Arts Council England

Arts Council England is the national development agency for creativity and culture, helping people across the country to experience and benefit from creativity. It does this by investing in artists and organisations that produce and deliver exceptional, inspiring work for communities.
Following feedback gathered through a staff survey two years after the organisation’s initial move, Arts Council England identified a need to update its London office to better support an evolving working environment and the continued shift towards hybrid working. While the new office layout was designed in-house, Bates Studio was appointed to source and deliver furniture that would complement the refreshed space, respond to the team’s changing needs, and enhance comfort, functionality and accessibility across the workplace.
Working closely with Arts Council England’s Facilities team, Bates Studio set out to provide a furniture solution that reflected the organisation’s rich cultural heritage while delivering a refined, contemporary finish. Practicality was central to the brief, with all furniture required to perform within a live working office, while maintaining a strong design-led approach throughout.

“Clint took the time to fully understand our requirements and the specific style we were aiming for, offering thoughtful recommendations that made the process seamless. He also went above and beyond by sourcing furniture from a new supplier to ensure the best possible outcome.”
– Steve Moulin, Senior Facilities Manager
The project focused on creating a more flexible and responsive workplace. Improvements included a large meeting room, a new quiet working area, dividers and planters, collaborative touchdown spaces, and a wellbeing room. Together, these enhancements have significantly improved the functionality and comfort of the office, providing staff with a wider range of settings to support different working styles.

Open-plan offices bring clear benefits — maximising natural light, improving spatial flow, and encouraging collaboration — but they can also present challenges when defining zones without permanent walls. To address this, Arts Council England introduced a flexible zoning strategy using moveable screen partitions, wall zoning and modular shelving. These features helped create semi-private areas, reduce noise, and allow teams to adapt the space to suit different levels of focus, collaboration and privacy.
The layout includes six banks of six back-to-back workstations, designed for static working and fully equipped with cable trays, monitor arms and integrated cable management. Departments were subtly separated using modular shelving, providing a sense of definition while preserving the openness of the workspace.
As the office remained in use throughout the project, careful planning and communication were essential. Bates Studio ensured that all furniture was delivered on time and managed the installation with minimal disruption to daily operations. Communication remained consistent throughout, with the team available to assist with queries and adjustments as needed.
In line with Arts Council England’s commitment to the Social Model of Disability, all design changes were developed with accessibility best practice in mind. The completed workspace is now more inclusive, responsive and comfortable for all staff, while providing a welcoming environment for stakeholders and visitors alike.
Bates Studio delivered the project on time and in line with specification, creating a flexible, accessible and design-led workplace that supports the Arts Council England’s people, purpose and future ways of working.