A former furniture store will become Bermondsey 223, run by the team behind Peckham 24, in what is claimed to become the UK's first public venue wholly dedicated to new talent in contemporary photography.The space is situated in The Blue Market, Southwark Park Road, London, SE16, in one of South London's historic working-class communities. The building which was acquired by Southwark Council in 2018 has been empty since then and will be fully refurbished by Ark Build plc. Construction started in March ready for handover in late 2026, with a programme set to begin in 2027. Peckham 24 was appointed in 2025.
Cllr John Batteson, Cabinet Member for Climate Emergency, Jobs and Business, said: 'This latest step towards completing our very own photography-based arts centre in Bermondsey is exciting for the whole community. It will provide a creative space and cultural hub in a much-loved location in The Blue for everyone to access and enjoy. I look forward to Ark Build delivering a space that reflects that excitement and community feeling and we’re really pleased to have them on board for this project.'
As well as developing and incubating new talent, Bermondsey 223's social purpose will be to increase the presence of working class youth in the arts and make art accessible to all. The fully refurbished building is situated in one of South London's most historic working-class communities. As well as developing and incubating new talent, its social purpose will be to increase the presence of working class youth in the arts and make art accessible to all. It will house:
- A world-class cultural venue for contemporary photography and visual culture
- A public gallery and screening space
- A year round programme of free exhibitions and events
- A community driven learning programme
- A working community of affordable artist studios and creative workspaces
-
A photo studio and event space for hire
The ground floor will feature a large public exhibition space and dedicated screening room, with a programme of four major exhibitions per year. All exhibitions will be free to enter. Also on the ground floor: a professional photography studio for hire and a flexible multipurpose space for artist talks, workshops, late-night openings, and community events. The first floor will be home to up to ten artist studios and creative workspaces, some of which will be subsidised as part of Bermondsey 223’s artist development programme. Subject to build specification, the venue will also offer rooftop access for photography shoots.
The learning and participation programme will span three areas: artist development (residencies, mentoring, work experience and employability pathways for emerging photographers and curators), youth education (after-school and summer photography clubs, multi-media skills training, curated exhibitions of young people’s work) and community programmes (including a Senior Photo Club addressing social isolation, a community archive project, and lifelong learning for local residents). The social context is stark. Fewer than one in ten arts workers in the UK have working-class roots — a figure that falls even lower in parts of London (Creative Industries Policy and Evidence Centre, 2024). Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy has pledged to ensure that 'creativity can be explored by all and not just the privileged few'. Bermondsey 223 is built to be part of that answer.
Alongside new artistic commissions, artists and collaborators from previous editions of Peckham 24 have been invited back to show how their practice has developed since they first exhibited with the festival — a living retrospective of a decade’s work and a tribute to the community the festival has helped to build.
Bermondsey 223 has been developed by the team behind Peckham 24, London's independent satellite event to Photo London which started in 2016. The new venue will be committed to supporting the careers of emerging talent in photography and to arts education in the local community. Simon Bishop and Vivienne Gamble, Co-Directors P24 Photo CIC commented: “For ten years, Peckham 24 has created career-defining moments for photographers who would otherwise have struggled to find a platform. Bermondsey 223 means we can now do that not just for three days in May, but every week of the year.”
Outreach activities are expected to start in the summer, in advance of the building opening. A nationwide Open Call for new UK talent to exhibit in the inaugural programme at Bermondsey 223 launched at Peckham 24. The P24 X Hahnemühle Spotlight Series will be a major new talent programme, offering much-needed exhibition and mentoring opportunities for graduates of university photography programmes around the UK, as well as opportunities for self-taught artists to access a platform to help develop successful artistic careers.
P24 Photo Ltd is a community interest company incorporated on 7 May 2025. Its two directors are Simon Bishop and Vivienne Gamble.
Sign up for updated and see: https://www.bermondsey223.com/
Image: (left, top): 223 Southwark Park Road, courtesy Southwark News; (right and lower, left): visualisations of the new gallery space.
