Apr 22 2005

Studio

We are looking at setting up a studio … and are looking for ideas from you guys as to how you find one useful….

So far the things that have been mooted are:

Studio spaces - painting/sculpture/etc.

office spaces / desk spaces

creche faciities

materials shop

studio run as co-operative

internet connection / available computer(s)

Comments:

Hurrah! Good plan - I have doubts as to how much I would ever get to use it - life is very full I‘d have to push something out of it - but they all seem like important things - this studio would have to be somewhere I’d really want to be - it would have to have a good community feel with people I love spending time there along with me.

Obviously having a space where I could work and take a break to be creative would be the easiest option - but the Church may never quite pull its finger out so I think we should go for it now. I may look into getting some funding - there is bugger all in Southampton on the creative scene - funding should be relatively easy to secure but we would need some sort of plan (of the business variety) and we may have to open it out in some way.

I'd be keen to not make the place exclusive to just those of us interested at the moment but to draw in non-Christians we know as well. Forming community around them and drawing them into what we are doing (be it using our creativity as worship or otherwise). Not talking about having a drop in style thing - that would be a whole different ball game - unless we have a private/public space divide - in which case CLEAR would invest!

Having something this good in a city this empty of creativity (although not with out its share of creative people living here) and not having an element of openness would be a waste, in my opinion,of a great opportunity.

Thoughts?

Would be nice to be at the forefront of doing this in a city that really needs to break free of its post war historical apathy (thanks Andy for helping me word that) - these are my thoughts - he's not just dictating!

Need a good local, cheap venue (go Chix go) and some money.

Sorry that was all a bit rambling - I'm not good at explaining myself in text - I can do it face to face, but not in writing (as some people will know from past confusions) - give me a break - I did a science degree!

Spaniel

Are we're talking having an online element as well - maybe marketing the stuff that comes out of the studio - artwork, music, T-shirts etc.

Would also be interesting to set up a Web cam (members only maybe)! You can see who is there and what is going on before going down, and we can then do live art stuff too - where half of the artistic outworking is in the process not just the product.

Spaniel

Certainly from my perspective, I would want it to be comfy (nice sofas etc), be online, and be somewhere people wanted to be.

I think that it seems that there are a couple of key areas to this; the art studio side, which in addition to renting long term studio space and probably short term space as well, runs courses and similar for people like refugees (ie. people who want to do the projects), this would probably be at set times.

Then there is the work element - I‘d like somewhere I could go and work some days; I’m sure there are other people about who are the same (we'd need some IT infrastructure to support this eg Broadband, routers etc.). If we did put this stuff in place then we could expand at some point to offer internet cafe type access.

Basic appliances are essential - fridge, toaster, kettle. Probably part of the ground rent for people renting spaces would cover buying tea, coffee, milk.

I put forward the proposition that the site is called the-ocean. This site can become an online resource for the studio. I like the conceptual imagery of the-ocean as space where things live. it has been where I wanted the-ocean to go from day 1.

Andy

We may be eligible for a grant from the artscouncil if we are able to put together a sufficiently good proposal. Although it wouldn‘t cover any of the costs of the building, it could cover the cost of materials for projects/classes. If some of these had a commercial aspect, we may be able to use them to bring more money in … i’m thinking customising clothes/furniture etc and selling it online.

Andy