Old Diorama Arts Centre Information

ODAC is a centre for arts creation and communities, with Euston as our inspiration, collaborator and stage. Named in homage to our iconic original home, ODAC has a long and radical history supporting London’s artistic ecology and communities in Camden. In the mid-1970s, the Victorian Nash-designed Diorama building looking over Regent’s Park was occupied and re-energised by a collective of artists. Born out of an era of DIY culture and opportunity, they made it into a vibrant destination for art, craft, theatre, circus, concerts, raves and more. Formalised as a charity in 1981, by ‘87, Diorama Arts proudly proclaimed to be ‘Britain’s Largest Independent Arts Centre’. Several buildings later, since 2013, thanks to British Land, our home has been a purpose-built rehearsal studios centre at the Regent’s Place campus, and with our spaces in high demand. ‘Our vision is to catalyse artistic creation and collaboration to transform our society and city.’ ‘Our mission is to be a vibrant, nurturing centre where artists and residents come together to make the change they need; serving as a springboard for artistic creation and community action, with the neighbourhood and cityscape of Euston as our inspiration, collaborator and stage.’ Our overlapping strands of activity are: • Space to Create: Space for the live arts, creative industries and local communities to make, explore and collaborate. • Resident Participation: Inclusive, participatory projects co-created with Regent’s Park ward residents and wider Camden. • Artistic Exploration: Interdisciplinary artistic support and commissioning, as part of London’s Knowledge Quarter. With a focus on: • Civic and Social Action: Using the arts as our tool to contribute to the health, wellbeing and cohesion of our communities and the development of the environments in which we are located.