Culture and collaboration driving Woolwich Works to a stronger future

Nick Williams, Director of Woolwich Works, talks to Karen McLauchlan about how momentum is building at the cultural hub on the Royal Arsenal in South East London.

Opening a brand new events venue amidst a global pandemic when the public have been told “you must stay at home” is a challenge of monumental scale.

Fast forward to 2025 and Nick Williams, Director of Woolwich Works, today talks excitedly about how he and his team welcomed more than 157,500 visitors in the second half of 2024.

When the Ministry of Defence moved out of the vast Woolwich Arsenal in the mid-1990s, it left behind redundant industrial buildings –and a huge opportunity for development.

A transformation has seen the creation of the multi-disciplinary live events hub which opened its doors in September 2021 after major restoration.

With Covid having a profound and far-reaching impact on the live arts sector, and in-person conferences struggling to get going again after the order to work from home led to a dramatic change in workplace dynamics, the site’s two main revenue streams were impacted and Woolwich Works quickly faced financial challenges.

Nick arrived in 2023 to lead a reset – and he says great progress has been made in the last 18 months.

“We’re in a much better position today,” he says, “2024 was a year of development, we are financially stable and our commercial programme – which is our major income stream – has grown dramatically, by around 80 per cent in revenue.”

Last year, Woolwich Works hosted major events such as Nike’s Well Festival and the Blue Earth Summit – a transformative event that brings thousands of passionate people together to find and fund solutions to regenerate the natural world.

The Blue Earth Summit will be back at Woolwich Works this October.

Events have also been hosted in a range of sectors from banking and IT to healthcare.

The site’s spectacular space and its connectivity is also proving to be a winning combination. Spaces include the large-scale Fireworks Factory as well as studios, a café and a courtyard.

“When people get here the heritage buildings sell themselves because they are stunning,” says Nick. “There aren’t many places that have the level of character and flexibility we have.

“We are such a well-connected venue and such a part of Woolwich’s placemaking programme. We are probably the only venue in the UK that has two ferries servicing it!

“You can be at Canary Wharf in six minutes on the Elizabeth Line and we are eight minutes from London City Airport, for those eventsthat bring international guests.”

The site’s public programme of events and gigs is evolving.

“We continue to look at what works in the spaces we have,” explains Nick.

“Our buildings have been adapted within the constraints of a heritage site that’s listed –and that comes with challenges.

“We’re not a black box theatre space, we work much better with events that can be more immersive. But we are also hosting gigs and comedy.”

The venue’s calendar of events is impressive – from music and dance to visual arts and workshops.

Foodie events have also proved a big pull. Whiskey Live, London’s Free From Festival 2025 and BBQ enthusiasts’ favourite FUME Festival will all be at Woolwich Works this year.

Nick is no stranger to the challenges –and opportunities – that come with bringing new focus to an arts venue.

Prior to taking over at Woolwich, the Welshborn Arts Manager was working in Scotland as Chief Executive of Perth Theatre and Concert Hall with a remit to revive the venue which had drifted into stagnation.

“It was a similar journey,” he explains, “helping the venue find its purpose again – and then I had to lead it though the pandemic.

“Before Perth I’d been in London for 20 years and was looking to come back. Woolwich Works represented a huge amount of untapped potential and that was a great attractor for me.”

Nick says Woolwich Works also has a part to play in the wider community. The venue is a member of the South East London Chamber of Commerce.

“I have a strong belief we have a big civic role to play as we convene so many diverse groups of people, so being part of that business community is really important,” he adds.

“It’s as much about exchange of information as it is fostering actual business.

“And in tough times you need your networks, your wider world. You can’t stand in splendid isolation and the Chamber is a wonderful way of finding those networks and support.”

What beckons for 2025 at Woolwich Works?

“We’ve had brilliant repeat custom. An event ends and organisers are asking us to pencil them in for the same dates the following year.

That’s a nice feeling.

“It tells me my team is doing a brilliant job and we’re hitting all the buttons for our clients.”

Significant growth of both its commercial and public programmes is under way, plus longerterm planning will give the site an even busier and brighter future.

Target areas include family events, a significant expansion of its comedy programme and a busier line-up of music events kicks off from summer onwards. “The autumn is looking scarily busy!” laughs Nick. And Woolwich Works continues to be a go-to venue for conference organisers.

Nick adds: “We’ve spent 2024 rebuilding and now we’re taking that to the next level in 2025, strategic planning for the future.

“People have a great time here. The opportunity of what we could do here is huge – I feel like we’re still only scratching the surface.”