Help Save The Brighton Studio! Support Our Urgent Relocation

We’re The Brighton Studio , a proudly independent, full-service film and photography studio which has called Brighton its home for over a decade.

Brighton & Hove City Council recently made the shocking confession that it has neglected to address fire safety issues at The Brighton Studio’s home, New England House, for a number of years without its tenants’ knowledge. These issues have now become so critical that the Council has decided to close the building and evict all tenants.

We have to vacate by mid-September, and our studios, which were established in the building over ten years ago and which we’ve invested our hearts and our money in, with many years of passion, dedication and hard work, will be demolished.

At the same time, the council has acknowledged that there’s “a chronic lack of space” for the creative sector in Brighton & Hove, and this has meant that finding a viable alternative location within the city has proven impossible.

But we’ve not come this far to quit now and this apparent set-back has created an exciting opportunity for us to grow. After all, when life gives you lemons... You better make something tasty.

So, we’re thrilled to share the news that we have found an ama-zing (! 'cos; lemons) new location just 20 minutes along the coast in Newhaven.

From it's vibrant waterfront to it's incredible local talent, we see so much potential in Newhaven. We’re not just moving; we’re investing in the Greater Brighton creative scene, and keeping creative work local. We can’t wait to bring new jobs, fresh energy, and high-profile clients to the area.

Check out a 3D rendering of how we hope the new studio will look when it’s finished in August!

Why We Need Your Support

This new 5,000sq ft dedicated studio facility will offer two shooting spaces, 8 metre high ceilings, a drive-in 23 metre infinity cove, motorised lighting rig, daylight and full blackout motorised blinds. This will truly be your space to create -- from ecomm to ensemble shoots, set-builds to virtual LED, music videos and classic cars (or HGVs!)

But this unexpected move is set to cost hundreds of thousands of pounds.

Although we’re talking with Brighton & Hove City Council about compensation, their current offer wouldn't even cover the cost of our moving vans.

The baseline cost to get the doors open is an eye-watering £372,000. Believe it or not, this is keeping costs low!

Most of the costs are covered by savings and loans but we still urgently need your help to ensure we don't fall short. Our ultimate goal is to raise as close to £100,000 as we can get, which we'll track through tranched goals - starting at £26,000.

Phase one. This money will help us face:

How You Can Help

Every donation takes some pressure off the weighty cost of this project, and you'll be actively contributing to the creative capital the South Coast offers. As we meet each tranched target, we'll be positioned to even better equip the facilities and we'll keep you updated as we go with videos and photos.

We’ve already gutted the new premises to create a blank slate. It's terrifying/exciting, but it also means that everything from the walls and floors, to the wiring, plumbing and specialist facilities that make a studio a studio (think cove, lighting rig, acoustic treatment etc) needs to be installed.

Where will your money go?

2.9% + 25p of each donation will go to this fundraising platform. After that...

What This Means for Brighton & Beyond

This is bigger than one business.

Brighton is losing creative spaces every year due to rising costs and redevelopment.

With the closure of our Brighton premises, a comparable large-scale serviced studio doesn't exist in the area. Innovative and artistic people in need of not just a space, but the physical room to bring their creative projects to life will have to compromise: scale back or head to London.

We’ve always fought to keep high-quality, accessible, dedicated production space local. With your help, not only will we continue to do so, but we'll be offering something that our region hasn't seen before. We're incredibly excited about the new opportunities this space will create for so many people.

Over the years, we’ve welcomed talent from household names like Nick Cave, Romesh Ranganathan and BMW, to community organisations and independent creators such as Draw Brighton, Brighton Dome and BIMM, and visual artists and fashion pioneers like Rottingdean Bazaar, Gresham Blake and Lucy & Yak.

If you believe in independent creative spaces, supporting local talent, and in keeping the South Coast vibrant and visionary, then you believe in this fundraiser. Share our mission on socials (#saveTheBrightonStudio @thebrightonstudio), and donate whatever you can, if you can.

Thank you so much. We can't wait to see you there.

Xoë and Olly