Bold Tendencies

Bold Tendencies commission visual and performing art works, large-scale sculptures and events each summer in an abandoned Peckham car park in South London. Since 2007, the space has been transformed each year into a hub for artistic projects and gathering of culturally minded people.

The projects involved are often site-specific artistic commissions which work with the brutalist structure and create unique experiences, on a variety of scales. Visitors are guided through the building from the ground floor and experience different artworks on each level, leading  to the open rooftop which takes advantage of the stunning views over London.

Bold Tendencies is a non-profit organisation which is in partnership with Southwark council and supported by 21st Century Fox, Johnstone’s Trade, Whitten Timber, Billetto, Cass Art, Olswang and the Peckham Pilgrims.

In 2015 the programme has grown to include artworks, educational programmes, places to eat and drink, markets and sport events.

Frank’s Cafe 2014. Image: Frank’s cafe

For many people the main attraction of the Bold Tendencies summer programme is Frank’s café, which has been running since 2008. The café designed by Practice Architecture (Paloma Gormley & Lettice Drake) has grown the each year to keep up with the high demand of visitors, but kept the same structural framework. The café is constructed from recycled materials including wooden supports and the iconic red canopy which is visible from the street level. You can read more about the construction of the cafe here

The Multi-story Orchestra  Image credit: CultureWhisper

Many projects which use abandoned sites bring an interesting mix of uses to unlikely spaces, this being the case with the ‘Multi-Story Orchestra‘ which holds concerts in between the robust concrete levels.  This unusual appropriation of space attracts a diverse audience and encourages testing new possibilities for music performance in unused spaces.

Copeland Book Market. Image Credits – Townmagazine

The independent Artists’ book market ‘Copeland’ uses the Peckham car park as the base for its summertime programme. Focussing on independent publishers with a specific events schedule, including a bar and conversations with artists, writers and publishers. A video of their previous Copeland Book Market events in the car park can be found here

‘Agora’ Richard Wentworth. Image: Kitgrover

Artists have utilised of the Peckham Car park for art works, installations and sculpture shows, bringing a fresh approach and interestingly developed works.  As a gallery space, the Car Park works as a rough canvas for artists and attracts international artists each summer. In the summer of 2015, Richard Wentworth’s ‘Agora’ is a landscape drawing in reflective paint which plays with the rainfall on the roof of the building.

Yoga class. Image credit Secret Yoga Club

In 2015, the pop-up yoga studio, Secret Yoga Club, will use the building as an outdoor studio and make the most of the stunning views. This largescale urban rooftop makes a surprisingly calm and serene studio and one again shows the diversity of the space.