Brentford Arts Works

As I sit down to pen my thoughts on the developments surrounding Watermans Arts Centre, I’m filled with nostalgia and cautious optimism. Watermans has been a cultural anchor in Brentford for decades, but recent years have been tough.
The financial struggles that led to the closure of Watermans in April 2024 were not sudden. Rising operational costs and a challenging economic climate had been brewing for a while. The closure decision was tough but deemed necessary by the Hounslow Arts Trust to safeguard its future, albeit in a new location.
The fire in June 2024 added a layer of urgency to the already precarious situation. It originated apparently from smoking materials left carelessly outside the vacant building, leading to significant fire and water damage. This event underscored the vulnerability of cultural spaces and the need for stringent safety measures, especially when they stand empty.
The arrival of squatters claiming to protect the site for arts’ sake introduced new complexities. Their presence, while perhaps well-intentioned, hindered straightforward recovery and planning efforts, embedding a legal wrinkle that needed ironing out. So, we wait somewhat impatiently, in this painful and undesirable liminal stage, for the Council to make a decision about meanwhile use of the Arts Centre.

Relocation, location. Where?
The most hopeful aspect amidst all these challenges, for the Council, was the planned relocation to the old Police station on the Half Acre site. This project was envisioned as a rebirth of cultural provision in Brentford. The new facility aimed to provide a larger, more versatile theatre space, two cinemas, enhancing our ability to host film festivals and special screenings, a spacious gallery for exhibitions and modern amenities to better serve our audiences and artists. This move would integrate the arts centre into a larger development that included residential units. But this too has been thrown into a space of uncertainty with the developer for the Half Acre site pulling out. So what now?

The Spirit of Brentford
The Brentford community’s spirit has been remarkable. Local arts groups and community members have been vocal and active, proposing temporary uses for the old venue and ensuring that community arts do not fade into the background. Their advocacy is precious to us and is what keeps our commitment at Brentford Arts Works to strive for a vibrant arts provision in our town.

As I share these reflections, my hope is that the broader Brentford community and potential developers see the intrinsic value of a revitalized arts center, a community treasure, part of the soul of Brentford itself, whether at 40 High Street or somewhere else. But it must be somewhere. In Brentford.. The Arts and Culture provision in Brentford simply cannot be allowed to die.

Ruby Almeida