Greenwich Dance Announces Plans To Relocate To Thamesmead In Spring 2022

Today, Greenwich Dance marks a new chapter in its history as it announces plans to move to a new state-of-the-art building in Thamesmead, South East London.

The organisation's new space will be based at The NEST Community Building and Library, a purpose-built arts centre in Cygnet Square, Southmere - the heart of Peabody's major regeneration of the former Tavy Bridge residential area, along the banks of the Southmere Lake. Greenwich Dance's move will see it become part of a vibrant new creative community in the area, with neighbours including Bexley Library and Thamesmead Arts and Culture Office (TACO!).

The move sees Greenwich Dance embrace a hybrid way of working that has come out of the pandemic that focuses on placing artists within the community. Cementing its commitment to delivering activity across all 17 wards that make up the Royal Borough of Greenwich, the move will also deepen Greenwich Dance's engagement with the wider South London area. While it plans to continue delivering work at existing sites including Charlton House, being based in Thamesmead offers an exciting opportunity to work with other community centres in the area.

Melanie Precious, Chief Executive Officer of Greenwich Dance said: "I am so proud of what we have achieved over the last few years. Under some of the most challenging of circumstances we have continued to be here to provide opportunities for our local residents and support for our dance artists and I'd like to thank Charlton House for supporting us through that period.

"The events of recent years have made us realise that we best serve our community by being in the community and so our move to Thamesmead offers us an incredible opportunity to learn more about the area and add to the vibrancy already inhabited by so many local artists and residents. The soon to be opened Cross Rail at Abbey Wood also means we are within easy reach for people to get to us from across London.

"The move to Thamesmead will see us upsize the potential reach of our work, continuing to animate community centres in Greenwich and beyond with dance while also creating even more opportunities for people to make, watch and take part in dance."

Cllr Danny Thorpe, Leader of the Royal Borough of Greenwich Council said: "Greenwich Dance is a huge part of our borough and its dance networks, so it's fantastic to see such a move that will help deepen their work with more wards throughout Royal Greenwich. This is a great opportunity for different parts of the borough to have a local hub for arts programmes, dance classes and mentoring programmes which can help towards professional development. I look forward to visiting their new home in Thamesmead once everyone is settled in"

Leader of the London Borough of Bexley, Cllr Teresa O'Neill OBE said "The Nest is the ideal new base for Greenwich Dance and it is great to welcome such a well-established and popular organisation to our borough. I am really pleased that they will now be able to easily reach Bexley residents, giving them an even wider audience with their community programme."

Greenwich Dance exists to serve its community with high quality dance activity to people no matter their age, background or ability. Its wide-ranging offer includes a popular programme of dance classes, specially commissioned performances and events, Talking Moves - a podcast all about dance, delivering dance activity to schools and young people, artistic and sector support, and ArtsUnboxed - a ground-breaking approach to share works in an environmentally conscious and sustainable way.

Greenwich Dance currently operates out of Charlton House, a Jacobean country house in Charlton where it has been based since 2018. It expects to take occupancy at The NEST in April 2022.

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