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Village Underground plans to reopen 81-year-old Hackney arts venue

Find out how to get behind the project

The owners of East London’s Village Underground is planning to reopen the 81-year-old Hackney Arts Centre.

Opened in 1936 on Stoke Newington Road, North London, the art deco building has been sitting dormant for 30 years, but Village Underground has been working to turn it into a multipurpose arts space for over a year.

The club told RA: "We unearthed a hidden treasure—a dilapidated art deco theatre, locked behind rusted-shut doors for 30 years. It's incredible that you can still make discoveries like that in today's London.

“We want to breathe life back into this historical building and restore it back to its intended use, a major cultural and community space for Hackney and for London.”

Village Underground hopes to turn the venue into a space for music, theatre, lectures and more as well as restore the building’s façade.

The proposal will be presented to the Hackney council committee in the next few weeks with members of the public able to write in support until April 14.

Find out how to support this project at the Village Underground website.

[Via: Resident Advisor]