A property developer has been criticised for establishing a sculpture prize to honour “local creativity” in East London – as it pushes ahead with plans to demolish a block containing 100 art studios.
The winner of the Hackney Road Sculpture Prize will take home £1,000 and have their work in a new Regal Homes development in Hackney.
Regal said it wanted to “reflect the area’s local creativity within their regeneration plans for Hackney Road”.
But local artists said the prize was “tragically ironic” given that Regal has also applied to demolish the nearby Cremer Street Studios, displacing over 200 artists.
Andrew Saldago, 32, has rented studio space in the Cremer Street studio for two and a half years. “It’s tragically ironic that they’re tearing down the studio space and saying ‘but we’re going to put up a sculpture’. Only one artist benefits; it’s a joke.” The artist, who shows with Beers London gallery, said: “The prize is pretty insulting. Getting rid of the studios means you are eliminating the cultural identity of the area. There has to be sensitivity to these things.”
Another local artist, Brad Lochore, told the Hackney Citizen: “Artists are being paid to dig their own graves.”
The artists at Cremer Street were told the building was to be demolished in March and many have already left.
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Mr Saldago, a Canadian artist who has lived in London for eight years, said he is to hang on “to the bitter end” which is likely to be next year.
Simon De Friend, chief executive of Regal Homes, said the Cremer Street Studios were no longer fit for purpose and added: “Artists currently based at Hackney’s Cremer Street Studios will of course have the opportunity to work within the modern and affordable workspaces we will be providing, as part of our proposed mixed-use development.”
