Sister Midnight is a not-for-profit co-operative arts organisation based in south east London.
After two years of campaigning, the Sister Midnight team has found a home in a former working men's club in the heart of Catford Town Centre. Working with Beep Studio, they will create Lewisham's first community owned music venue, bringing a much needed cultural community hub to South East London.
The team unanimously selected Beep Studio to work with them as Architect bringing Catford’s Brookdale Club back into use. As a derelict venue for some years, and positioned in the middle of a lively community, the project holds many special challenges which Beep Studio (with our history of working with arts organisations in existing buildings) is uniquely positioned to resolve. The team has secured a 10 year lease on the site from Lewisham Council, subject to a peppercorn rent
As of today, the SM team has raised over £268k in fundraising, and is working hard to raise the remainder: you can help them reach their goal by becoming a member here.
Meanwhile Beep Studio has been working to survey the existing building, to build up the consultant team, and to prepare drawings and collate information, with a full Planning Application poised to go in any minute now…
We’ll share updates here as work progresses : Lots more to see over at Sister Midnight’s Instagram page.
“Live music is the beating heart of South East London, but for too long we’ve seen venue after venue close their doors for good, so it’s time to try something new. Sister Midnight is South East London’s answer to a growing movement of cultural & community businesses who are pioneering new ideas and ways of working that combat the tired capitalist models that have been failing our cultural institutions for decades. Our vision is of a music venue that is owned and democratically controlled by the community; a space that champions local creative talent, and prioritises people above profit. Sister Midnight is a chance to re-imagine the role of a contemporary music venue, providing a transformational opportunity for our local area setting a precedent for how things can be done differently.”
