“What began as an artist-led initiative evolved into a substantial gallery and event space for exhibitions, performances, screenings, talks, and interdisciplinary cultural production....” 

Dear collaborators, partners, supporters and friends,

We are writing to share the difficult news that VSSL Studio will be closing. After much reflection and many conversations, we have made the decision to bring VSSL Studio to a close following the completion of our recent programme, Entanglements of The Apocalypse, which concluded in March 2026. We are currently in the process of winding the company down and preparing the space for handover to the landlord. This decision has not been arrived at lightly.

Since founding VSSL Studio in 2020 amidst a pandemic, we have worked tirelessly to create a space for ambitious, experimental, and critically engaged contemporary art and culture, with a particular commitment to queer and neurodiverse artists, practices, and ways of working. What began as an artist-led initiative evolved into a substantial gallery and event space for exhibitions, performances, screenings, talks, and interdisciplinary cultural production. Across its lifespan, VSSL became a site for community, experimentation, risk-taking, and collaboration.

At the same time, the realities facing artist-led organisations have become increasingly fraught. Like many independent cultural spaces, VSSL relied heavily on arts funding as one of its primary income streams. The ongoing challenges of securing sustainable funding within an increasingly precarious cultural landscape have ultimately made it impossible for the organisation to continue in a viable and responsible way. We remain immensely proud of what VSSL Studio has been able to achieve, and deeply grateful to every artist, curator, writer, performer, producer, technician, partner organisation, venue, audience member, and supporter who contributed to its life over the years.

Our final programme, Entanglements of The Apocalypse, brought together an extraordinary community of curators, artists and collaborators, and we would like to extend particular thanks to all participating artists, project partners, venues, and supporters involved in that programme. We are profoundly grateful for the care, generosity, trust, and creativity that shaped the project and brought it into being. We also want to sincerely thank our core funders and supporters over the years, including Arts Council England, Lewisham Council, and Culture Ireland, whose support enabled so much of the work we were able to realise.

Finally, we want to acknowledge and thank the wider VSSL team (past and present) whose labour, care, insight, and commitment sustained the organisation throughout its journey: Mine Kaplangı, Ash McNaughton, Baiba Sprance, Marco Berardi, Gözde Altun, Marcin Gawin, Tammy Sammakko and Pianka Pärna. To everyone who collaborated with us, supported us, interned with us, trusted us, visited the space, invigilated the space, or contributed to the ecology that formed around VSSL Studio - thank you - your presence, work, and generosity have made the organisation what it is. Although VSSL Studio is coming to an end, we know the relationships, conversations, and artistic exchanges fostered through the space will continue far beyond its walls.

With sincere gratitude,

Benjamin Sebastian & Joseph Morgan Schofield

Co-Directors
VSSL Studio