Championing Contemporary Arts, Creativity, and Career Development in the Heart of Blackpool since 2013.
Abingdon Studios is a dynamic contemporary visual arts studio and project space located in the heart of Blackpool’s town centre. As the flagship dedicated provider of artist studios in the area, we offer a vital hub for creative talent to thrive, collaborate, and push boundaries.
With ten artist studios and a flexible project space, we support both resident and visiting artists to develop new work within a supportive and inspiring environment. Our location, just a five-minute walk from the Grundy Art Gallery and with strong transport links, makes us a strategic and accessible space for creative practice.
Abingdon Studios is committed to nurturing emerging and established artists, offering a platform for experimentation, innovation, and professional growth. Our facilities are available 24/7, giving artists the freedom to work on their own terms.
Why Studio Provision Matters Artist studios are more than just workspaces—they are vital cultural infrastructure. According to CVAN’s “The Value of Artist Studios” report (2022), 94% of artists say access to affordable studio space is critical to sustaining their practice, yet many face increasing scarcity and precarity across the UK.
Studio spaces like Abingdon Studios play a foundational role in developing and retaining creative talent, driving place-based regeneration, and fuelling local economies as a result of enhanced national and global relevance. The Arts Council England’s Let’s Create strategy highlights the importance of supporting artists where they live and work, embedding creativity into communities and ensuring equitable access to cultural opportunity.
By providing secure, and affordable studio space in Blackpool, Abingdon Studios directly contributes to the region’s cultural ecology, helping to unlock innovation, support mental wellbeing, foster collaboration, and grow the local creative economy.
Since our founding in 2014 by artist Garth Gratrix, we’ve collaborated with leading cultural partners including LeftCoast, Blackpool Council, Grundy Art Gallery, UK New Artists, Saatchi Gallery, Queer Amusements, The Old Electric, Aunty Social, Marlborough Productions, New Queer On The Block, Clore Leadership, AHRC, Lancaster University, Blackpool School of Arts, National Lottery Heritage Fund, and Arts Council England. These partnerships amplify our impact and ensure meaningful opportunities for the artists we support.
Our Project Space is available for hire to host exhibitions, residencies, performances, or public-facing events. We invite creatives and organisations to connect with us to explore how we can support new ideas and projects.
Abingdon Studios is a not-for-profit, artist-led organisation and a company limited by guarantee (Company No. 10408352). We are Co-Directed by Garth Gratrix (2014–Present) and Tom Ireland (2016–Present).
Stay updated by subscribing via our contact page—or get in touch to learn more about opportunities, partnerships, or studio availability.
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About Abingdon Studios
Championing Contemporary Arts, Creativity, and Career Development in the Heart of Blackpool since 2013.
Abingdon Studios is a dynamic contemporary visual arts studio and project space located in the heart of Blackpool’s town centre. As the flagship dedicated provider of artist studios in the area, we offer a vital hub for creative talent to thrive, collaborate, and push boundaries.
With ten artist studios and a flexible project space, we support both resident and visiting artists to develop new work within a supportive and inspiring environment. Our location, just a five-minute walk from the Grundy Art Gallery and with strong transport links, makes us a strategic and accessible space for creative practice.
Abingdon Studios is committed to nurturing emerging and established artists, offering a platform for experimentation, innovation, and professional growth. Our facilities are available 24/7, giving artists the freedom to work on their own terms.
Why Studio Provision Matters
Artist studios are more than just workspaces—they are vital cultural infrastructure. According to CVAN’s “The Value of Artist Studios” report (2022), 94% of artists say access to affordable studio space is critical to sustaining their practice, yet many face increasing scarcity and precarity across the UK.
Studio spaces like Abingdon Studios play a foundational role in developing and retaining creative talent, driving place-based regeneration, and fuelling local economies as a result of enhanced national and global relevance. The Arts Council England’s Let’s Create strategy highlights the importance of supporting artists where they live and work, embedding creativity into communities and ensuring equitable access to cultural opportunity.
By providing secure, and affordable studio space in Blackpool, Abingdon Studios directly contributes to the region’s cultural ecology, helping to unlock innovation, support mental wellbeing, foster collaboration, and grow the local creative economy.
Since our founding in 2014 by artist Garth Gratrix, we’ve collaborated with leading cultural partners including LeftCoast, Blackpool Council, Grundy Art Gallery, UK New Artists, Saatchi Gallery, Queer Amusements, The Old Electric, Aunty Social, Marlborough Productions, New Queer On The Block, Clore Leadership, AHRC, Lancaster University, Blackpool School of Arts, National Lottery Heritage Fund, and Arts Council England. These partnerships amplify our impact and ensure meaningful opportunities for the artists we support.
Our Project Space is available for hire to host exhibitions, residencies, performances, or public-facing events. We invite creatives and organisations to connect with us to explore how we can support new ideas and projects.
Abingdon Studios is a not-for-profit, artist-led organisation and a company limited by guarantee (Company No. 10408352). We are Co-Directed by Garth Gratrix (2014–Present) and Tom Ireland (2016–Present).
Stay updated by subscribing via our contact page—or get in touch to learn more about opportunities, partnerships, or studio availability.