Music and dance collective East London Dance and UD will return to Sugar House Island this autumn, teaming up under one roof to create the UK’s first national Talent House for Urban Culture.
Their new home, known as the Talent House, is part of Dane’s Yard – Sugar House Island’s Creative Quarter. Rich with architectural history and character, the building is a restored Victorian warehouse, with a modern extension. For over 150 years, up until 2005, the original building was a printing ink manufacturer warehouse, which will now be transformed with a high-spec technical fit out, complete with state-of-the-art recording facilities and dance studios for London’s aspiring talent.
Andrew Cobden, Managing Director of Vastint UK, said: “One of the many aspirations for Sugar House Island is to express its industrial heritage in the architecture of the buildings and spaces we create. The repurposing of the old warehouse, fused with a new extension has successfully created a place of learning to inspire young creative minds. It is fitting that East London Dance and UD will work together in this space as catalysts for creativity and collaboration among its membership and the community.
An important part of the partnership between Vastint UK and The Talent House is for both ELD and UD to offer their expertise, facilities and training to the Sugar House Island community for more than 2,100 hours of free access per year; they are embedded in helping to nurture that collaboration.”
East London Dance and UD’s new permanent home at Sugar House Island will enable them to support the next generation of artists, developing their skills and helping to build careers in the industry.
Sugar House Island is a truly-balanced, mixed-use development that has been carefully curated into an area that is characterful and connected to its history and local context. That balance is achieved by bringing together a large community, represented equally by residents and visitors to the offices. When complete, the offices will support over 3,000 visitors with a further 3,000 residents in the 1,200 riverside homes.