The Battersea Arts Center in South London is set to be modernized with a government grant of approximately $730,000. Artists who have emerged at the BAC include French and Saunders, Paul Merton, and the League of Gentlemen. The center came under threat in 2007 when Wandsworth Council considered axing funding to the venue.

As part of the new deal, Wandsworth will not charge any rent for twenty years. The BAC’s artistic director David Jubb said the deal was a “terrific shot in the arm,” adding, “Our refurbishment and development plans will enable us to expand our range of activities, enhance the experience of visiting BAC, and attract many more people to our vibrant program.”

However, Artinfo reports that the Battersea Contemporary Art Fair has announced that it will cancel its 2009 show due to the current state of the economy. BCAF is usually held at London’s Battersea Arts Center the second weekend of May and features international artists working in a range of media, who sell their work directly to the public. According to the fair’s website, organizers “hope to be back in 2010.”