The DIY Space for London collective, started in 2012, raised £20,000 through benefit gigs, events, and community grants to secure a five year lease. The space opened at 96-108 Ormside Street in
South Bermondsey in September 2015 as a volunteer-run
social centre,
music venue, rehearsal space, and creative hub. The founding collective had first struggled for two years to find a suitable location. It had ten interlinked volunteer collectives taking care of running the space. Whether volunteering or attending, the space was both functionally and legally a
members' club. As of June 2017 the space had over 5000 members. The space was a regular venue for
punk shows,
zine fairs, fundraisers, and what Jessica Wrigglesworth writing for
Loud and Quiet called; "anything
anti-establishment". The events often sold cheaper tickets for the low-waged and the venue had a ramp installed for access to the stage. Volunteers of the space hosted a radio show showcasing the type of musicians to appear there on
NTS Radio between 2016 and 2017. From 2016 to 2019 the space was the venue for
First Timers, a yearly series of workshops culminating in a two day festival that encourages "new faces and voices in bands", in order to "do something about the lack of diversity in the music community". Over the weekend of 2-4 June 2017, DIY Diaspora Punx (a collective started by Stephanie Phillips of
Big Joanie, and also containing other London musicians such as
Ray Aggs) put on the first
Decolonise Fest at DIY Space for London. Decolonise Fest is the UK's first music festival created by and for
people of colour. The second edition of the festival (again mostly held at DIY Space) occurred from 22 to 24 June 2018, with a third over 29 to 30 June 2019. After the closure of its original venue
Power Lunches in late 2015, the space was also the location for
Bent Fest, a yearly
queer punk festival held in London between 2015 and 2019. On 12 June 2020 the collective announced due to temporary closures enforced due to the
COVID-19 pandemic they had been unable to renew their lease on their current premises and would be seeking a new location. ==Notable performers==