Shoreditch arts club: for London creatives
When London's Hospital club, otherwise known as h-club has closed recently, lots of its members were wondering: What's next? I was a frequent guest and I was wondering too: where the new private club for creatives in London will pop up?
That is why when I have got invited to visit the new arts club in London’s East End, I agreed with pleasure. “And if I find this new place to be boring (which I doubt, but just in case), I will just sneak to do my work in Shoreditch House, where I haven’t been forever”, — great excuse for a central Londoner to go as far as Shoreditch.
Turns out that the Shoreditch House (which is part of the Soho House) is literally around the corner from the new Shoreditch Arts Club (opened in March 2023). They actually are in the same building, but from different sides. Which is a bit confusing, I get it.
The difference is though that the new Shoreditch Arts Club feels more like a private collector’s home, where you can work, have a coffee, meeting, lunch, event, drinks and even a kids party— kind of in a gallery setting, surrounded by art. It is a heavily artistic space with various art forms presented on almost every surface (even in the toilet) and with the displays freely changing all the time, depending on what’s happening in Shoreditch and what its dialogue with global trends is about.
I really liked the fact that ALL forms of art – including performances, moving images, sound and sculpture – shape the life of the Shoreditch Arts Club. But well… Isn’t Shoreditch an art club on its own? Independent galleries like Maureen Paley, Hales, Herald Street, Kate McGarry and many more have played a vital role in bringing brilliant artists to global attention. The nearby Barbican Centre and Whitechapel Art Gallery are beacons of world-class culture; while young galleries and initiatives have sprung up in the area post-pandemic, continuing its reputation for verve and invention.
Situated in the middle of this lively art hub Shoreditch Arts Club features collaborations with local galleries and artists, a cinema programme, meeting rooms, seasonal menu (beef steak sandwich with salsa verde and cheddar, frigitelli peppers with miso, wild stone bass crude with tropes onion and chilli coriander), private dining and more. Offering members a restaurant, cafe and bar, open dining, working and lounge areas, private dining and meeting rooms, a 24-seat cinema and events programme, the club is located at 06 Redchurch Street, a street-facing 500 sqm industrial space within Shoreditch’s landmark TEA building. It is also a very intimate space that evokes the curiosity of an avid art collector’s home.
“Since its inception, it was clear that the club should be a space for art though not a gallery. Therefore we had the idea to create an environment like an avid collector’s home. Who is this collector we imagine? It will develop with our members and we hope will be eclectic yet thoughtful”, — said Shoreditch Arts Club CEO Joel Williams.
While all forms of art coexist at Shoreditch Arts Club, three projection walls define the first floor, built to host a moving image art programme curated around commissioned artworks that shift throughout days and seasons. It’s actually very dynamic to have a drink in between few walls, where the artwork is always moving. It gives you the same contemporary feeling, like if you were in the queue to pay for your purchases in the store, where cashiers have company ads above their heads running 24/7. The only difference that the moving images in Shoredich Arts Club are far more interesting to witness and invite you to relax into them.
Collaborations include events with the local gallery Des Bains, the video art experts Daata, the film community and production company Girls In Film, and the record label INDEX:Records.
Shoreditch Arts Club is the shared vision of CEO Joel Williams, who, having worked for the Conduit, Home House and Conran Group, brings a wealth of experience in hospitality, food and beverage. Curator Ché Zara Blomfield is the one working with local collectors, artists and galleries to bring the Shoreditch Arts Club to life. The club’s founders are Amr Assaad and Matt Yeoman, Directors of the architecture firm Buckley Gray Yeoman. This core team is complemented by Walter Pintus, an award-winning bartender and mixologist.
With such a strong team, it is no surprise that the Shoreditch Arts Club provides a platform for artists, film-makers, musicians and writers, showcasing outstanding creative vision. These are enabled by conversations and collaborations with galleries, publications, institutions and individuals, to create a place where people can come together, experience fantastic art and soak up the atmosphere of a curious collector’s home and, of course, the collector’s toilet — as it’s an artwork too.
If you would like to check it out before becoming a member or find out more about private hire, as well as for full details about the club, its facilities, people and the introductory membership offer, visit: shoreditchartsclub.com
