- 491 Gallery
The 491 Gallery is a squatted
social centre inLeytonstone ,East London, England . The gallery takes its name from its street number, 491 Grove Green Road. Formerly a factory, it is now home to a community-led art organisation and serves as a constant exhibition space for a diverse range of artists of different origins working in varied media. It contains a range of art and music studios, which are used to host workshops, classes and musical rehearsals. [cite news|title=Positive occupation|publisher=The Guardian |author=Diane Taylor|url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2008/aug/27/housing.communities|date=2008-08-27|accessdate=2008-09-21]Origin
The building, originally a factory, was later used as a storage space and warehouse for materials being used to construct the A12 that cuts through Leytonstone and the surrounding areas. When in late 2000 the building was abandoned, it was occupied by a group of homeless drug addicts who remained in it for some six months. Within a month of their vacating the premises, the building was reoccupied by a group of artists, who spent the next several years turning it into a vibrant community space. Along with its neighbouring building, Vertigo — named after the film of the same name by
Alfred Hitchcock , a former Leytonstone resident — the 491 Gallery is currently one of the longest running organisations of its kind.Present day
The 491 Gallery and Vertigo now collectively collaborate on hosting regular exhibitions and offer studio space for musicians to use. It is maintained largely through small donations made by the public.
Transport for London , the buildings' legal owner, has agreed to allow the continued use of the otherwise commercially unviable buildings for apeppercorn rent .References
See also
*
rampART , another squatted social centre in east London
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.
