Affordable Artist Studios Opening in Woolwich, South-East London

SFSA returns home to the Royal Borough of Greenwich

Second Floor Studios & Arts is coming to Woolwich. In the summer of 2023, SFSA won the opportunity to deliver a new studio project with the Royal Borough of Greenwich in the historic civic quarter of Woolwich. Following two and a half years of careful collaborative planning with the Council and their appointed architects Gort Scott, we are proud to announce that SFSA has been awarded a 20-year lease to operate 21 genuinely affordable, high-quality, self-contained studio spaces in Woolwich's historic Old Town Hall — at the heart of one of south-east London's most exciting and fast-evolving communities.

Announced 20 January 2026.

A Heritage Building Reimagined for Artists and Makers

Following essential conservation work to restore and preserve the unique heritage of the Old Town Hall, construction will shortly begin on the internal fit-out, creating 21 purpose-designed studio spaces within one of Woolwich's most significant civic buildings. The project represents an exceptional collaboration between the Royal Borough of Greenwich, architects Gort Scott and their wider team, with essential partnership funding from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG).

Gort Scott's design sensitively integrates a new lift and bridge link connecting the Old Town Hall to the adjacent Old Library — making the studios fully accessible throughout, in line with SFSA's longstanding commitment to inclusivity across all of our sites.

Courtyard render of Woolwich Old Town Hall studio development, Royal Borough of Greenwich, designed by Gort Scott for SFSA

What This Means for Woolwich

For SFSA, this project carries particular significance. As Nichole Herbert Wood, CEO, explains:

"SFSA first started as a single site studio provider in the mid-1990s, and for the first 20 years all of our studio locations were in the Royal Borough of Greenwich. To be working so closely with the Council and wider partners to open this new studio site — for SFSA to be coming back to its home London Borough — is an important moment in our story. SFSA are committed to long-term, high-quality provision of studios. This 20-year lease secures critical creative infrastructure for the local community."

Nichole Herbert Wood, CEO, Second Floor Studios & Arts

The Woolwich studios represent the fifth site in SFSA's growing portfolio, joining Deptford Foundry, Deptford Foreshore, Wembley Park and Sevenoaks — with further project locations to be announced. Across 2026/27, SFSA will open 80 new studio spaces across its network, of which Woolwich forms a central part.

Timeline & How to Register Your Interest

Studios are expected to be released for occupation in Autumn 2027. Studio deposits will not open until Summer 2027.

To be among the first to hear when studios become available — and to ensure your application is considered — please register your interest using the Studio Enquiry form. Priority will be given to applicants with a local Royal Borough of Greenwich postcode.

Register Your Interest in Woolwich Studios →

If you have a specific question about the Woolwich project, please contact us matthew@secondfloor.co.uk

About the Project Partners

Royal Borough of Greenwich — Lead partner and landlord, committed to delivering affordable creative workspace as part of Woolwich's ongoing regeneration and cultural offer.

Gort Scott Architects — Appointed architects for the Woolwich Old Town Hall studio project. Gort Scott bring extensive experience in heritage building adaptation and cultural workspace design. Rendering images on this page are courtesy of Gort Scott.

Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) — Essential partnership funding for the conservation and fit-out of the Old Town Hall.

Genuinely Affordable — and Prioritising Local Artists

Affordability is not a slogan at SFSA — it is a commitment backed by nearly 30 years of delivery and defined by the Herbert Affordability Formula, developed by SFSA CEO Nichole Herbert Wood in her capacity as co-founder of LAASN (London's Affordable Artists Studio Network).

At Woolwich, starter studios — made available for recent graduates and emerging artists — will be priced at £14 per sq ft. Main studios will start at £16.50 per sq ft. Both figures reflect a genuinely affordable rent in line with the London Living Wage, as defined by the HAF.

Priority will be given to studio applicants with a local Woolwich or Royal Borough of Greenwich postcode, reflecting SFSA's belief that affordable creative workspace should first and foremost serve the communities in which it sits.

Fully Accessible Studios

SFSA has sought to be genuinely inclusive for over 25 years, and ensuring our studios are fully accessible is a core part of that philosophy — not an afterthought. With great ingenuity, Gort Scott have designed the heritage building to incorporate a new lift and bridge link to the Old Library, ensuring every studio in the building is accessible to all.