Photo by Anna Ito

“UAL is turning into a shiny business, and we students are numbers used for marketing.”

“I’m disappointed (…) I thought students’ needs would be prioritised more before enrolling.”

“The Darkroom is for students, run by students and is a special space for everyone to come together, separate from the rest of campus (…) I would not come to class without the Darkroom being here.”

These are only a few of the many student testimonies from the bustling Save the Darkroom Bar party this March. As UAL management proceeds with plans for the new colossal LCC building and the Arts Students’ Union struggles to receive clear communication, there may not be room for a bar in the new campus.

Meanwhile, the construction of the new building has inflicted enough disruption on the local livelihoods and cultures of Elephant and Castle by accelerating gentrification and commercialism in otherwise community-driven spaces. Ironically, UAL explicitly claims to prioritise students’ needs for community, yet fatigue, neglect and demoralisation weigh heavily in the air. With skyrocketing isolation, hate and division caused by the current political and economic climate, the cost of living in London and the lack of connection in the digital age, the last change UAL needs is the removal of the only student-run third space at LCC.

The buzzing turnout of students at the recent Save the Darkroom Bar party signifies camaraderie, diversity and engagement for social action: these very values need to be prioritised and nurtured at forward-thinking educational institutions. This issue is not merely about a bar — it is a broader reflection of our integrity to be responsible for the values that we claim to uphold, which represents what we as individuals and as a collective UAL community choose to stand for.

The Arts Students’ Union are working long hours to organise the Save the Darkroom Campaign, predominantly led by the strong efforts of Ellie Walsh-O’Neill (Student Communities Officer), Zaine Cowan (LCC Sabbatical Officer) and Rod O’Donell (Campaigns and Community Organiser). The campaign team is smaller than you may think, as these leaders rack their brains on strategies to work around the lack of cooperation from UAL management, which often makes decisions on behalf of students.

Thus far, there have been over 1100 petition signatures and a protest in front of the LCC Provost Steve Cross, which further led to a negotiation with Steve to build pressure on the situation, yet with stagnant results. Every member of UAL holds the responsibility to shape the future of our university. Sit with us to take the initiative in creating a university to be proud of by joining the campaign below.