Olympia announces the appointment of Charlene Prempeh as the first Olympia Art Ambassador. Charlene – founder of A Vibe Called Tech, a Black-owned creative agency dedicated to approaching creativity through an intersectional lens – will work closely with the Olympia leadership team to shape the creative vision for art at the reimagined Olympia, set to open from 2025.
I’m excited to be helping to shape Olympia’s broader art strategy ahead of its anticipated reimagining in 2025. As Frieze descends on London this October, we’re looking forward to inaugurating the first of our creative roundtables with artist Remi Ajani in Olympia’s London Design Festival pavilion, which serves as both an architectural attraction and as a hub for cultural conversation
Charlene Prempeh
The regeneration of Olympia
The regeneration of Olympia is one of the most ambitious projects in London. Built as an events and exhibitions venue almost 140 years ago, it will soon become a new destination celebrating creativity in all forms, from public art to theatre and music, to education and business. Alongside the events and exhibitions taking place in the beloved halls, Olympia will be home to a 4,000-capacity music venue, the largest new purpose-built theatre in London for almost 50 years, two lifestyle hotels, 30+ restaurants and bars, a new school, state-of-the-art offices, and new public spaces for visitors to enjoy.
About Charlene Prempeh
Since A Vibe Called Tech’s establishment in 2018, Charlene and her Creative Director Lewis Dalton Gilbert have worked with many prestigious brands including Gucci, Stine Goya, Faber and Frieze, alongside institutions like Whitechapel Gallery, White Cube, RA and V&A East to deliver ambitious creative output that nourishes communities. In her role at Olympia, Charlene will look to create an open and inclusive approach to public art and design, producing creative solutions that position Olympia as a pioneer and host to world-class creativity.
Roundtable Talks
Kicking off during Frieze 2024, Charlene will host the first in a series of roundtables at Olympia, the inaugural of which will see Charlene in conversation with artist Remi Ajani. Charlene has been a collector of Remi’s work since her early days as an artist, with the two sharing a history as flatmates as well as artist and collector. They will discuss their long-standing relationship, the impact of space in Remi’s work (finished and unfinished) and will debate the impact that structures can have on our psyche.
John Hitchcox, Chairman and co-founder, Yoo Capital, the developer behind Olympia: “Charlene has long been a trailblazer in the creative industries and her commitment to art, accessibility and to intersectionality is hugely inspiring. As Olympia undergoes this significant transformation, restoring the historical halls and adding exciting new buildings, the appointment of Charlene underscores Olympia’s commitment to creativity, community and art.”
Charlene’s appointment follows Olympia’s first-ever London Design Festival pavilion with “Off The Shelf“, a new creation by renowned artist and craftsperson Rio Kobayashi and award-winning engineering firm Webb Yates. Heralding Olympia’s transformation into a new destination for culture and creativity, the pavilion will be open to the public until the 28th of February 2025, daily from 10 am to 6 pm, and will act as a showcase for prominent artists and designers.
©2024 Olympia
Art Plugged is a contemporary platform inspired by a relationship with the broader arts communities. We provide our audience with curated insight into the world of art, from exhibitions to artist interviews and more.
