Blog
Explore our blog for a selection of useful guides, articles of interest and our member’s profiles.
Introducing Ellie, our new Saturday Club tutor
We’re delighted to introduce Ellie, our new lead tutor for Hotel Elephant’s Art & Design Saturday Club for 2026/27.
Ellie is a textiles artist and puppet maker, with a First Class degree in Textile Design from Chelsea College of Arts. Her creative practice centres around natural dyeing, printed textiles and storytelling, bringing together hands-on making, experimentation and sustainable textile processes.
Studio & Creative Workspace Available in Elephant & Castle - September 2026
Finding affordable studio and workspace in London can be challenging, particularly for artists, makers, designers, creative businesses, and early-stage startups looking for flexible and supportive working environments. At Hotel Elephant, we provide affordable studios and workspaces in Elephant & Castle, Central London, supporting a diverse community of artists, makers, product designers, creative practitioners, and innovative businesses.
Read our most recent blog post for a summary of the studio and creative workspaces we have available in Elephant & Castle.
Applications Now Open: Free Art & Design Saturday Club for 13-16 year olds
Applications are now open for the textiles-focused Art & Design Saturday Club at Hotel Elephant. If you’re 13–16 years old, this is your chance to dive into subjects you love and discover new skills such as textiles, print and up-cycled garment/accessory production in a supportive and creative environment – completely free.
Meet Sienna Hayes: Costume Maker, Tailor and Founder of Sewn by Sienna
Meet Sienna Hayes, founder of Sewn by Sienna — a London-based costume maker, tailor and freelance seamstress working across theatre, television, live performance, weddings and events. From her studio at St John’s Walworth Studios in Elephant & Castle, Sienna creates bespoke costumes and garments for performers, creative productions and private clients.
Studio & Creative Workspace Available in Elephant & Castle - June 2026
Finding affordable studio and workspace in London can be challenging, particularly for artists, makers, designers, creative businesses, and early-stage startups looking for flexible and supportive working environments. At Hotel Elephant, we provide affordable studios and workspaces in Elephant & Castle, Central London, supporting a diverse community of artists, makers, product designers, creative practitioners, and innovative businesses.
Read our most recent blog post for a summary of the studio and creative workspaces we have available in Elephant & Castle.
Recruiting: Saturday Club Textiles / Art & Design Tutor (Ages 13–16)
Recruiting: Saturday Club Textiles/Art & Design Tutor (Ages 13-16)
Hotel Elephant is seeking a freelance lead tutor to design and deliver our 2026/27 Textiles-focused Art & Design Saturday Club for young people aged 13–16.
The Saturday Club is a free weekly creative programme where young people can develop practical skills, explore creative pathways, and build confidence outside of a formal school environment. Sessions are designed to be welcoming, collaborative, and engaging, with an emphasis on experimentation, making, sustainability, and peer learning.
Artist Studio Space in Elephant & Castle - Studios Available in March 2026
Finding affordable artist studio space in London can be challenging, particularly for artists and makers looking for flexible and supportive working environments.
Read our most recent blog post for a summary of the Artists Studios now we have available in Elephant & Castle.
Helena Jopling
Helena is a painter and designer creating playful, nostalgic dog art. For Helena dogs are more than just pets, they are muses and symbols of loyalty, eccentricity and unfiltered joy.
Cassandra Downs
Cassandra Downs is a self-taught ceramic artist whose zoomorphic vessels explore the impacts of colonisation on the environment and identity of Australia. Her work, deeply rooted in her own generational experiences of cultural erasure, serves as a poignant exploration of resilience and reclaiming heritage.
Jan Chmielewsky
Jan Chmielewsky is an artist from Poland say “I’ve been painting since forever, and still haven’t figured out what is my favourite subject! I draw inspiration from everything - human body, nature and light, water and darkness, sailing yachts and motorbikes….. and so the story continues.”