Bow Arts Trust was established as an educational arts charity in 1995 by Marcel Baettig and Ryan Durrant with the kind support of Marc Schimmel. The Trust is situated by the historic St Mary Atta le Bow Church in the heart of the East End of London, where we offer a community of over 100 artists affordable, secure, creative workspaces. The Trust has been recognised nationally as a unique model of artists’ studio provision, through our holistic approach to supporting artists and our engagement with our local community.

The Trust manages one of the country's most exciting education projects, currently working with over 25 schools. This London-wide programme has gained a national reputation for working with and improving the lives and attainment of thousands of young people from disadvantaged backgrounds.

Bow Arts Trust has its own contemporary exhibition space called The Nunnery. The gallery has run an established programme of contemporary art exhibitions and events for over twelve years. The programme initiates and develops projects that reflect and address issues in contemporary art. In doing so, the gallery works with a diverse range of artists, curators, writers and arts organisations. Visitors can expect to see current contemporary work across all disciplines of the visual arts. Alongside the exhibition programme, the gallery stages events including curator and artist’s talks, artists’ forums, musical performance and audience participatory events. The Nunnery is part of the Time Out and Whitechapel Gallery First Thursday scheme.

Housed in a former Carmelite convent built in the mid-nineteenth century, The Nunnery is a distinctive and unique location for exhibitions but is also available for private functions, receptions and corporate events.

Our latest venture is a new, exciting social enterprise scheme in partnership with local housing association Poplar HARCA whereby many young and emerging artists are offered affordable live work space in return for supporting local projects in the community.

Bow Arts Trust is designed to be a cultural facility for the education and enjoyment of the artists and residents of Tower Hamlets as well as people from adjoining boroughs, national and international audiences. Bow Arts Trust believes investment in the culture and environment of the area to be an essential means to economic growth. It is our fundamental objective to generate a new awareness of our community’s creative energy and diversity and of the contribution made by arts organisations to inward investment, economic and physical regeneration. Bow Arts Trust aims to promote synergy across the spectrum; social, political, cultural and business as we recognise this is vital for the development and growth of culture as a resource in our community.

Please visit our website www.bowarts.org for further information on our activities and current programmes.