A major investment towards the future of St Margaret’s House has been secured

St Margaret’s House has been awarded a grant of £700,000 from the Department of Culture, Media and Sport through Arts Council England’s Creative Foundations Fund to address urgent repairs to its buildings to improve access to arts and culture for East Londoners. This vital restoration and renovation work, including to its main Grade II listed building at 21 Old Ford Road, will protect the organisation’s work for present and future generations.

The funding has been awarded to St Margaret’s House to support urgent, business-critical repairs across their historic Bethnal Green site, including structural masonry work, roof and weatherproofing replacement, fire safety upgrades and essential heating, water hygiene and electrical systems renewal. These repairs will prevent enforced closures, return key creative spaces to use, and ensure the long-term sustainability of a 135-year-old community arts and wellbeing centre relied upon by over 100,000 people each year. The project secures safe, inclusive, and energy-efficient cultural infrastructure, protecting St Margaret’s House’s nationally recognised Creative Health work and ensuring its impact continues on the communities of East London now and in the future.

Culture Secretary, Lisa Nandy said:

“I want everyone, everywhere to feel a sense of pride about where they come from. Cultural organisations across London are important custodians of local identity and play a key role in the story we tell ourselves as a nation.

"Our Arts Everywhere Fund is delivering on our commitment to support cultural assets across the country, increasing access and preserving them for future generations. This is demonstrated by grants announced today that will benefit twenty-four culture venues, museums, and library services across London.

“Arts and culture are the beating hearts of our communities, they have the power to unite us in the face of division and break down barriers to opportunity. We want to harness the power to help us build a brighter future for the people of London.”

Michelle Walker, London Area Director, Arts Council England, said:

“This significant investment is a vital step in safeguarding the future of cultural venues, museums and libraries at a time when many are facing real challenges. Across London these spaces are the backbone of our city, where communities come together.

“By supporting these essential improvements this funding will help ensure that these venues remain open, sustainable and accessible for years to come, protecting the creative spaces that London’s artists and audiences rely on.”

St Margaret’s House Arts and Wellbeing Director, Beccy Allen said:

“We're overwhelmed and overjoyed. We also shed some tears. Thank you. This means the world to us.

“We're incredibly grateful for the recognition this represents for everything we do in our buildings. This funding is a lifeline and means we can continue to keep the doors open for the hundreds of thousands of people who come through them each year, keeping everyone safe, warm and dry and making access and sustainability changes that are long overdue.

“This funding acknowledges the support we have in our community, saying thank you to the people who have kept coming to our spaces even when they were looking a bit worse for wear. We'll now embark on the next stage of our repair and renovation to honour that loyalty and continue to welcome new audiences and participants.”

About St Margaret’s House

St Margaret’s House is a community Arts and Wellbeing Centre in Bethnal Green, East London. Established in 1889, we have a long history of serving our local community through a variety of different chapters. Our mission is to deliver affordable and sustainable creative health practices for all, and spaces to come together. We believe in the transformative power of the arts and community connection to impact people’s physical and mental health and wellbeing.

Building on this mission, St Margaret’s House delivers a diverse programme of activities that bring creativity and wellbeing into everyday life. These include art workshops supporting local artists and makers, regular wellbeing sessions such as yoga and creative therapies and a rolling programme of exhibitions showcasing emerging and community talent. The organisation also hosts a wide range of events that bring people together, alongside dedicated activities for young people that nurture creativity, confidence and connection from an early age. Through this work, St Margaret’s House creates inclusive opportunities for people of all backgrounds to engage with the arts, improve their health and wellbeing and feel part of a supportive and vibrant community.

Find St Margaret’s House on Instagram and LinkedIn.

About Arts Council England

Arts Council England is the national development agency for creativity and culture. Between 2023 and 2026 we will have invested over £467 million of public money from Government, alongside an estimated £250 million each year from The National Lottery, to support individual practitioners, arts organisations, museums and libraries, and to help ensure that people in every part of the country have access to culture and creativity in the places where they live. Visit our website to learn more about our work.