GREATMINDS

Places...

In each newsletter we’ll be taking a look behind the doors of some creative spaces in North Staffordshire to find out what goes on there and to see how it can help support the creative community.

First in the spotlight is Airspace

AirSpace can proudly lay claim to being Stoke-on-Trent’s first Contemporary Art Gallery.

Launched in March 2006 by David Bethell and Andrew Branscombe, two first class Hons graduates from Staffordshire University, AirSpace is a vibrant cultural presence in the heart of Stoke-on-Trent’s Cultural Quarter.

AirSpace’s vision to create a beacon for the Contemporary Arts was emphasised when they secured Turner Prize winner Martin Creed to launch the gallery.

It has continued to attract a series of contemporary art stars to the Potteries, hosting exhibitions by artists such as Mariele Neudecker, Richard Hughes, Marcus Coates, Johanna Hallsten, Shaun Doyle and Mally Mallinson, Charlie Tweed, Adam James and Doug Fishbone, Alex Frost, and littlewhitehead.

So far, the gallery has reached an audience of 7,064 and has increased that to over 16,000 with external events. AirSpace Gallery now has an average audience attendance of 500-600 for a six week show.

AirSpace Gallery has attained international recognition through working in partnership with Stoke-on-Trent City Council and Staffordshire University.

To date, the gallery has brought in over £130,000 to the area through funding for AirSpace Gallery and the Conjunction 08 biennial.

AirSpace Gallery is currently located in the City Centre (Hanley) of Stoke on Trent at No 4 Broad Street having moved from its original space at the former J H Weatherby and Sons factory on the outskirts of the City Centre.

At both locations, AirSpace turned a disused and unusable space into a usable one for housing Contemporary Art. AirSpace Gallery has successfully managed both buildings and maintained occupancy of the spaces keeping them secure, maintained and in use.

The founding duo set up AirSpace after carrying-out research which revealed that the contemporary art scene in Stoke-on-Trent was massively under developed compared to neighbouring cities including Derby, Nottingham, Birmingham, Manchester, Liverpool, and Sheffield.

In cities where such communities exist, art and artists have contributed considerably towards regeneration projects often as a result of artists moving into the derelict spaces left by industry.
 

... and people

Jill Levens, Director of Business Initiative in North Staffordshire helps scores of new companies get off the ground each year. Here, she gives advice to people looking to transform their creative skills into a business.

Many small businesses start from an interest in creating something unique and beautiful in all areas of the arts and often finding that someone then wants to buy from them. Having sold a few pieces of work or performed a few gigs, it is useful to consider whether running as a business rather than a hobby will be beneficial.

There are a number of reasons why it is useful to consider putting it on a more formal footing:

• You should think about protecting the valuable assets you have in the name, brand or logo associated with your idea. Intellectual property rights protect these assets: patents for inventions, registered trademarks for names, logos, brands and registered design rights for the external appearance of your product. This helps prevent others from using them.

• If working from home you would need to check your tenancy agreement or deeds to ensure you are not forbidden to work from home and inform your insurers as any equipment might need extra insurance cover. Public liability insurance is often neglected but protects your business if it is sued as a result of injury or damage to a third party or their property.
   
• Data Protection: if you keep details of individual contacts on computer, even just names and addresses, you will need to register you business. Visit the website: www.ico.gov.uk

These are just a few reasons, and you would need to register with HM Revenue and Customs within three months of starting, but if your business starts to make a profit you can offset any expenses directly related to the business against that profit. There is a plethora of business support out there, including Business Link on 0845 113 1234 or visit www.businesslinkwm.co.uk or your local contacts at Business Initiative on 01782 202222 or www.business.org.uk

There are a number of local websites for Creatives at www.creativestoke.org.uk and www.creativenetwork-staffs.org/. Good luck. 

Brave new world

In each issue we’ll be profiling one local company working in the creative sector. This time it’s the turn of corporate video production company Lenzflare.

Founded in 2005 by former Staffordshire University students Colin Mottram and Kathy Plaskitt, Lenzflare Limited has become an international success story.

Based in Penkhull, the corporate video production company has gone from strength to strength working with major names such as the Youth Parliament, Honda, Hilton Worldwide Resorts, The London Eye, The Arts Council, Shell and countless local authorities.

Eager to promote the region’s creative credentials and develop local contacts, Lenzflare immediately registered with the Great Minds network. Explained Kathy: “When I heard about Great Minds I thought it was really good concept, to get businesses in the same community linked up. It’s a great forum for businesses that want to find locally based creative industries.

“This region is a magnet for creative people and we naturally want to work with people who are close to us. In our business we need to work with other sectors of the creative industry – like graphic designers, public relations and marketing, and design agencies – and Great Minds gives us direct access to these people.”

Kathy explained that networking is also important to Lenzflare’s business development and Great Minds gives them the forum to set out their stall to the business community closer to home.

“We are passionate about the local economy and want to support and help businesses’ grow by using our skills to develop promotional material that really works for local firms. We listen to a business, understand their challenges and help them to market themselves in an eye catching way while remaining conscious that they need to see a return on their investment.

“We work with companies all over the country and they’re always surprised that we’re not based in London, but there’s a phenomenal amount of creative talent in this area and we need to shout about it,” she added.

To promote your business to the Great Minds community email us on admin@buildup-ns.org.uk

Exhibitions, funding opportunities and business events

Roaming Rhubarb
February 11, AirSpace Gallery, 4 Broad Street, Hanley.

Creative photographic duo Rhubarb-Rhubarb are touring the West Midlands to meet and give advice to new and emerging photographers.

To book a slot at the Stoke-on-Trent leg of the tour email admin@rhubarb-rhubarb.net Telephone 0121 773 7889.

Photographers get a thirty-minute portfolio review session and a chance to get involved in Rhubarb-Rhubarb’s forthcoming events and exhibitions.

Free workshops – register your interest now...
Places are on offer at a series of workshops being held by the Talking Shop Creative Network.

The workshops are tailored towards people involved in creative activities, whether as a hobby or profession, who are interested in the possibilities of using digital technology to network and trade.

Call 01782 831911 to register.

A History of the World
North Staffordshire is playing its part in the high profile BBC “A History of the World” project.

Ten objects have been chosen to tell a history of Staffordshire and its place in the world. They include: Leek embroidery, The Nine Orders of Angels (1899), at the Nicholson Institute, Leek; Davenport bone china dessert plate, from 1837, at the Potteries Museum & Art Gallery, Stoke on Trent; Pomona teapot, dating from around 1745, at the Borough Museum and Art Gallery, Newcastle Under Lyme; and a dessert plate from the Frog Service made for Catherine the Great of Russia on display at the Wedgwood Museum, Barlaston.

A list of all 10 Staffordshire objects can be seen on the BBC Local site, www.bbc.co.uk/stoke

Presage
The local artist known as Eight Bit is holding a solo exhibition at Newcastle Museum and Art Gallery.

Eight Bit, a Staffordshire University Fine Art graduate from Hanley, has gained a reputation for his detailed ink drawings and distinctive illustrative style.

The artist has produced work for community art projects and festivals, contributed to exhibitions in different countries and secured commissions from companies such as Red Bull, Diesel and Sony PlayStation.

Catch “Presage”in the museum's New Generation Space until 21 March.
 

Final thought...

“A hunch is creativity trying to tell you something.”
Frank Capra