Limehouse Arts Foundation

Limehouse Arts Foundation (LAF) provides quality affordable studio space for visual artists and arts educational opportunities for the local community. Based in Bromley-by-Bow in East London, the foundation was established in 1993 and is currently used by 50 artists.

When education officer Jo Evans started working for LAF in 2002, she found that CIDA was already a firmly established resource:

"We had been getting advice about raising money and help with writing the development plan," she says. "Initially we had gone to see them, and then Tom (Fleming) and Tamara (Pekelman) came to us."

Besides general funding and development support, CIDA has also helped LAF successfully accomplish two specific projects this year:

In spring 2004, LAF was looking to redesign the gardens at the front of The Cherry Trees, a special needs school in Bromley-by-Bow. A major stumbling block, however, was the lack of funds to pay the artists required.

"We really didn't know where to get funding or how to apply for it," says Jo. "But CIDA gave us the forms and helped us to fill them in - and thanks to them we raised £20,000."

The second project saw LAF create its first ever website, enabling the charity to reach out to greater numbers of local artists in the community:

"CIDA proposed us for a project it was running with BA design students at London Metropolitan University," explains Jo. "They had to do a professional placement for their final year project and CIDA recommended six students to us."

The students worked in LAF studio space from March to April 2004, during which time they designed the charity's website and publicity materials. There was also an exhibition of their work on Brick Lane.

"They were a fantastic help," says Jo. "We now have everything on CD and our website is ready to go live."

LAF is hoping to carry its strong relationship with CIDA into the future: "There is another project we can see CIDA helping us with," explains Jo. "My salary is currently paid from the fees paid by studio holders. But we have been looking to increase my role and are looking at fundraising to pay that excess. We hope CIDA can help us develop a strategy here."

"The future is bright," she adds cheerfully. "We are looking forward to the next set of challenges. It's not always easy, but it is great to know that CIDA are on our side."

Contact:

Limehouse Arts Foundation
Towcester Road
London E3 3ND
T: 020 7515 9998