Help Artship Launch in London Docks

Help Artship Launch in London Docks

We are bringing this historic cargo ship back to the London docks for a new lease of life. With your help we will transform the vast cargo hold into a truly independent, non-profit arts space. Artship will be a floating venue with 400 plus capacity for live music performances and large scale immersive art installations.

Artship will join our existing venue, Theatreship, which was renovated into a 100-seater theatre, cinema and community space in 2023. In the last six months, the venue has welcomed over 6,000 audience members to sold-out performances and a wide selection of free-to-access arts events. With the warm support of our audience members, we’ve been able to present two headline film festivals (in collaboration with BFI) pairing classic films with contemporary live performances. We’ve shared weekly, free cinema nights and regular free music showcases (including performances from T.S Eliot award winning poets and singers from English National Opera), and we’ve provided performance opportunities for over 50 up & coming grassroots musicians.

All of what we’ve achieved so far has only been possible through the passion and hard work of many volunteers and supporters. Now, with your help, Artship can join Theatreship, & together they will become the largest floating art centre in the world!

To open Artship to the public, we are looking to raise £20,000 towards the cost of vital renovations. This includes transforming the cargo hold into an exhibition space and creating new entrance ways, while maintaining the integrity of this historically significant ship. We are fortunate to have the support of skilled craftspeople who have already donated their time and expertise to repair the ship and cross the North Sea back to the UK, but this much needed work will make all the difference to us launching.

This is a unique opportunity in a really special part of London and we really hope you want to be involved. A hundred years ago, cargo ships like this were a common sight in the docks. They were the lifeblood of the East End. Now it’s the last one left.

The docks have always brought new and interesting things to London. Here, now, we have an opportunity to both continue that history, and to make a new legacy for the docklands for years to come.

By investing in Artship, you are investing in the future of art and community and the cultural landscape of London. Join us in shaping the future of this extraordinary project. Every contribution makes a difference.