PRESS STATEMENT

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

The Africa Centre Announces Strategic Decision to Sell Its Southwark Building to Secure Its Future

London, United Kingdom, 28th July 2026

The Board of Trustees of The Africa Centre today announced the difficult but necessary decision to sell the organisation's Southwark building as part of a long-term strategy to secure the future of one of the United Kingdom's most significant African cultural institutions.

This decision has not been taken lightly. The Board recognises the profound emotional attachment that generations of Africans, people of African heritage and friends of Africa have to The Africa Centre and its home in Southwark. However, after an extensive review of the organisation's financial position, the Trustees concluded that selling the building is the only responsible course of action to protect the Centre's mission and ensure its long-term sustainability.

For more than sixty years, The Africa Centre has stood as a beacon of African culture, creativity, dialogue and community. Since opening its doors in Covent Garden in 1964, and later establishing its new home in Southwark, the Centre has welcomed world leaders, artists, writers, musicians and generations of the African diaspora. A single building has never defined its legacy, but rather the people, ideas, and communities it has brought together.

Like many charities and cultural organisations across the United Kingdom, The Africa Centre has faced mounting financial pressures over recent years. Rising operating costs, declining unrestricted income, inflationary pressures, and the increasing costs of maintaining a large building have rendered the financial model unsustainable. Remaining in the current premises would continue to divert vital resources away from the programmes, artists and communities the Centre exists to serve.

Before reaching this decision, the Board explored every reasonable alternative, including emergency fundraising, expanding commercial activities, and restructuring existing financial commitments. Despite these efforts, it became clear that divesting the property was the only viable option to avoid a far more serious outcome and secure the organisation's

future.

The sale of the building marks not an ending, but the beginning of a new chapter.

The Africa Centre will relocate to a smaller, more financially sustainable home that reflects the realities of today's operating environment while enabling the organisation to continue delivering its ambitious cultural, educational and community programmes. The new model will allow greater investment in artists, young people, public programming, partnerships and digital engagement, ensuring that resources are directed toward impact rather than building overheads.

This transition forms part of the organisation's Africa Centre 3.0 strategy—a vision for building a stronger, more resilient institution that can serve future generations through diversified income, strengthened governance and a renewed focus on mission. As the strategy makes clear, the goal is simple: less building, more mission.

Statement from the Chair of the Board of Trustees - OBA NSUGBE, KC SAN

"This has been one of the most difficult decisions in The Africa Centre's history. We know how much this building means to our community because it means so much to us as well.

However, our responsibility as Trustees is to safeguard not only the organisation's heritage but also its future. Preserving a building at the expense of the institution itself would not constitute responsible stewardship.

Our commitment is to celebrate African culture, support creatives, build networks, and connect individuals and organizations across sectors in the African Diaspora and on the continent. By reducing the financial burden of maintaining a large building, we will be able to invest more directly in our mission and ensure that The Africa Centre continues to thrive for decades to come.

The Africa Centre has successfully reinvented itself before. We are confident that this next chapter will create a stronger, more sustainable organisation—one that honours our remarkable legacy while embracing the future."

The Board is committed to engaging openly with members, partners, artists, donors and the wider community throughout this transition. Further information regarding the relocation, future programming, and opportunities for public consultation will be shared in the coming weeks.

While the address may change, The Africa Centre's purpose remains constant: to celebrate African excellence, champion African and diaspora voices, and provide a home for culture, creativity and community.

After sixty years of history, The Africa Centre is not closing—it is evolving.

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