Grand Junction is a vibrant arts, culture, and community hub housed within a Grade I listed Victorian church in Paddington, run by Paddington Development Trust. We run a dynamic programme of live events, health and wellbeing classes, children and young people’s programmes and community activities, as well as sharing the rich heritage of the Grade I listed Victorian church and its surrounding North Paddington area. At the heart of Grand Junction is the idea of bringing together different communities finding different ways to tell our UK heritage stories that make space for the stories of new communities.
Grand Junction at St Mary Magdalene’s is a multi-artform venue managed by Paddington Development Trust. PDT is a regeneration trust and community anchor organisation with teams working in the areas of employment, arts, training, and health, led by a 56% Global Majority board and senior management team.
Grand Junction hosts an affordable arts and heritage programme including live music, family theatre, exhibitions, and tours, striving to represent the cultural diversity of our local audiences. We engage directly with local people through classes and workshops for adults and children.
Since opening in 2019, and despite the pandemic, we have seen over 125,000 in-person visitors, with nearly 20,000 participating in our activities. Audience development is a priority; our programming and ticket schemes support this. Local people now feel ownership of the space, shifting expectations of a Grade 1 Listed venue to widen inclusivity and improve wellbeing for local people.