DIY Space For London

DIY Space For London is a performance center in South Bermondsey operated as a cooperative, with a capacity of around 160 people. The venue provides rehearsal spaces and creative facilities where artists work together and share responsibility for how the space functions.

The venue opened in September 2015 after a group raised 20,000 pounds through community grants and fundraising events to secure a five-year lease in South London. The opening marked the start of an artist-led experiment in creating shared creative space in the area.

The venue hosted Decolonise Fest, a music festival designed specifically for artists and audiences from communities of color. The festival reflected the inclusive philosophy of this space and attracted people who felt underrepresented in mainstream music venues.

The venue is located on Ormside Street and operates through a membership system where everyone involved has equal say in how decisions are made. Visitors should expect an active artistic community where participation and collaboration are central to how the space works.

The space was managed by ten interconnected volunteer collectives that handled different aspects of operations while supporting over 5,000 registered members together. This distributed structure shows how artists built a large working network without any traditional leadership hierarchy.