World Heart Beat Music Academy brings together young people, aged 5-25, with world-class musicians to share their love of music.
From 1 November 2022, World Heart Beat are opening a new state-of-the-art site at Embassy Gardens in Nine Elms, including the first public concert hall to open in London for over 13 years. The 750m2 building will be a centre for musical excellence, providing thousands more students with music education and increasing the charity’s teaching capacity in an accessible multi-functional venue.
Do you live in Nine Elms near World Heart Beat? Neighbours are invited to a special opening event with live music and refreshments on Wednesday 2 November 2022, from 7.30pm to 9.30pm. If you would like to attend, email piers@worldheartbeat.org
The registered charity was awarded space in Embassy Gardens in 2018 by Wandsworth Council and local developers EcoWorld Ballymore from a competitive field of 42 cultural organisations. The building has a 50-year lease at £1 a year.
At the heart of the building will be the first new community concert hall to open in London since 2008, with state-of-the-art technology and digital infrastructure providing a high-quality acoustics and performance space. It will host a wide ranging programme of concerts from under-represented and emerging artists to high-calibre international musicians.
The 200 capacity auditorium will boast 120 seats and state-of-the-art lighting, acoustics, instruments, and live streaming facilities.
Near to Nine Elms Lane, the US Embassy and Nine Elms Tube station, the new site will be equipped with top quality recording studios and kit which will enable the charity to teach a wide range of music industry skills such as sound engineering, production, professional recording and lighting.
The new space will benefit thousands of young people, many from disadvantaged backgrounds in the local area and across the borough of Wandsworth. Thousands of concert tickets will be made available at low or no cost to people from the local community, and local residents will be able to take part in events, outreach and education programmes, volunteering and workshops.
Opening: World Heart Beat’s new premises in Embassy Gardens
The new Embassy Gardens music centre will be a centre for musical excellence, providing thousands more students with music education whilst doubling teaching capacity each year. It will allow World Heart Beat to continue with their community-informed approach to engage young people and residents in the Nine Elms area including those living in the nearby Patmore Co-operative, Savona Estate, Carey Gardens Cooperative and Doddington & Rollo estates.
Concert hall: New opportunities for students and musicians
Construction started on the premises on Monday 8 November 2021.
World Heart Beat joins several other ‘cultural anchor’ organisations such as Matt’s Gallery, Chocolate Films and Theatre503 as they move into new premises in the regeneration area.
Where: World Heart Beat Embassy Gardens, Unit 3, 3 Ponton Road, London, SW11 7BD
Visit the World Heart Beat website
Find out more about World Heart Beat’s fundraising and the Levelling Up Fund award
Artist impression of World Heart Beat at Embassy Gardens – students recording in the new studios