SPID Theatre: Energy efficient arts and advocacy
SPID Theatre (Social Progressive Interconnected Diverse) has spent more than 20 years using community art and drama to campaign for housing justice and build confidence, skills, and advocacy among people directly affected by housing inequality. Based in Kensal House, a Grade II* listed estate in West London, SPID specialises in this approach, blending youth drama, community engagement, and legal advocacy to drive real change.
SPID received support from the Energy Resilience Fund to purchase an electric minibus, charging point, and LED lighting. This investment arrived at a crucial moment after a long and complex refurbishment disrupted by lockdown, rising costs, and challenges associated with working in a listed building.
Investing in sustainability
Over the years, SPID has delivered award-winning programmes and helped secure a £4 million refurbishment of its estate, including successfully campaigning for housing justice alongside the Grenfell community.
Their recent refurbishment has resulted in a fully upgraded and accessible facility, capable of supporting SPID’s various programmes and community engagement. The organisation’s approach to this project demonstrates how determination, planning, and strategic use of funding can transform neglected spaces into sustainable community assets.
Creativity and community in action
SPID runs four main programmes that link art with social change. Estate Endz, its flagship youth project, pairs young people with estate residents to explore the heritage of social housing through performances, films, and interactive tours. Change Collective works with adults to build advocacy skills, while Feeling the Love brings free wellbeing activities – from yoga to kung fu – to local residents. Each initiative is rooted in the belief that the arts can be a powerful force for community pride and political awareness.
SPID uses their advocacy work and experience to help others campaign for change. Its adult’s advocacy programme funds changemakers that are trying to secure housing justice, and SPID assists with things like setting up petitions, involving local press, and bringing together local action. Founder and Artistic Director Helena Thompson explains that in practice, “the art is the most effective thing”, bringing together all of these interconnected streams.
Their work is deliberately low-cost and accessible, with performances designed to tour across estates in London and beyond. That commitment to reach more communities in a sustainable way was the motivation behind their investment through the Energy Resilience Fund.
Impact and future plans
For SPID, the changes from the funding have had far-reaching effects. With their new electric minibus the team can now plan tours more flexibly and reach more audiences, while removing logistical barriers and cutting emissions.
The upgrades have also strengthened morale among staff, volunteers, and residents as they’ve seen production quality improve through new LED lighting – an effect that Thompson describes as “hope in action”: tangible improvements that make creativity, sustainability, and community empowerment feel possible together.
Crucially, the fund’s blend of grant and loan support also helped to relieve cashflow pressure following their refurbishment, allowing SPID to consolidate its operations and plan for sustainable growth.
SPID’s experience demonstrates that investing in sustainability is not only about reducing emissions, it’s also about providing people, places and community assets the tools needed to thrive. SPID continues to show how creative practice drives social change and how targeted investment in energy efficiency and can help organisations deliver more for their communities.
The Energy Resilience Fund (ERF) provides a blended funding package of loan (60%) and grant (40%) to bolster the energy resilience of eligible charities and social enterprises in England. The Fund is delivered by a partnership made up of Social Investment Business, Big Issue Invest, Charity Bank, Co-operative and Community Finance, Groundwork UK, Key Fund, Resonance Ltd, The Architectural Heritage Fund, and The Ubele Initiative.