In March 2025, Seed130 opened its doors at 130 Fenchurch Street with a simple ambition: to create space - for ideas, for artists, and for moments of pause in the middle of the City. Ten months on, that ambition has unfolded into a year shaped by curiosity, collaboration and thousands of shared encounters.

George Kekatos, Director of Culture and Lead Curator of Seed 130 says: "Seed130 is a great example of a Cultural Strategy concept coming to reality. From the beginning of its inception, weestablished a collaborative approach in everything we did, which resulted in highly innovative partnerships and high-quality programming throughout the year. It was particularly rewarding to bring positively disruptive and engaging culture, exploring complex green themes and providing much-needed cultural space in the City of London. I am proud of what we collectively achievedin those 10 months and am looking forward to what the future brings for 130 Fenchurch Street."

Over the course of 2025, 5,110 visitors stepped inside Seed130. Some arrived with intent, others by chance - passing on their way to work, drawn in by a glimpse through the doorway, or encouraged by a colleague to take a few minutes out of the day. Many stayed longer than planned.

“In a crazy busy world, this was a wonderful reminder of community, nature, and the need to slow down and notice,” wrote one visitor. Another simply said, “What a great surprise.”

Across five exhibitions, Seed130 explored urgent themes - from climate and ecology to craft, technology and public art in times of crisis - while remaining open, generous and accessible.

Mat Collishaw’s Move 37, shortlisted for the Archiboo Award, was praised by judges for ‘its creative andthought provoking use ofcutting-edge AI tools ’. Move 37 transformed the gallery into an immersive digital environment, with audiences describing the sensation of being “literally immersed underwater” and encountering a form of art they had “never seen before.” For many office workers nearby, the exhibition became a reminder of how close culture could be - “I could spend hours in this gallery knowing how close it is to my office.” Move 37 was named Guardian’s exhibition of the week.

Exhibitions developed with University of the Arts London and Studio Swine invited reflection on material futures and the role of creativity during moments of global uncertainty. Studio Swine’s Crafting the Future from What Remains lingered with audiences long after they left the space - “The doorway is so enticing,” one visitor noted, “and once you’re in, the exhibits never fail to amaze.” whilst University of the Arts London’s Public Art in a Time of Crisis explored how artists respond to urgent social and environmental challenges through public practice. Visitors commented: ‘Thank you for supporting this, we need artists.’

With In Bloom, created in partnership with the National Trust and Transport for London, Seed130 revealed unexpected stories of community and greening hidden across the London Underground. For some visitors, the discovery was profound: “I’ve lived in London for 30 years and didn’t know about this.” The exhibition rippled outward, becoming woven into wider cultural activity, from themed walking tours to collaborations with schools and community groups.

The year culminated with Cloud Messengers, developed with Invisible Dust andRaqs Media Collective - an award-nominated exhibition that invited visitors to think expansively about climate, responsibility and our relationship with the planet.

Yet Seed130’s impact extended well beyond exhibitions alone. The gallery became a platform for talks, performances, workshops and conversations - hosting artists including Bernice Mulenga, Phoebe Collings-James and Tom Kendall, welcoming The Aldgate School, and opening its doors to organisations such as the City Property Association to explore the future of meanwhile spaces in the city. Groups like SPICE incorporated Seed130 into their cultural tours, bringing new connections and networks to Seed130.

Alessandra Grignaschi, Senior Curator, reflects on the past year at Seed130: ‘From the beginning, Seed130 was about more than presenting exhibitions. We wanted to create a space that felt open, generous and carefully considered - somewhere people could pause, feel welcome and connect with ideas. Seeing it become a place for participation as much as observation, shaped by workshops, conversations and everyday encounters, has been the most meaningful part of the programme for me.’

Perhaps most meaningfully, Seed130 became a place people returned to - again and again.

“Very, very cool and inspiring.”

“One of the best galleries in London. An absolute gem.”

And from one of our youngest visitors: “It brings more and more fun each time and will be forever in my heart. Thanks Seed130!”

As 2025 comes to a close, we’re grateful to the artists, partners, collaborators and audiences who shaped this year at Seed130. We would like to thank CO-RE and Aviva Investors for leading this project, WilkinsonEyre and Arup for collaborating with us and especially our cultural partners Invisible Dust and Eastern City Business Improvement District. What began as a meanwhile space has grown into a shared cultural moment - rooted in generosity, curiosity and connection.

Photography by Altay Dogahan