As part of our feasibility research project for a large scale arts venue in Leamington Spa, we are visiting a number of arts venues across the country who do similar things and have similar aims to what we imagine this space to be.
Our second research visit was to Cornwall, where we visited CAST Cornwall, Redwing Gallery, Porthmeor Studios and Fish Factory.
First up was Redwing Gallery which is a community focused gallery and arts space. What we loved about Redwing was how much the people who used the space loved it and felt supported by it. It truly acts as a hub for the local community, offering gallery space, a cafe, artist studios and workshops.
Theirs is a space that really focuses on people, and while the space is small, it has a homely feel. Their cafe and workshops seemed to be the main draw, and the staff and volunteers are incredibly welcoming.
Next up was Fish Factory. From the second you spot the vibrant and exciting exterior, you know you're in for a treat. Their space was buzzing with creative activity the whole time we were there, and the space was filled with art and conversation. 
Their public space also features a cafe, and was being used for art workshops while we were filming. They had an amazing, inclusive approach and a varied program that included a host of events and activities for a wide variety of audiences.
They also host artists in residence, providing accommodation and mentoring for the visiting artist as well as hosting and promoting their events. The disciplines of artists in residence are varied and they are currently hosting an experimental musician.
Next up was the stunning Porthmeor Studios, with what has to be the best view from a studio you can possibly imagine, overlooking the sea. It even has a back door that opens directly onto the beach! They have a long and fascinating history that is deeply connected to the local environment and there is an atmosphere of tranquility throughout the space.
Lastly, we were incredibly lucky to be able to visit CAST in Helston. They have an incredibly ambitious public programme with exhibitions, artist films, talks, screening events and workshops. They also provide learning programmes for schools and creative activities for children, families and young people. CAST is also home to artists’ studios, an open-access ceramics studio and a beautiful café. They are currently undergoing a period of renovation and development and we were so excited to see what they are planning. Their beautiful ceramics studio was a real high point.
Some take aways from this trip...
1. Funding, Funding, Funding!
More and more we hear from directors of these art spaces how crucial funding is to maintain their spaces and create meaningful opportunities for their communities. Many venues rely solely on their volunteers donations and hard work at the start if their journey however it soon becomes clear that to maintain any kind of sustainable growth funding is necessary. Many directors have spoken to us about how time consuming writing up funding applications can be. In some cases where they have the resources to do so, some venues have appointed a specific grants and fundraising person to deal with that area of the organisation.
2. Community is everything!
Community is at the heart of all of the art spaces we have visited so far on our research visit tours. And more importantly within the art spaces we have visited we have seen some amazing examples of their impact on their communities. Volunteers have spoken to us with high praise detailing how important their art spaces have been in their lives and how reliant they are on going to their spaces for daily exercise, activities and sociable experiences. One volunteer at Redwing in Penzance told us how isolated she and her husband felt after her husband had a stroke, however that changed when they were warmly welcomed in to the gallery, made friends quickly and they now both attend on a regular basis.
3. Everything is work in progress…
In most of the spaces we have visited so far there has been an element of on-going building, refurbishment or extension works going on. We have discussed previously how important it is to be flexible with the space, especially in the beginning as you are getting the space established and considering what facilities and services to have where, etc. Equally important is to always be considering is each space being used efficiently, and if not then how best could it be used? Can some simple works transform a once under used corridor into a bright and welcoming extra gallery space?
4. Consider outsourcing once established - hiring out ceramic space/cafe etc
In some creative spaces we have visited there have been great examples of outsourcing spaces to external agencies. In some instances where the venues have cafes’ these have either been run internally, mostly by volunteers which can cause issues when there is not a reliable team of regular volunteers. Other examples have been where they are rented out to a local business to run and they pay the venue a monthly rental. In another examples such as at CAST we saw how in the last 2 years they have secured funding for a new ceramics studio including paying a ceramicist to establish and run the space. Once funding expired, they decided to outsource the running of the ceramic studio and rent the space to an outside professional ceramics organisation. This is a model which seems to work well.
ve similar aims to what we imagine this space to be.