10 years ago, Sun Pier House CIC was formed to support Medway’s creative industries, provide a base for a community of artists and creative businesses, and deliver community projects and workshops. Because the building is split over three floors with no lift access, we have been unintentionally excluding a large part of our diverse community – but this is where it all changes!

In 2025 we will be opening the doors of Sun Pier House to all people, of all abilities, to create, engage and inspire. And its not just a lift we are installing, we are also increasing our studio and creative workspaces, building The Creation Space: a new, accessible workshop room, and improving our entrances and wayfinding, as well as making Sun Pier House more environmentally friendly.

So many changes have happened since our last update and we are still trying to juggle work, hires and events (plus kids and life!) within a building site. We are so grateful to our partners, residents and visitors for their understanding and support during the noisy, messy and dusty work.

The end of the year is racing towards us but as with most large capital projects, delays have meant we still aren’t quite ready to L!FT OFF – but that won’t stop us trying!

Unfortunately, due to a supplier delay, the lift won’t be fitted until the end of Spring 2025. This is a huge set back for our reopening plans, and our organisation as a whole (I’m not sure how many wall planners we have been through!). It’s been a a heart-breaking time for our team, and has a huge knock on effect to other areas of the build, but we are trying to remain positive and focus on what IS progressing…

So, where are we up to…

To make room for the lift shaft and access, all three entrance lobby areas have altered. The Community Hire Space and new Studios on the first floor are almost complete – with new walls, doors, flooring, decoration and kitchens fitted. The two new accessible toilets on the first floor, are currently being fitted. The outside works have started this week, with a new layer of tarmac to highlight our public entrance.

After a few breezy days, we’ve replaced over half the building’s 1980’s windows with aluminium framed double glazing. The lift shaft is still in construction with the roof alterations happening as we speak. Our brand new, purpose built art workshop on the ground floor – The Creation Space – is almost complete, ready for our January bookings! With bright lighting, white walls, sliding windows and doors, river views, accessible toilet and kitchenette.

There’s still a long way to go, even once the contractors have finished, to complete L!FT OFF as we look towards signage, greening, improving digital provisions, and a whole lot of equipment shopping, but as Ed keeps saying “it’s all coming together!

We are now 3 months into the build, the lift shaft has been built up to the first floor, new studio walls have been built, The Creation Space has electrics, walls, a painted ceiling, The Community Hire Space has new walls and doorway and we have become very accustomed to the noise, dust and occasional power cuts!

The windows, doors and lift are on order, and we are looking forward to seeing the 5 new kitchenettes, 3 new accessible toilets and some plaster on the walls in the coming weeks. That saying, it hasn’t been without its challenges, last minute changes and a few more grey hairs.

We are so happy to announce that we have reached our crowdfunding total of £8000 raised, the total reached by a kind donation from the family of Mick Shaughnessy, our long term resident artist who sadly passed away in the Summer – cheers to them.

All of us here at Sun Pier House would like to thank our funders, partners, hires, residents and family and friends for their support, patience and kindness as we continue to balance the juggle of running SPH whilst delivering a capital project of this size – onwards and upwards!

We cannot believe that it has been 18 months since our launch night, 2 years since our successful Arts Council England bid, and 12 YEARS in the making but we have finally started L!FT OFF!

The project is going to be handled in phases to try and reduce as much disruption as possible but our entrance ways will be affected so please call us if you are visiting and unsure – 01634 401549

The first phase will focus on the ground floor, hording off the under croft, building walls for the new Creation Space, closing the ground floor entrance to Sun Pier House and MESS ROOM and…excavation for the LIFT!

And in answer to the question, “when will it all be finished?” – we are hoping to be completed by the end of the year and we are already planning our grand reopening! If you have any suggestions of events or activities you would like us to run please let us know!

Follow us on our social channels for all the renovation updates, photos of us in hard hats, glimpses of THE LIFT and the highs and lows that come with a project of this magnitude.

Seatbelts on….

We secured a large capital grant from Arts Council England (ACE) which is incredible – and thanks to our wonderful community we have raised £8000 towards the £733,000 needed.

We are still accepting any donation, big or small, which will go towards transforming Sun Pier House into an inclusive, accessible and exciting arts space.