N E Space

PRESS RELEASE            02 May 2006

Getting Artists into Space

A new service helping artists to find workspace in the North East launched today.

NEspace offers free advice and brokerage to help match up creative people with property holders with available space. 

The service is building a register of professional artists looking for workspace, and a list of premises offering space for creative activity.

NEspace is funded by Arts Council England North East, the DTI's Phoenix Fund and the European Regional Development Fund, and is delivered by Project North East – an enterprise agency with over 25 years’ experience of advising people who work for themselves and developing affordable workspace.

"We want to place the arts at the heart of the region's life, and this is a fantastic example of the practical steps we can take to make that happen.  Matching up artists and suitable vacant workspaces will help build the creative economy, allow creative individuals and groups of artists the space to flourish, and contribute to the vibrancy of the locations in which they're working," says Alison Clark-Jenkins, Director, Arts & Development at Arts Council England, North East.

If professional artists looking for space in the region tell NEspace what their needs are, NEspace will try to find suitable spaces.  If this isn’t possible, a record of the enquiry will be kept. These records will be real evidence of demand, and make a very strong case for future funding of workspace developments.  The service will also help groups of artists come together to take on development projects, by offering advice on both business and property issues.

NEspace can help people with property to let vacant space by matching their space with artists’ needs.  If the premises need redevelopment, then the service can advise on the scope for making it suitable for use by artists.  Such re-use of old buildings has often been the start of the regeneration of an area. In a pioneering development in London, artists’ studios have been included within a new residential development – and the developers are using the presence of the artists in their marketing to boost the perceived value of the residential units.  This is a model that NEspace can help developers and planners to explore.

Cultural investment in the North East has persuaded many creative people to move into the region. Certainly, the region’s creative graduates are increasingly seeking advice on how to start and manage their own businesses here.  NEspace aims to ensure that the region doesn’t lose out on the benefits of that investment due to lack of affordable space for artists.

“This project can really help artists, property holders and the North East”, says Andrew Maville of NEspace.

Artists looking for studio space, and people with space they wish to let out (or sub-let) to artists, are encouraged to contact the NEspace team.

You can find out more about the NEspace service at www.nespace.org
by calling (0191) 261 6009
or by calling or texting 07758 288 578