CDS lives up to being a community that listens closely to early, mid, and late-career artists without reservations.
- Debanjali Biswas, CDS Artist Community Member
Access our Artist Community Rate for Studio Hire
Being an affordable space for artists is key to our mission at CDS. On top of accessing our usual last-minute rate of £10ph for our studios, Community members can book the Performance Studio for £25ph, and the Research Studio for £15ph, up to 6 weeks in advance. Community members also get access to our free NextDay space programme, which allows them to book our studios completely free of charge, as long as the booking is made within 48 hours of the rehearsal.
Make a difference in how things happen
As an artist-run organisation, we work to empower artists to make their voices heard. Members of our community are regularly given the chance to input into the direction of CDS’ work, making sure that it reflects their needs. Our artists are also given access to free anti-racism and anti-ableism training webinars: information gained from these webinars can then be used to advocate for more broad change in the sector.
Access resources to help you in your creative and career journey
Our team is here to help make your art happen. We offer a broad range of online resources, webinars on everything from how to write your own access rider to how to budget on a shoestring. Members can sign up to free 30-minute Arts Counselling sessions with our staff to receive advice on specific projects and funding applications, and our programmes are designed to help our artists learn skills that are usually gatekept within institutions. We are also happy to offer in-kind support where possible.
Connect with other like-minded artists
We work to remove the barriers to connection between artists. Through joining our community, you gain access to a network of over 260 other independent artists and arts workers, our Community Whatsapp group, and monthly Community zoom calls to discuss shared experiences in the sector. Enjoy gatherings with food and drinks provided by CDS, and get the opportunity to apply for ad-hoc in-house projects.
Applications to join our Artist Community will re-open in January 2027.
Find out more here
Image credit: Scratch Renaissance Contributors Day, April 2025. Photo by Chewboy Productions.