Block C is a disused technology classroom repurposed as four artist studios in Arts and Media School Islington (AMSI), Finsbury Park. Initiated in 2018, resident artists use the opportunity to hold a studio within a formal education context to explore questions around learning, while contributing to the school community through commissioned projects.

Previous projects include 70 Conversations, organised with The Liliesleaf Trust UK, where AMSI students collaborated with artists Mai Omer and Lucy Steggals, and community members from Cubitt's Saturday Socials group to explore storytelling and social change, and co-devise a public event. In Remote Connections, AMSI students and artist Lydia CS were one of four community groups in Islington who explored what helps us to feel connected with each other and ourselves, with our surroundings, and across time, distance and generations.

We have also delivered lunchtime carnival workshops, a holiday photography club, an extended placement in the Modern Foreign Language department, a student-led investigation into archives, and one-to-one studio sessions with young people who are accessing Child & Adolescent Mental Health Services. 

Block C investigates how we might pool and share our resources at a time when the arts and education sectors are under intense pressure to deliver more for less. It is a direct response to the sidelining of art and other creative subjects in the curriculum – which led to the technology classroom falling out of use.

Current resident artists:

Jasmin Bhanji

Niki Kohandel 

Michael. 

Previous resident artists:

Maya Fineburg, Beautriz Marques Moreira Da Silva, Meriem Mecili, Zoe Horne & Isabella Furness, Central St Martins (CSM) BA (Hons) Fine Art students, on placement as part of their Diploma in Professional Studies

Levi Naidu-Mitchell

Esther McManus

Joe Namy

Janetka Platun

Schooling & Culture

Betsy Dadd & Lydia CS (Kaleidoworks)

Meera Shakti Osborne 

Excerpt from a film made by Year 8 students, Central St Martin's students and AMSI's Modern Foreign Language department, 2020.

This project is part of the Satellite Studios programme, which has been running since 2013. We currently also have studios at The Mildmays (a trio of extra care settings in Dalston) in Finsbury Park, and Lee Samuel House in Brixton.