About

Nine Elms Arts Ministry

Nine Elms Arts Ministry has been creating free arts events and bringing people together in Nine Elms, Battersea since 2018. Working exclusively in Nine Elms and Battersea,  we are passionate about this diverse and vibrant area. We believe that nurturing arts, creativity and spirituality are central to building healthy, vibrant and inclusive communities that can be places of joy, hospitality and wellbeing for everyone.

We provide creative spaces and opportunities for local people to: nurture their wellbeing; engage with arts and culture in their immediate environment; and bring people from different parts of our diverse community together in meaningful encounters to build community cohesion. We are all about collaboration. We partner with local artists & creatives, residents, community groups, schools, faith groups, cultural organisations, developers and local businesses to ensure our events are truly rooted in and represent our community.

We are ambitious for our work and our community. We want to celebrate the incredible artists and creatives who have made Nine Elms and Battersea their home, as well as bring prestigious international arts talent to Nine Elms – inspiring  even more residents to explore their creativity and spirituality. Although underpinned by the Christian faith, Nine Elms Arts Ministry’s projects and events are actively welcoming and inclusive to those of all faiths and none. The ministry also has a small community that explores spirituality through arts and creativity.

 

“This unique ministry seeks to foster creativity within the diverse community of Nine Elms focusing on wellbeing, spirituality, and social justice. As Bishop of the Arts, I am passionate to support and encourage people to embody what it means to be a Creative Soul and I am excited to see all that is happening through the work of Nine Elms Arts Ministry”

— The Rt Revd Rob Gillion, Bishop of the Arts

Projects

We launched Creative Soul in Spring 2022 – a programme of free arts wellbeing workshops and events, including Creative Soul Dance, Creative Soul Café, Creative Soul Parents’ Chill Time and Creative Sol Family Pop-Ups.  Since 2019, one of our flagship projects has been the Advent Calendar Art Trail.

In 2021, the Art Trail created a collaboration of over 70 creatives, businesses and community groups. Nine Elms Arts Ministry was a founding partner in the ‘Create and Learn Play Kits’ project which distributed 10,000 creative packs to primary school children most in need across Wandsworth during the pandemic.

 

We have since established a related project Bags of Hope which distributed 700 creative gift bags to local children in December 2022. We have hosted a number of Social Media Exhibitions, around thought-provoking themes.

These exhibitions offer a platform to locally-based artists. We also have a regular programme of arts prayer and worship events – in person and online – visit our events calendar for these and all our arts events.

  • Creative Soul

    In May 2019 Nine Elms Arts Ministry ran its first wellbeing pop-up event at Battersea Power Station as part of Wandsworth Arts Fringe with Creative Soul: An Arts Spa. A free day of dance, film, crafts, and an arts chill-out zone.

    Since then, we have hosted pop-ups at a variety of community locations and workplaces, combining quality arts practice with inspiring activities that nurture wellbeing.

    In April 2022 we launched Creative Soul Dance and Creative Soul Café – free arts events to nurture body, mind, and soul.

    Thanks to Dominvs Group for supporting our 2022 pilot project.

    Find Out More

  • Hope in Nine Elms

    An initiative to encourage the local community to explore and express their hopes and dreams.

    Following an initial pop-up Hope installation in the Nine Elms Pavilion in 2019, during lockdown we invited residents of all ages to create their own Hope squares. We also worked with the Battersea Power Station Community Choir to collaboratively write and record a brand-new Hope anthem ‘Hope is to Heal’.

    ‘Hope is to Heal’ had its live premiere at the Jubilee Torch event at Battersea Power Station on 2nd June 2022 and is part of the Battersea Power Station Community Choir’s summer repertoire at a range of events.

    More Community Projects

  • Advent Calendar

    One of our flagship projects, this large-scale arts and community project has taken place each year since 2019.

    The Calendar brings together over 70 artists, businesses, community groups and cultural organisations to co-create a live and digital trail of artist and community-created installations for the whole of December.

    In 2021 TimeOut named in the Top 10 Best Christmas Lights and Top 3 Best Christmas events.

    This project was kindly sponsored in 2021 by Dominvs Group, Battersea Power Station, Wandsworth Council and many other local sponsors.

    Find Out More

  • Creative Prayer

    We have a fabulous and friendly community of people who love to pray, explore and nurture their spirituality through arts and creativity.

    We meet weekly on zoom on a Monday evening to pray, reflect on the Bible, chat and have time to be quiet together – all through the medium of the arts.

    Our prayer and worship is based around the Christian faith but we are open and welcoming to all who would like to come and explore – of all faiths and none.

    We also have regular live events - arts worship gatherings, prayer walks and prayer brunches and suppers.

    Dates & Details

Trustees

Rev Betsy Blatchley
Rt Rev Rob Gillion
Gilly Bailey-Smith

  • Leader and Chair of Trustees

    Betsy trained as a performer at the Italia Conti Academy and started her career dancing overseas. She has extensive experience as an arts and theatre producer, including five years producing work for new audiences for the Royal National Theatre. She has produced and performed for many other theatre companies, working with many prestigious figures in the theatre world. She founded and ran Factotum Theatre Company which took theatre into areas of the UK with little or no access to professional theatre and worked extensively in arts-in-education and projects in prisons and retirement homes. She has also written educational plays for BBC radio.

    After achieving a first-class Bachelor of Theology degree at Oxford she was ordained into the Church of England in 2003. Since ordination she has worked in parishes across London, with a specialism in urban ministry, and establishing new and innovative projects, particularly around the arts. Betsy took up the newly created post of Pioneer Minister in the Arts in Nine Elms in 2018 and founded Nine Elms Arts Ministry.

  • TRUSTEE

    Bishop Rob is presently the Vicar of Christ Church Streatham and Hon. Assistant Bishop in the Southwark Diocese - commissioned especially as Bishop of the Arts.

    Previously Assistant Bishop in the Lincoln Diocese having returned from Australia where he was Bishop for the Diocese of Riverina in NSW.

    He has a background in theatre which lends itself particularly to support the Arts Ministry in Nine Elms. He is the founder of Intermission Youth Theatre, which uses Shakespeare to help give young people the tools to make positive life choices.

  • Secretary and Treasurer

    Born in Guyana, Sarita has been living in south London since 1987. In her 30’s and whilst raising her two children Sarita returned to studying and trained as a Social Worker working with Looked After Children and Foster Carers.  She was Parish Administrator & Finance Co-ordinator at St Barnabas, Clapham Common for twelve years. She is currently the Operations Manager at St Peter’s Battersea. Sarita loves enabling mission and ministry that promotes hope, love and peace and is keen to support the work of Nine Elms Arts Ministry.

  • Gilly is a passionate advocate for the arts and spirituality, with a career spanning both fields.

    After completing her degree in Dance and Theology, Gilly taught Contemporary dance in Westminster for many years, sharing her love of movement and creativity with her students. She is currently training for ordination, and from June 2023 will be a curate in a church in South London, Gilly is also school Chaplain, providing guidance and spiritual support to young people. Gilly was a founder member of the ‘Abundant’ nightclub in London in the 1990s. Gilly believes deeply in the power of the arts to engage and inspire people of all ages and backgrounds. She brings her dedication to community, experience, and commitment to the mission of Nine Elms Arts Ministry.

Support Us 

We are grateful for the support of some wonderful local businesses and organisations. Learn more about them and how you can join us.