PAUL MCCARTNEY STELLA MCCARTNEY PETER BLAKE and ST MARTINS SCHOOL OF ART CHARING CROSS ROAD

Stella McCartney and Peter Blake speak out in support of saving St Martins School of Art on Charing Cross Road, "STOP THE SALE SIGN THE PETITION"
http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/savestmartinscxr/

STUDENT CONCERN OVER SPACE AT CENTRAL ST MARTINS NEW KINGS CROSS DEVELOPMENT

Student concern over space at new CSM

by Soha Abbas and Laura Brooks

Central Saint Martins (CSM) students feel that their concerns over the amount of space available to them at the new King's Cross site are being ignored, after many expressed frustration over a recent meeting about the move.

The meeting was attended by students who had raised issues about the lack of space on the new site and how this will affect them in their final year.

First year fashion print student Lilly Attwood told Arts London News: “The King's Cross meeting was infuriating; they avoided most of our questions and didn't listen to our points at all.

"If the move goes ahead as planned, the reputation of CSM will be severely damaged."

Attwood added: “We found out that this space is a reduction of current studios. Fashion, for example, will receive 25 per cent less space.

"We will lose the amount of dedicated studios for each pathway, preventing students from being able to work in groups and learn from their peers. I personally feel great sadness that we will have to leave a building that has such a great historical and cultural significance”.

Strong reactions

When the restructuring of the University of the Arts London (UAL) began in 2003, CSM was at the centre of the plans.

Being relocated to King's Cross in a modern, smaller building has provoked many strong reactions from students and staff.

Sam Thorley, a first year fashion print student, describes how reduced studio space will lead to students getting less teaching time with tutors, as the rooms will be in demand to other classes.

“We will have to be timetabled in at specified times and we could only get a few hours a day with our tutors," he said.

"Studio time and space are the most important things for art and design students - if we don't have it we simply cannot work."

Print student Olivia Davies added: "I think many felt frustrated after the meeting because it didn't feel like a discussion where we could raise our concerns and opinions - it felt more that the Dean was telling us what was happening and that we could do nothing to change it.

"The Dean had a strong tendency to talk around the issues raised without actually answering the question. The fact that there is less space available to students when we don't have enough space as it is, is of great concern and when this issue was raised at the meeting, the Dean responded that the school was now enrolling less students in the future.

"That doesn't change the size of our class."

Another concern raised by many students at the talk related to the shared access of the print and knit studios between fashion and textiles classes.

Lilly Attwood said: “We need to see detailed floor plans to be reassured that this won't impact on the quality of our work.

"I haven't spoken to any students from fashion who feels positive about the move.

"During pattern cutting projects we need to have access to the studios from 10 in the morning until 10 in the evening - at King's Cross we will be fighting for this space, along with the short courses and foundation students.

"We are supposed to be excited about this move; we're getting a 'cool student bar' and 'chill out space', but is that the reason we joined CSM?"

'More profile'

Speaking to the Independent, Sir John Tusa, chairman of UAL, said of the move: "You can't stay in out-of-date accommodation.

"The advantages of being able to have a purpose-built art college are extraordinary, never mind one of that size and that is centred round the historic Lewis Cubitt Granary building at King's Cross.

"It will give us more profile and will make us more visible. Central St Martins will be a really major art college development and one for the 21st century."

UAL has not yet responded to the students' concerns about teaching time and current class sizes.

FROM ARTS LONDON NEWS 15 FEB 2010

http://www.artslondonnews.co.uk/20100211-space-shortage-concerns-csm

IMPOSITION OF MANAGEMENT CULTURE DEBILITATES ARTS EDUCATION

'THE IMPOSITION OF MANAGEMENT CULTURE ON THE ACADEMIC ENVIRONMENT HAS HAD A DEBILITATING EFFECT ON ARTS EDUCATION AND HAS CAUSED A COMPLETE SPLIT BETWEEN THE MANAGERS AND THE MANAGED'
ART MONTHLY MAY 2008

Challenge the Management of The University Of The Arts and sign the online petition protesting against the managerial decision to Sell St Martins Charing Cross Road to move to a smaller site.
http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/savestmartinscxr/

PHOTOGRAPH: POSTER CAMPAIGN CHARING CROSS ROAD JUNE 2009

WRITE TO DAVID LAMMY MINISTER FOR HIGHER EDUCATION

Write to David Lammy Minister for Higher Education and voice your objection
email him via this link below:
and cut and paste this block of text or make up your own:

Stop the sale and closure of 107-109 Charing Cross Road, the famous and prestigious home of the internationally renowned St Martins College of Art and Design, and through intervention, investigate, challenge and scrutinize the decision making methodology employed by the Rector, Nigel Carrington, and the University of The Arts in, and the necessity of, this highly controversial and unpopular plan.

http://www.davidlammy.co.uk/contact.htm

or write to him at:

David Lammy MP
House of Commons
London
SW1A 0AA

SIGN THE ONLINE PETITION

http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/savestmartinscxr/

UNIVERSITY COMMISSION ARCHITECTS TO DEVELOP HOTEL

THE UNIVERSITY OF THE ARTS COMMISSION ARCHITECTS TO PROPOSE HOTEL DEVELOPMENT.
SINCE WHEN DID PROPERTY DEVELOPMENT HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH ARTS EDUCATION

Read the article below and SIGN THE PETITION TO STOP THE UNIVERSITY OF THE ARTS PROPERTY DEVELOPING ST MARTINS SCHOOL OF ART 107-109 CHARING CROSS ROAD

SIGN THE ONLINE PETITION

http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/savestmartinscxr/

London architectural firm Woods Bagot has developed a proposal for a dramatic mixed-use redevelopment of the Central Saint Martins campus at Southampton Row. Undertaken on behalf of the University of Arts, London (UAL) and Drivers Jonas, the design makes a virtue of the site’s Grade II* listed buildings. The study proposal resolves the current site and layout, and proposes contemporary development with office, residential and a luxury hotel.



The listed building completed in 1907, it was designed under the supervision of W.R. Lethaby, as the Central School of Arts and Crafts. The proposal would see the Lethaby Building become the very heart of the new development that re-habilitates the listed building as a luxury hotel.

“This design is about linking spaces and making connections beyond the site itself!,” said Rob Steul, Principal at Woods Bagot. “It’s about the City meeting the West End; a site-appropriate mix of residential, hotel, and commercial; and the relationship between a refurbished Grade II* listed building and a slim, restrained, and modern landmark development.”

“We are excited about the proposal and would love to see the site developed to its absolute fullest potential.”

The proposal restores the historic street pattern, creating a new public space “urban room” which provides accessibility and permeability at pedestrian level that connects with both Red Lion Square and Bedford Square.

“Mid-Town is the best possible place for a mixed-use development,” said Managing Director of Woods Bagot, Europe, Stephan Reinke. “The corridor between Theobald’s Road and Strand is where the West End and the City, and their respective interests meet.

“Southampton Row in particular has excellent transport links both East and West, so it’s vital that it serves the needs of both the City and the West End. Woods Bagot envisions this as a signature development, showing just how mixed-use can really maximise the potential of a site, whilst also being architectural significant and participating in urban regeneration.”

http://www.e-architect.co.uk/london/central_saint_martins_campus.htm

SIGN THE ONLINE PETITION

http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/savestmartinscxr/

Take a moment from your day visit the link and voice your opposition to the sale of St Martins.

Forward this petition link to alumni, students, staff, artists, designers, creatives, friends, family, circulate it, tell people about it, make a statement.

Voice your opposition to the sale of St Martins Charing Cross Road.

UNIVERSITY OF ARTS USES 'LOVE' OF 'BUILDING' TO MARKET COURSES AT CSM

The University Of The Arts use the above handwritten quote 'I fell in love with the building' to market courses in its brochure for Central Saint Martins Summer School 2009.
The quote appears on the back cover of the new brochure which you can pick up at the reception of Charing Cross Road.

So, first the building is used to sell courses and then they will sell the building to sell courses.

By their action The University Of Arts has deemed the use of 'Emotion' an acceptable tool in our ongoing objection and resistance to the decision making process behind the sale and loss of the purpose built Charing Cross Road, home of Fashion and Fine Art, in order to move to a smaller campus style, unpopular, new build site at Kings Cross.

The Fashion FineArt Resistance Expressive Exchange
Stand Up for F.F.R.E.E. Speech