Patchouli Deep: A Community Sound Incubator
Powered by Patchouli Deep, funded by Arts Council of England
Welcome to Patchouli Deep Studio — a grassroots initiative designed to empower emerging artists through accessible music creation, performance, and collaboration.
Rooted in the thriving underground electronic scene of London, our mission is to support artists from the bedroom to the mainstage by providing space, tools, and guidance that help develop musical identity, confidence, and community.
OUR
MISSION
Patchouli Deep is more than a label — it's a platform for artist development. We believe everyone should have access to the resources that help grow their sound and career, regardless of their background, connections, or financial means.
Our project is centred around inclusivity, creativity, and knowledge-sharing. Through our community studio, live sessions, and mentoring, we aim to incubate talent and bring new voices into the spotlight.
OPEN DECKS
(1x Week)
Performance sessions open to all genres of electronic music where DJs of any level can test their sound in front of a live audience. We host an average of 12 artists per session, supporting up to 576 DJs per year.
MASTERCLASSES & MEETUPS
(2x Month)
Skill-based learning sessions on production, mixing, music business, and creative identity. Each session hosts 20–25 participants, reaching over 500 people per year.
RECORDING STUDIO SESSIONS
(20x Month)
Affordable access to a semi-professional recording studio with sound engineer support for mixing, mastering, and recording. This results in 220 studio bookings per year, each averaging 4 hours — totalling over 880 hours of studio time.
COMMUNITY SHOWCASE
Opportunities to share your music, get feedback, and connect with other creators both online and in person.
WE AIM TO SUPPORT 220 ARTIST PER YEAR, PROVIDING MORE THAN 880 HOURS OF RECORDING TIME AND DOZENS OF FREE SESSIONS, WORKSHOPS AND MENTORING OPPORTUNITIES
WHERE IT HAPPENS
All activities take place in our converted shipping container space (Containerville) in Tower Hamlets, London. This modular creative hub includes:
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A DJ booth
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Recording studio
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Flexible seating for workshops and intimate showcases
SETUP - AI GENERATED MOCKUPS
WHY WE'RE DOING THIS
Access to music spaces is becoming increasingly expensive and exclusive. We want to change that.
Patchouli Deep Studio exists to keep music creation human, community-led, and affordable — ensuring that great talent isn’t lost due to lack of access or industry gatekeeping.
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This project is supported by our collective belief in the power of soft clubbing culture — where music, tea, and connection replace pressure, alcohol, and industry ego.
BUDGET NARRATIVE
FOR GRANT APPLICATION
(ARTS COUNCIL ENGLAND)
This project will operate five days per week in a multi-functional shipping container unit. One of these days (Monday evenings from 5 PM to 11 PM) will be used for non-funded commercial activity (Patchouli Deep Radio broadcasting), while the remaining four days will be fully dedicated to community-facing, artist development activities such as open decks, recording studio sessions, technical masterclasses, and mentorship meetups.
In line with Arts Council guidelines, we have adjusted all shared costs (such as rent, equipment, and infrastructure) to reflect 80% community use. Only this eligible portion is included in the funding request.
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Costs that are exclusively commercial, administrative, or serve the organisation beyond this specific project (e.g., PRS/PPL licenses, domain, subscriptions) have been excluded from the grant request. Likewise, income generated by commercial activities (such as radio or bar) will be tracked and clearly separated from project funds, ensuring full compliance.
We will monitor space usage via a shared digital calendar, a session log for studio bookings, and a profit/expenses tracker for studio and bar usage — all of which will be made available for reporting.
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This financial structure ensures that public funding supports only the eligible, community-driven aspect of the project, while helping us build a sustainable foundation for long-term grassroots music development.
GRANT BUDGET BREAKDOWN
(ELIGIBLE COSTS ONLY)
Title | Full Cost | Funded % | Grant Eligible Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
Rent Container (12 months) | £ 17,280.00 | 80% | £ 13,824.00 |
Containerville Annual Fee | £ 300.00 | 80% | £ 240.00 |
Accountin & Subscriptions | £ 500.00 | 0% (Admin/overhead) | £ 0.00 |
Furniture & Sound Panels | £ 3,500.00 | 80% | £ 2,800.00 |
Studio Equipment (Decks + Speakers) | £ 1,650.00 | 80% | £ 1,320.00 |
Chairs for Masterclasses | £ 350.00 | 100% | £ 350.00 |
PPL / PRS License | £ 195.40 | 0% (cover whole venue) | £ 0.00 |
Health & Safety (extinguishers, etc) | £ 70.00 | 80% | £ 56.00 |
Salary - Studio Director | £ 9,000.00 | 100% | £ 9,000.00 |
Marketing | £ 500 | 100% | £ 500 |
TOTAL | £ 32,845.40 | - | £ 28,090.00 |
DJs/year through Open Decks
480
participants/year through masterclasses
500+
studio bookings (880+ hours) annually
220