Inside the 162 Holloway Road project

What does it mean to curate independently, outside the structure of a university brief? For BA Culture, Criticism and Curation students at Central Saint Martins, the Holloway Road project offers a rare chance to find out.

162 Holloway Road is a repurposed vacant commercial property in North London, being used since early 2026 by students in Fine Art and BA Culture, Criticism and Curation. It will continue to be used as an artist and curator-led space for the time-being, offering students opportunities to realise ideas independently from their course curriculum.

“We decided to make it clear to students that the space sits outside the academy and art school as well as the regulations of the art world. We felt this was important because the art world is changing, and artist-led spaces, such as Holloway Road respond to this change through bypassing regulation in favour of community building, and a more self-governing model. Collaboration is our primary engine on the BA CCC course and we hope to create resilient networks and plenty of room for creative experimentation through the use of spaces like this.”

Nathalie Khan, Course Leader, BA Culture, Criticism and Curation.

This self-directed space in north London, it has become a testing ground for students to organise events, experiment with ideas and take ownership of their practice from the ground up. We spoke to three BA CCC students - Kamila, Muse and Nicole about their experiences.

What is it like to have this level of creative control and freedom through the Holloway Road space?

Kamila: For me, it was a good opportunity to do my own thing. When I organised a film screening at the space, there was no input from tutors, although we could still go to them with questions if we needed support. Overall, there wasn't any control over what we could or couldn't do. It was nice to have something outside of the usual university environment. The creative freedom was what made it special.

The biggest advantage was getting a realistic idea of what it's like to organise and curate independently. You have to look at the space and imagine what you want it to become. You think about practical things like cleaning, layout and logistics. It's essentially a blank slate, which gives you a much better understanding of what it means to create something from the ground up.

How different was it to explore curation in the classroom compared to in the Holloway Road space?

Muse: The course gives us strong theoretical frameworks around curatorial practice and ethics, but the practical side is harder to access because exhibition and event spaces aren't always available. The Holloway Road project gave us the chance to apply what we've learned and think on our feet. It was an opportunity to execute ideas rather than just discuss them, which is extremely valuable.

Could you tell us about the events you hosted in the space?

Nicole: My project was connected to a group publication. We organised a film screening and gathering, with food, fabric installations and artworks that transformed the space. The event became part of our publication, which included a DVD documenting aspects of the project.

Kamila: I created 'When the Air Was Warm' a solo exhibition that explores nostalgia, belonging, and the longing for home. The exhibition features the launch of a zine that highlights cultural identity through food and design within the Southeast Asian diaspora. It included interviews with fellow UAL students and Southeast Asian diaspora creatives, examining how they use fashion, food, and design to express and maintain their cultural identity while living away from their home countries.

Accompanied by a film screening depicting everyday scenes during Ramadhan in Malaysia, celebrating shared meals and togetherness, the exhibition also presented mixed-media and textile works that reflect themes of home and displacement.

Muse: The first event I organised was a Lunar New Year-themed gathering. I displayed artworks by various artists and created a reunion feast atmosphere where people could come together. Later, I organised informal screenings where students gathered to watch films and spend time together. For me, the space became a community hub as much as an exhibition venue.

Were there any challenges when organising events in the space?

Kamila: One challenge was publicity. Because it was my own event, I relied heavily on social media and support from tutors to help spread the word. Early on, the space itself was quite daunting because it was run down and there were leftovers from previous activities. It took some work to prepare it for events. There were practical challenges around sharing resources and navigating the space with other students, but most issues were eventually resolved through communication.

Have you seen any events or projects at CSM that inspired you?

Muse: I'd like to give a shout-out to the Curation Society, which I'm involved in. We've organised panel discussions with professional curators and practitioners to help fill some of the gaps between theory and professional practice. It's been a great platform for students interested in curatorial careers.

What have you learned about collaboration from sharing the space with other students?

Nicole: We learned a lot about compromise and setting boundaries. Because the space was shared, there were questions about resources, equipment and ownership. We had to negotiate things like access to ladders, furniture and other materials. It taught us how to communicate and work through uncertainty. Within my own group, it also showed me who was willing to step up during installation and de-installation.

Kamila: We had similar experiences. Sometimes practical issues arose because everyone was sharing one building and one toilet. It wasn't always ideal, but it taught us how to work around each other's needs and share resources.

Muse: I think the project highlighted the potential for even more collaboration between CCC and Fine Art students. There are opportunities for curation students to work more closely with artists on exhibitions and projects. More broadly, the experience felt like a realistic introduction to collaborative working in the professional world.

If you could bring one aspect of the Holloway Road project into arts education at CSM, what would it be?

Nicole: The ability to put ideas into action. That's what makes the space so important.

Kamila: The process was very straightforward. We booked a slot and then it was largely up to us what we wanted to do. Having that level of access and trust is rare. The freedom to experiment and create independently is something I'd love to see more of within arts education.