Deptford's answer to The Wombles, The Utrophia collective are a group of artists and musicians living and working together in a converted factory space in South London. Behind an unmarked red steel gate on Greenwich High Street, the Utrophians have spent the last five years engaged in a free-wheeling, semi-freegan lifestyle, all the while living communally - climbing up home-made ladders at night to sleep in small wooden alcoves high above their work spaces. Utrophia began as a regular alternative music night at the former Time bar in Greenwich. The monthly event developed slowly, and a core group of die-hard artists and musicians eventually came together to form the collective. An urge to document the nights also inspired the production of the first Utrophia website. For a while, the event moved to the 291 gallery, a church on Hackney Road, before the Utrophians finally came to the location on Deptford creek, occupying two units of a business park. The Utrophia collective have an eclectic music and arts policy, based more on their instincts than on any fixed plan (though you're not likely to find much house or techno here). They host regular free jams, under the 'Glee Club' banner - a typical session might involve a harpist trying to play along to a speak-and-spell accompanied by a tenor saxophonist while a small troupe of drummers sit in the corner beating their sticks on the floor. Serious musos gather on Mondays to play free form noise-jazz at 'Club Mu', often inviting guest acts from as far afield as New York and Tokyo. As well as providing an alternative venue space in London throughout the year, Utrophia also curates an annual summer music festival, known as the 'cwm' festival, alternating between London and Norfolk, Wales. The Norfolk festivals are free, and are organised in collaboration with Diana Mavroleon, resonance DJ and curator of the monthly 'Songbird' night in Dalston. Parties in the space tend to be informal, featuring installations by artists such as James Dunn, whose work includes pieces that combine generated sounds with electronically modified ping-pong tables. The Utrophians have a soft spot for experimental acts, such as 'Sculpture', a one-man band with a bag full of tape-loop trickery and home built noise boxes, or 'Sudden Infant', who, when we last saw them, set up in the corridor and freaked the folkies out with a barrage of overdriven samples while a drunken friend built a multidimensional collage of abuse to irritate passers-by using a microphone routed through a phase-loop pedal. More crowd-pleasing acts cover the spectrum from death metal to post-rock. Most of the bands that play at Utrophia aren't particularly interested in getting signed, they're already having fun where they're at - building sustainable life-styles and letting success come naturally. No doubt the collective will set up their own DIY record label in time - they've already released 3 compilations, each hand-assembled and including packaged art by members of the collective. Beyond providing a great space for performance, exhibition and parties, the Utrophians' community spirit is really what makes the collective something special. They provide a hub for community activities and a way for people to connect deeper into the underground arts and music scenes around London. Their support for the artists is truly heartfelt, and they incorporate ethical and community values into every part of their lives. The spirit of sharing and communal living is something that keeps them warm through the cold winter months, in what is essentially a converted warehouse. The landscape of South East London continues to change, and the Utrophia collective have recently moved to a new venue to start the building process again as their old residence faces re-developement. Their new space is also in Deptford and is situated near the Utrophia cafe on Tanners hill. It promises to be a place that will continue to support and inspire audio and visual artists in the future.