Shoreditch Studios, housed in a converted 19th-century warehouse, is the Royal Drawing School’s main campus and head office. It hosts all Drawing Year classes, forums, and lectures, much of the Young Artists programme, and many public drawing courses. The building contains four fully equipped drawing studios – two on the fourth floor with skylights, large windows, daylight lighting, and two newly developed multi-purpose studios on the ground floor, which also serve as exhibition spaces. On the 4th floor we also have reference art library, where students can borrow a book on the day of their course. The basement houses a fully equipped intaglio print room.
Location
The studios are based in the heart of East London’s art, design and fashion district. They are close to galleries such as White Cube, Rivington Place, Flowers East and the Whitechapel Art Gallery, as well as many artist-run spaces in Bethnal Green, Hoxton and Hackney.
Accessibility
The School at Shoreditch is fully accessible by wheelchair, with step-free access and hearing loops in all teaching spaces.
Take a virtual tour round our 4th floor studios:
Print room
Our well-equipped intaglio print room is in the Shoreditch building’s basement, perfect for etching, collograph, and monoprint projects.
Etching courses and drop-in sessions run several times a week during term, and as one-week blocks in holidays. Experienced tutors teach both classic and unique intaglio techniques – like hard/soft ground, aquatint, sugar lift, and white ground – with a special focus on etching. Plus, London art students enjoy Free Etching every Monday night in Shoreditch.
Our fully-equipped intaglio print room is located in the basement of our building in Shoreditch and has facilities for students to work with etching, collograph and monoprint.
Take a virtual tour round our print room:
Acid Bite: An exhibition of works by Alicja Biała, 2025
Drawing Year Exhibition 2023
Gallery
Situated on the ground floor of our main Shoreditch campus is our new multi-purpose Maria Manetti Shrem Gallery Studios. This spaces host a range of exhibitions throughout the year including the Royal Drawing School's major show in December, The Drawing Year End of Year Exhibition, and our annual Young Artists Exhibition for artists 10-18 year olds who have attended the Young Artists programme.
The gallery also exhibits postgraduate alumni and Royal Drawing School faculty throughout the year including the annual recipient of the Christie's Drawing Award that helps a graduating Drawing Year alumni to continue their artistic practice.
Digital Studio
The Digital Studio provides remote access to live-streamed drawing sessions, broadcast directly from our studios. These sessions make use of professional multi-camera setups, flexible lighting arrangements, and screen-based resources designed specifically for online delivery.
Tutors use the life room environment to explore a range of drawing methods and visual perspectives that translate effectively to screen, supporting clear demonstration and instruction. Sessions are structured in one-hour or two-hour formats and are available on a drop-in basis, offering flexibility for individuals integrating drawing into their broader practice or study schedule.
