Our story and mission

F.A.T. Studio is a Community Interest Company (CIC) that was set up by 6 friends in 2019. After years of working within London’s creative industry, we recognised the need for it to change and become far more inclusive. We set ourselves a starter mission – to organise joyful creative activities in our local area; activities that brought SE London communities together and boosted a sense of collective potential.

After 2 years of nomadic activity, we ran a successful crowdfunding campaign to open a project space at our studio on Old Kent Road. In the wet summer of 2021, Old Kent Road Arts Club was born and became a space in which local people could share skills and collaborate on delivering creative activities that welcomed the public and responded to the context of Old Kent Road. A local resident described it as “a community arts club for a new generation. A space where local communities share local issues, aspirations and concerns through an art-led process.”

In 2023 we launched our Design Studio, which runs alongside our ongoing social projects. The Design Studio offers graphic design, illustration and facilitation services to clients and professional opportunities for local creatives.

In 2024, F.A.T. Studio went into CHRYSALIS MODE while the directors took some time to concentrate on personal projects and studies.

In 2025, F.A.T. came BACK! We secured a 3-year lease on a small space on Old Kent Road, opened a window gallery, started a zine, ran a portrait drawing club and also collaborated with our neighbours on a big community project that looked into how the Old Kent Road neighbourhood can be a place where people and nature can thrive!

This year, we’re continuing to collaborate with our local community to explore what ‘community wealth’ could look like in our area. We’ve just set up a communal fruit press at Glengall Wharf Community Garden and we’re excited to start a local fruit harvesting group this autumn.

We’re working towards a better world, where local communities have more power over their neighbourhoods!

CIC / Not-for-profit

As a CIC, we apply for grant funding and also operate as a business that generates income. We pay ourselves and collaborating artists to work on the Creative Studio projects – but any left over profits go directly into our social work. 

Clients

Arts4Dememtia
Elim House
Greenpeace
Kingston School of Art
LSHTM
London Doughnut (LDEC)
NHS South East London
OK Grow
PEMpeople
Pembroke House
Royal College of Art
South London Gallery
Southwark Council
Studio Voltaire
Sustrans
Syrup
UAE Southbank
UAL Camberwell
V&A Museum
We Walworth
Wysing Arts Centre

Past Funders

Southwark Council
Neighbourhoods Fund 20/21

Mayor of London
Make London Grant 2021

Veolia
Sustainability Fund 2021

Southwark Council
Neighbourhoods Fund 21/22

Founding Directors

Rachel Sale
Natanya Mark
Kate Ducker
Rachel Davey
Sophie Koko Gate
Nathan Sherwood

Collaborators

Abi Chapman
Addy Stevenson
Against the Run of Play
Alastair Kwan
Alva Clifford Wilson
Ankita Mukherji
Anna Schlimm
Bridget Meyne
Carlotta Aoun
Cedric Whilby
Creative Network OKR
Daniel Baragwanath
Daniel Morris
Design, Print, Bind
Drawing People Together
Elam Foundation
Eleni Papazoglou
Emilie Alstrup
Emily Baker
Evelina Hägglund
Gareth Williams
Giant Triplets
Gold Host
Hillary Juma
Jack Wedge
Jack Wild
Jaffar Aly
Janice Lam
Yiran Duan
Jessie Krish
Jordan B. Minga
Kirsty Purnell
Lea Martin
LCC Illustration & Visual Media
LEAN
LSE Regional & Urban Planning
Leyla Reynolds
Mariette Moor
Matthew Swan
Melanie Davies
Monster Chetwynd
Mystic Börek
Nadina Ali
Nathan Bather
Nebiu Samuel
Nicholas Okwulu
Nika’s Kitchen
Nikcarl McKenzie
Nina Davies
Olivia Ema
Olly Bromham
Ossian Magazine
Paul Mohammad
Pembroke House
Phillip Speakman
Polam Chan
Ricebox Studio
Rifke Sadleir
Rodrigo Domingoes
Ros Reid
Ros Wilson
Sadegh Aleahmad
SET Space
Sheamus White
South London Cares
Tansy Drake
Tom Kemp
Tom Scotcher
Tommy Brentnall
Tuomas Kortteinen
Valeria Salinas Toro
Vicky Gerrad
Will Bindley
William Wong