This Saturday August 30th, Chiswick House & Gardens Trust (CHGT) invites families and art and nature lovers of all ages to explore its brand-new Artist Studios, get involved in some kid-friendly crafting activities, meet its artists and have a say about future of the site’s community spaces.

A series of creative workshops, led by artist Ayesha Weekes and centred in the site’s beautiful 17th-century Kitchen Garden, will invite visitors to get their hands messy and contribute to a collaborative clay garden, visit different craft stations, and share their own vision for what a new outdoor learning yard and community space could look like.

A self-guided Kitchen Garden Nature Trail, encouraging kids to discover the butterflies, beetles and bees that thrive in the nature-friendly Kitchen Garden, will be available throughout the day.

Art-lovers, meanwhile, will be able to explore the site’s new studios, take part in a guided tour of the spaces and meet some of the on-site artists.

The studios, designed to provide workspaces for between 40 and 50 artists, officially opened in May 2025, were developed in partnership with affordable workplace providers ASC (Artist Studio Company) and form part of CHGT’s ambitious new Community and Creative Campus.

This exciting ongoing project is designed to boost cultural and creative activity in the Hounslow area, foster a vibrant, inclusive community of artists and makers, and enable Chiswick House & Gardens Trust to continue its vital community work.

Working with Ayesha Weekes, CHGT is keen to hear from its local community about what new community spaces would mean to them, and what they would like them to look and feel like. In addition to sharing their views and visions at the event on August 30th, Hounslow and West London residents are also invited to contribute to an interactive online digital noticeboard.

Details
The Community Celebration and Studios Open Day takes place in the Kitchen Garden on Saturday August 30th, 10.30am to 3.30pm.
This is a non-ticketed, drop-in event, free to all.
For more information about the Artist Studios , visit: https://chiswickhouseandgardens.org.uk/community-schools/studios/
To access the digital noticeboard, visit: https://padlet.com/ayeshaweekes/shaping-spaces-b51du8yc1j9bdhii