Hackney Downs Studios. Pic: Jan Vrhovnik

From florists and filmmakers, to a brewery and bookbinders, more than 100 businesses have already made a home of Hackney’s centre for creative collaboration. Now even more companies will have the opportunity to join its vibrant community.

Forty new workspaces are set to launch early in 2015 as Hackney Downs Studios looks forward to regeneration

The new space will provide further affordable workspace with the hope of accommodating additional businesses into the Studio’s well-established network.

Eat Work Art, the community organisation that manages the Studios, transformed the once redundant printworks into a prominent art and business hub in east London. The company is also behind the regeneration of Netil House and Old Paradise Yard.

Leo Lawson-O’Neil, Director of Eat Work Art, said: “Continuing to maintain a healthy balance between disciplines such as theatre, arts and innovation will only become richer with the raft of new businesses renting space.”

Rent for the new studios will follow the same rates as existing spaces to prevent disruption to loyal residents at Hackney Downs Studios.

Lawson-O’Neil said: “We’re doing what big businesses having been trying to do forever, you can take a dead environment and add life to it. Not just paint and pretty things, but heart and soul.”

“Gang warfare was a reality for this area only a couple years ago, now it’s a vibrant working community and business is booming and with this addition of new studios the area will only continue to thrive. With no outside investment in any of our developments, we see this project as regeneration that’s local and self-sustaining.”

The new studios will become available from December until April 2015.