LCB was Wandsworth’s first cultural anchor tenant to open its doors, joining a cohort of cultural organisations in taking up new spaces as part of Wandsworth’s vision to embed culture within place-shaping and regeneration schemes. 

We formally opened the studios to the public as part of Wandsworth Arts Fringe Festival in 2021.

The Cultural Anchor programme works strategically with developers and partners to bring cultural organisations into the Borough. Wandsworth Council are delighted to be working with LCB and The Big Yellow Self Storage Company to ensure that culture and the arts are woven into the fabric of our Borough and made accessible to children and young people, enriching lives through the opportunity to access the arts first hand. 

This new cultural anchor space has been provided by The Big Yellow Self Storage Company as part of its planning application and commitment to creating a vibrant local community around its new development on Lombard Road. Big Yellow will provide this cultural space for free for 125 years, with an initial lease to LCB for 20 years. 

Wandsworth Council are working with LCB to ensure that residents benefit at low cost from opportunities to engage in arts and cultural activities. This is part of the borough’s new 10-year strategy for Arts and Culture, focussing on access for all, learning and education, health and wellbeing, communities and partnership and place-shaping.

LCB is one of a number of cultural organisations moving into the Lombard Road / York Road area. We are joining an already strong dance community which includes Royal Academy of Dance, Tavaziva Dance and BBO Dance (formerly the British Ballet Organisation), and a strong set of creative youth programmes focussed around Providence House and Caius House.

Lucille Briance, Founder of London Children’s Ballet:

“This is an extraordinary benchmark for LCB. Our charity has had a vision to inspire children to excellence, build self-esteem and confidence. With the support of Wandsworth Council, it is exciting that we will now be able to reach more children from every background.

When Jim (James Gibson, Big Yellow’s CEO) offered to help us store our costumes, it began an important relationship with Big Yellow. Big Yellow have supported the charity over the years - with storage, with performance sponsorship, and now studio space.

LCB owes Big Yellow and Wandsworth Council a big thank you!"

Wandsworth Council’s Cabinet Member for Community Services and Open Spaces, Councillor Steffi Sutters : 

“I am delighted to welcome LCB to Wandsworth as our first cultural anchor tenant. We look forward to working closely with LCB to help knit them into our cultural landscape and ensure that young people take up the fantastic opportunities provided by LCB.

Working in partnership with developers such as Big Yellow and arts organisations like LCB. It is a key part of a long term vision to transforming this part of the borough into a vibrant area, attracting new residents to the borough as well as improving the housing of residents on the local estates. Culture and creativity play a key in this transformation, from providing opportunities for local people to develop and hone new skills, discover talents, provide employment in the cultural and creative sector and improve their health, wellbeing and happiness.”

James Gibson, Chief Executive Officer at The Big Yellow Self Storage: 

“Here at Big Yellow we are passionate about giving back to the local communities which surround our stores up and down the country. As part of this work, we are incredibly excited to welcome LCB to our new Battersea store and hope the creation of the dance studio, as well as the storage space and meeting room, will offer invaluable support whilst encouraging further rising talent to get involved with such an outstanding organisation.”

Ruth Brill, London Children’s Ballet Artistic Director:

“Thanks to the support of Big Yellow and Wandsworth Borough Council, the new LCB Studios offers us the opportunity to work within Wandsworth to expand our outreach and charitable work in the local community. It is great to have secured our presence here and be part of the area as it evolves.

I look forward with renewed energy, excitement and faith in our future. We will build on our history, strive to develop new avenues and continue to provide young people, from all backgrounds, the chance to develop through dance.”