’s Affordable Artists Studio Network (LAASN) is a growing alliance of leading studio providers. Together, we advocate for high-quality, genuinely affordable, long-term studios for artists in London. Each year we survey our membership to find out what the key issues are, what growth or decline there has been in provision and how the funding landscape has changed. A summary of our finding are below:
8 active member organisations
Managing 1.2 million sq ft of studio space
Operating 65 sites across 60% of London boroughs
Providing 2,200 studios for around 3,200 artists and makers
Generating a combined annual turnover of approximately £11.4 million
Collectively growing at an average rate of 6–7% annually
Understanding Sector Scale
There are ongoing inconsistencies in sector reporting from non-LAASN sources. However, the studio sector’s internal data is highly consistent and easily extrapolated from top-line figures.
In 2014, the reported figure of 11,500 people working in artist studio buildings equates to:
Apx 8,846 studios (based on average occupancy of 1.3 people per studio)
At 335 sq ft per studio, that implies a sector total of ape 2.9 million sq ft
2025 Estimate:
By adding data from Bow Arts, ACAVA, and ACME to LAASN members:
Total managed studio space = ~1.8 million sq ft
If the top 20 providers continue to deliver 60% of the total, the sector likely equates to ~2.8 million sq ft
This suggests a stable quantum over the last decade—not a halving of sector size as some sources suggest. While there is churn and displacement, we see no net loss in total provision.
Affordability vs Availability
New market entrants over the past decade (e.g. Artistic Spaces, managing nearly 900 units, and other providers like Workspace) have increased total studio provision. However, this has not solved the crisis of affordability.
Pricing Trends:
For two decades, LAASN studio rents broadly tracked Consumer Price Index (CPI)
Since 2022, pricing has diverged, now tracking above CPI
In 2025, the average studio rent exceeded £20/sq ft for the first time
Ownership and Growth:
Of the 1.2 million sq ft managed by LAASN members, 250,000 sq ft is owned
LAASN members collectively open 2–3 new sites per year, showing ongoing commitment to growth and adaptation