http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/385324 Exeter Studios Project Wed, 08 Oct 2008 02:15:45 +0100 a-n rss generator a-n The Artists Information Company and contributors edit@a-n.co.uk technical@a-n.co.uk http://sites.a-n.co.uk/img/logo.gif http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/385324 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/385324 If you're an artist in Exeter in need of affordable studio space, what options do you have? Between Spike Island in Bristol and Flameworks in Plymouth, not a lot. Many artists and makers resident in Devon's self-proclaimed ‘Capital City' survive on kitchen tables, in garden sheds, by renting workshops at commercial rates or by commuting out to the sticks to work in rural barns. Or they just give up studio-based work altogether.As the Arts Council has identified, finding affordable studio space is an issue for artists in urban areas across the country, but the visual arts seem under particular threat here in Exeter. It's not just the lack of workspace, it's the diminishing infrastructure. Exeter College of Art & Design, which has been a feature of the city since the late 1800s, is due to move 50 miles west in summer 2007 in the final stage of its integration with the University of Plymouth. Our next nearest art college, Dartington, recently announced that it too plans to move - mostly probably to Cornwall to join forces with Falmouth. These two colleges will take with them not just teaching posts and technician opportunities for artists, but future generations of students who feed into the local art scene. These new artists don't just produce art, they also nurture it -- providing audiences for Exeter's contemporary gallery spaces such as Spacex and the Phoenix.So Exeter badly needs not just affordable studio space, but a new focal point for practising artists. We sure aren't the whole answer, but we are a start - a group who plan to set up artist-run studio space in Exeter.If you live in the Exeter area and would like to join us, visit www.exeterstudios.co.uk ... Thu, 01 Jan 1970 01:00:00 +0100 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/385324 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/385324 Some will say we've done this back to front. It's certainly not by the book. But we have made an offer on a two-year lease on a warehouse building near the railway that's up for redevelopment. In an ideal world we'd have done more groundwork first, but it might be years before we see another building like this. It's not perfect, but the short tenure means the rent is relatively cheap. On the other hand, the length of the lease means there's no chance of capital funding from the Arts Council. But we have secured a small grant to support research for the project. It's been real delayed gratification, giving up valuable studio time to fill in forms and write proposals...all so that we can have somewhere better to work in the future.It's all happened quite fast, given that the group only met each other about six months ago. We have a core group of six artists and about 10 to 15 others who are ‘very interested', but still thinking it over. Between us we cover a broad span of career stages and a healthy mix of disciplines -- perhaps because we came together over a shared need for workspace rather than anything else. We expect there will be a bit of a scramble for places once everything's more concrete, but right now it's hard to get people to commit. The problem is -- nothing is certain at this stage except financial risk and a lot of hard work. ... Thu, 01 Jan 1970 01:00:00 +0100 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/385324 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/385324 “Let me know when you’ve got it all up and running and I might take a space then…”  If we had a pound for every time we've heard that, we’d be able to give our studio spaces away. Fortunately, a much more entrepreneurial crew turned out last Friday. We organised a drop-in session at the local arts centre for artists interested in renting space. That morning they were just names on a form, but by the evening there they were in a room together, getting along just fine. You could start to imagine the buzz there might be if we all got to work in one building. Just hearing their enthusiasm for the project made all the slog worthwhile. We went away with a clearer idea of numbers and re-did our sums for start-up. We’re trying to do this using just our own funds plus what grants and sponsorship we’re able to cobble together. That means the individual artists have to fund the deposit, the interior build, the standing charges on utilities, the insurance premiums, the legal fees, the planning fees etc etc. So the more people we can persuade to contribute, the more manageable it will be. Will the landlord hold the building much longer? Will we get enough people ready to sign by the deadline? Even if we do, will that just be the start of our problems? I veer between blind optimism and utter panic. But one thing’s for sure: even if we fall at this hurdle and don’t secure this building, our profile, our network and our huge store of new knowledge means we’re in a very strong position to try again. ... Thu, 01 Jan 1970 01:00:00 +0100 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/385324 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/385324 MAKING V. DOINGThis project has forced me to re-assess my expectations of what my personal practice might be. I'm a studio-based artist and one of my interests is generating and realising ideas through physical processes. But when I look at how I'm actually spending my time now, I realise I'm not really making stuff, I'm doing stuff. Studio work (which has already been scaled down so I can do it in a domestic environment) has now taken back seat to a large volume of organisation and administration. Of course any project takes planning, paperwork, communication etc, but the product of this organisational process will be another organisation. A physical space, yes, but also a community, a social group. One that needs ongoing nurturing, maintenance and support. Looked at positively, setting up the studios is a legitimate artistic activity - a socially engaged form of practice, the creation of something new in our local environment and community, a possible route to engaging with artists and audiences further afield. Looked at negatively, it's a huge infringement on our personal time and resources. The simple quest to find somewhere - some means - to work may mean sacrificing the time we need to do our work. I can hear the chorus of voices out there already. Welcome, they're saying, to the artist's life. ... Thu, 01 Jan 1970 01:00:00 +0100 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/385324 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/385324 THE MEMBERSHIP LISTOn Tuesday I gave a talk to a group of artists about my practice. And although I mentioned the Exeter Studios Project (I have been described as a one-woman walking billboard on the subject), I decided to focus on the stuff I make - or rather, made. It made me feel like an artist not an administrator, and it gave me a nice warm glow. But it also felt a little dishonest. The presentation I gave was pulled together in between conversations about bank accounts, buildings insurance, contract details and business sponsorship. And constant updating of The Membership List.The Membership List is on my computer, but print-outs of its various incarnations also fill a crumpled yellow folder on the floor nearby. The Membership List is my true current obsession - a fantastic unfolding narrative featuring 20-30 imminent studio members plus a large supporting cast. I don't think a day goes past without a new plot development.At the top of the list are 13 or so very precious names - these are the people who are seriously committed to being part of the start-up and each is accompanied by square footages and rent costs.  Below them are people who definitely want to take space in July or August (mostly final-year students or teachers anticipating free time in the holidays). And below them is a very sad little list of the people who were absolutely, passionately up for it.  Who maybe put in time and energy to help and then who, for one reason or another - lack of funds, loss of nerve, change of circumstances (we've even had a baby born during the course of this project) - have had to pull out for now. Every day brings news that either raises hopes or crushes them. Take A., who was prepared to contribute her deposit early to ensure the project took off, but couldn't rent any space until the end of August. This was good news and bad news: the deposit was very welcome, and we really admired her willingness to put her money where her mouth was, but someone would still have to cover her rent in the intervening months. Then up popped a student, who wanted to rent space temporarily - just for the summer! Introduce them and we're sorted! When pieces fit together that neatly, you start to feel like it's all meant to be. Then A. goes silent. A sudden lack of communication from someone who's been very involved is usually a sign, I'm coming to realise, that all is not well. And sure enough, when I prompt her about a meeting date I get back a three-part text, full of apologies. Still very interested, but having a few financial setbacks and can't commit at present. Damn! ... Thu, 01 Jan 1970 01:00:00 +0100 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/385324 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/385324 Everyone seems to be losing energy, brought to a standstill by the sheer weight of decisions, investigations, actions that have to be got through, problems that have to be solved.  One member has taken on the application process for registering as a community interest company. When I ask her how she's doing she says: "Have you seen the paperwork? It's this thick!" Too daunting to even start. Her admission of defeat is a trigger for a now predictable group behaviour. When things aren't going well and everyone knows it, our conversations start to divert. Why don't we become a charity instead? Why do we need a formal organisation at all? Why do we have to deal with a commercial landlord? Can't the council do something? Wouldn't it be better to try to buy something? Get some lottery money and build something? These alternative courses of action are, of course, just as difficult - but because they are abstract, they seem so much more attractive than the problems at hand. There are times when I wonder if the whole thing isn't about getting studio space at all. Perhaps it's really a networking opportunity - a kind of cosy artists' coffee morning where we can sit around and dream about our ideal studio. The main thing - the real thing - we have to deal with is how much our project has changed in the past few months. When we first offered on our building, we were 8 or 10 people who were prepared to share a commercial rent on the basis of trust. As people have dropped out or scaled down their spaces, we've had to look for more members. While it's been great to extend our network, we've now become a sprawling group of 17-25 people who need a much more complex structure and organisation to hold us together and ensure everyone's financial protection. ... Thu, 01 Jan 1970 01:00:00 +0100 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/385324 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/385324 MOUNTAINS OF PAPER AND WOOD Several hours over a hot calculator analysing research data is quite an attractive prospect. Or so my colleague tells me after we swap some of our tasks and I take over our community interest company (CIC) application. Amongst other stuff, she also gets to chase up the council's planning department, as there is a mighty level of confusion about the agreed use of the building. Nonetheless, she positively skips out the door. The CIC application is a big task, but I plan to do a bit each day. The CIC is a new company structure designed especially for social enterprises. Half way between a charity and a limited company, it gives the protection of a limited company while retaining the community orientation that's so important when looking for public funding. http://www.cicregulator.gov.uk/So far I've read lots and lots and lots of guidance notes online and checked out our basic idea with someone at the regulator's office. I sent off an email, not expecting much, but they were back to me within a couple of hours with lots of encouraging and helpful advice. It feels much less like a lonely battle against bureaucracy now. I've also asked my fellow studio users what they think about a name. Exeter Studios was only ever a working title for the project and we're all sure we should be called something more creative (if only we could remember what it is). Another landlord-imposed deadline comes and goes without any progress. He wanted us to sign by April 10th but we're still waiting to receive a copy of the actual contract. The only one we've seen so far is a draft that allows us to operate a car park at Castle Cary railway station. For most of the group, the big fear is that we won't get the building. I'm worried about that, but I have an even bigger fear: we do secure the building and then we don't manage to do the interior conversion, leaving us renting a building we can't use and can't let. To me, the interior building work is a massive, expensive, scary job, but to others it's a simple bit of DIY. A few hundred metres of partitioning, a couple of sinks, a bit of wiring, some fire extinguishers and locks - how hard can it be? For my colleague it was a mountain of official paperwork that seemed so daunting; for me it's a mountain of timber and board. ... Thu, 01 Jan 1970 01:00:00 +0100 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/385324 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/385324 SEPARATION AND IMMERSION Some time ago a made a piece of work called I draw them. They draw me. It’s a short loop of video, showing me, standing behind a second floor window, drawing on it. You’re on the outside and I’m on the inside: you can’t really see me, just the reflection of the sky and a few passing birds, and my marks appearing on the window. I’m actually tracking the birds’ flight paths with my drawings. But you wouldn’t really know that because the birds I can see and the reflection you can see are from two totally different viewpoints. Nevertheless we’re all wrapped up in this. Me, the observer; the birds who are being observed but are also observing me at the window; and you the viewer observing all of us and our strange interaction. It was an experimental piece and I have a lot more thinking to do in relation to it. It came at the end of a process where I was trying to stand outside the world, take up a traditional scientific position and make accurate, objective observations. But I found that the harder I tried to be separate from the things I was observing, the more aware I was of how immersed I was in the world and how it affected me and the observations I made. I find this piece interesting in relation to what’s happened to me since – with the Exeter Studios Project. In a strange way, it’s that same theme of being separate and being immersed that’s started to play itself out. I started out thinking I needed a space to work. A neutral thing, you’d think– a simple resource to enable my work. But spaces come with other stuff – atmosphere, politics, rules, routines, etiquette, boundaries, pressures. For example, when I was first at college I was institutionalised faster than I would have thought possible. Whatever you do – rebelling or conforming – ends up being in response to the surrounding organisation. Even home – my current workspace – is not a compromise-free zone. Instead there’s a constant negotiation with myself and other permanent and passing members of the household to have the time and freedom to work. Now I’m a midst of a new organisation forming itself around a potential workspace and already developing its own flavour. Where I make my work will affect how I make my work. And, of course, I will affect it back. You simply can’t separate the two. ... Thu, 01 Jan 1970 01:00:00 +0100 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/385324 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/385324 STUCK, STUCK, STUCK Our exasperation with our future landlords reaches a peak - particularly as we're hearing from more and more people who want to rent studio spaces, assuming we must be up and running by now. We're assured that the building hasn't been let to anyone else, it's ours; we just need to be patient because the landlords moved office three weeks ago and they're very busy. It all sounds so reasonable, except that we were supposed to have the contract months ago. We are being fobbed off.There are several possibilities here. One, the landlords are failing to take us seriously as potential tenants. Two, they are hopelessly inefficient. Three, they have no intention of ever letting this building to anyone, but we provide a convenient excuse for the fact it's lying empty. None of these sounds like good news for us, although I'll be pretty happy to eat my words if the contract lands on my colleague's doormat tomorrow. In the meantime, we've started to look at alternative properties. First up, somewhere to really lift the spirits - just about your ideal studio building: a Victorian school. Lots of light, high ceilings, already divided into convenient spaces. A bit leaky, but we could start using it tomorrow. One big problem: it's for sale, not rent. I suspect it's an opportunity that's arrived a few years too early for us. ... Thu, 01 Jan 1970 01:00:00 +0100 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/385324 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/385324 WAVING OR DROWNING? If the City Council values the visual arts in Exeter, now might be a really good time to step in and offer more than just moral support to our studio project. So far they've kept a polite distance and I can understand why. They don't know whether we're serious people who can pull this off, or just a bunch of mad dreamers. (And frankly, neither do I.)The latest advice is that we need a track-record of at least two years before they can offer concrete help. However, our newly compiled research data suggests there may be a rather limited window of opportunity for this project to succeed in Exeter. Well over half of respondents to our survey said that availability of suitable local studio space would affect their choice about where to live. And, given that the biggest single group described themselves as emerging artists, we might find quite a few of them (possibly young, probably geographically mobile) are soon on the move. Every city has a population that comes and goes, but for years (centuries actually) Exeter has had an annual influx of new artists into the city through the Exeter College of Art & Design. Now that the college is relocating to join its parent institution in Plymouth, that year-by-year top-up will cease. ... Thu, 01 Jan 1970 01:00:00 +0100 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/385324 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/385324 WOULD YOU LIKE FRIES WITH THAT? We’ve decided to move on and look for new premises. Far from leaving us in disarray, it seems to have given us new energy. Dependence on the whims of an uncooperative, uncommunicative landlord was sapping our spirit, it seems. Now we’ve put ourselves back in control. Sure, it’s demoralising to have put so much effort into a location only to have to abandon it. And yes, it’s heartbreaking to see a good building sitting empty like that. Has it occurred to us to go down there with bolt cutters, break in and insist on paying rent? Many times. We're going to extend our search for premises to the business parks on the outskirts of Exeter - a desolate wedge of new-build steel and tarmac that divides our city from the Devon countryside. It’s not ideal but, perversely, I rather enjoy the prospect. For me, nothing sums up soulless 21st century living better than sprawling modern retail parks full of mattress shops, McDonalds and scavenging seagulls. So far away from the cosy green image Devon likes to portray. This isn’t great news for our environmental impact (a lot more of us would be travelling to the studio by car) and we’d be less of an asset to the city’s inhabitants (apart from the few who like to combine their art with shopping for a new fridge and a drive-thru burger). However, it should ensure the most important thing – affordable space to work. So, apart from the lack of one rather important item for a studio group – a building – things are going well quite well. We have a group of about 10-12 people who are sticking with it, despite all the uncertainty. Our application to become a Community Interest Company is now well underway, and we’ve secured legal support to complete it for just £50, thanks to Business in the Community. We have research that makes our case for funding and provides us with some useful markers as to potential pitfalls ahead. We are well networked with other artists and arts organisations across the region. One year on and we’re physically no closer to moving into a building, but mentally and organisationally we’re much better prepared. We will survive! ... Thu, 01 Jan 1970 01:00:00 +0100 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/385324 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/385324 BACK TO THE DRAWING BOARDThe registration deadline for this year's Exeter Open Studios passes without an application from our group. It's sad, as I hoped we'd be able to take part in 2007. Some of us talked about creating a temporary shared space - a travelling bus, a marquee or a market stall. But I don't think we have much appetite for taking on a commitment to show work as a group when we're still looking for somewhere to make it.The downtime has had some advantages, like being able to pick up my own practice. I've approached a couple of sites (one through an advertised opportunity, the other independently) with a view to making and/or showing large-scale drawings. Meanwhile I'm working on small drawings and digital photographs and utilising the services of the local large-format printing bureau (which at least allows me to bump into other creative people, see their work and allow them to see mine.) I realise it would be perfectly possible to exist like this, hiring resources as I need them, as long as I can let go of the idea of making large images or objects by hand. Is it very old-fashioned of me, indulgent even, to want a studio? I just feel I need the discipline of "going to work" and having a designated space to think and make.I keep my eye on the local property market. There is no shortage of suitable properties, just suitable money: an old stage school (being sold for residential redevelopment), a former media training centre (now considered a prime restaurant location, with rent to match). Meanwhile, out in the wastelands of the trading estates, one vast windowless metal shed after another comes on the market - none of them cheap. And our waiting list just keeps growing and growing. ... Thu, 01 Jan 1970 01:00:00 +0100 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/385324 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/385324 THE LAST PICTURE SHOW I wanted there to be a howl of protest, a bit of heckling or even a small amount of demolition. But during its last ever degree show, the former Exeter College of Art & Design seemed to succumb to its demise with a shrug. This summer it relocates to become a fully integrated department of the University of Plymouth, saying goodbye to 150 years of history in this city. Even if there weren’t many tears shed on opening night, at least it rained – giving the college an appropriately dampened atmosphere. This matters to our studio project because 2007 sees the last generation of artists graduating into the area. Exeter doesn’t hold a lot of charms for ambitious new artists, especially compared with Bristol or London, but a handful have stayed on each year (myself included) ensuring we maintain a critical mass of practising artists in the city. From now on, that annual influx of new talent will be granted to Plymouth instead. A vibrant shared studio space would make a lot of difference to how many artists choose (or continue) to develop their careers in Exeter. I pointed this out to our Lead Councillor for Economy and Tourism recently, but he’s far more excited about his new shopping centre development. He keeps going on about “café culture” as if the chance to buy a cappuccino from a chain outlet is going to turn Exeter into a tourist magnet the size of Paris.This isn’t the time or place to go into the list of grudges local people have about commercial redevelopment driving up rents and stamping all over local independent ventures like small shops, family-run restaurants, private galleries and the farmers’ market but, suffice to say, WE ARE CROSS. The council is developing cafés, but meanwhile our culture is walking out the back door. The land on which the art college sits just happens to be prime riverside property, ripe for redevelopment. Last I heard it was due to become luxury retirement flats. It would be nice to think the new residents will honour the annual tradition of throwing open their doors and baring their souls to the public, but somehow I doubt it.... Thu, 01 Jan 1970 01:00:00 +0100 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/385324 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/385324 SAYING GOODBYE Unofficially occupy a corner of the now near-deserted art college site with a small group of friends and a modest show of work. Just to mark its passing. Given the need for studio space in the city, it's hard not to feel bitter about the impending demolition of these perfectly functional studio spaces and workshops. Meanwhile I'm getting close to completing the paperwork to set up our community interest company. It's an effort of will to stick with it as, every time I tick off a task, the lawyer pops up and points out several more things that need to be done. I just hope all this effort is for something!... Thu, 01 Jan 1970 01:00:00 +0100 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/385324 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/385324 SOMETHING TO CLUTCH AT I've been reading artists' studios: a guide to securing, supporting and creating affordable studios in London, a report by Acme and Capital Studios. Even though its focus is London, it's full of really juicy stuff to help any artists' group make the case for support. It's available to download from http://www.acme.org.uk/news/artists_studios_guide.pdf At the launch of the publication back in February, David Lammy MP, former Minister of Culture, said: "Artists are central to social cohesion and help us identify how we can live together and create a future together. If we leave our artists to navigate their way in this property market with its rising rates, we will lose out as a consequence." (I know it rings a bit hollow after the announcements about arts funding cuts, but at least we can quote him on it.)For me, the really key discovery was that, under current planning law, local authorities can intervene and encourage landlords to create affordable rented workspace through the use of Section 106 agreements. As I understand it, they could ask, for example, that low rents apply for the first five or ten years of a new development. OK, as good news goes, it may be more like a straw than a lifeline, but if we gather together enough bits of straw, eventually we'll be afloat. ... Thu, 01 Jan 1970 01:00:00 +0100 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/385324 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/385324 GISSA BUILDING On Monday night we talked about everything from squatting empty buildings to walking around the local estate agents armed with a pocketful of crisp tenners. Our future CIC directors met to talk tactics and decided to get...ahem ...more "pro-active".How we laughed when we recalled advice that a building is one the last things you need to worry about. Without a building as a focus, we're losing credibility and support fast. All we can realistically do is ramp up the volume and start REALLY SHOUTING about our willingness to take on almost any cheap building in the city on almost any terms. I may invest in a megaphone.It's scant consolation that the newly published Exeter City Council Arts Audit underlines much of what we're saying: "strong sense that facilities for the visual arts in Exeter, for creating new work by both amateur and professional artists, and for exhibitions across the spectrum, remain inadequate. ..a perceived shift in Arts Council England, South West's prioritisation of Plymouth over Exeter ...apparent reduction in funding of Exeter based arts organisations by Devon County Council...loss of the University of Plymouth Art School and the wide ranging impact of this." It's easy to keep chewing over the problems, so hard to do anything about them. It hasn't helped that Exeter has bid for unitary status; it wants to cut free from Devon County Council. With so much uncertainty about the city's future, it's been hard to get any sense out of anyone. Today the Council finally had the all-clear to go it alone as a big bad city from 2009 (pending a few formalities). I confess to being highly confused by the arguments for and against and really not certain if this is good news for us artists.Listen to me. I'm starting to take an interest in local politics. Well, it's either that or move city. ... Thu, 01 Jan 1970 01:00:00 +0100 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/385324 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/385324 BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU WISH FOR....This has caught us on the hop, but the news couldn't be better. The other day I was rushing back from town and randomly noticed a letting agent's board down a side street. Two weeks later we're about to sign - fingers crossed. Very run down warehouse space, 20-month lease. I'll have to blog it all later - far too busy, obviously! - but for now here's a picture and a request for anyone who lives in the Exeter area who wants studio space to contact us pronto via exeterstudios[at]yahoo[dot]co[dot]ukWish us luck! ... Thu, 01 Jan 1970 01:00:00 +0100 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/385324 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/385324 GO FIGURE We've spent the past couple of days in painful discussions about costs, trying to balance affordability of spaces with realistic budgets and the all-important issue of cashflow (ie having enough money in the bank to pay bills when they come in). It's absolutely crucial to get it right. Charge too much and people will run scared from the prices. Charge too little and we'll be telling them to move out a few months after they've moved in because we've gone bust.Basically we have 4000 square feet of rundown warehouse to divide up and let out. The space is dirty, damp and full of rubbish. We have it until June 2009 absolute latest, but could have just two months notice to leave at any time as it's already earmarked for demolition. So we have to balance the necessary building work (eg fixing broken windows, locks and steps, creating studio spaces) with the understanding that it could all just be money down the drain. Fortunately, there's an art college just down the road that's about to dump a whole load of studio partitioning boards and furniture in a skip, so we've probably saved some money there. (I knew something good had to come from the University of Plymouth's departure!)I only saw inside the space on Monday as I'd been really busy with money work. In the meantime, my colleague Francis had prised the key off the agent and organised daily viewings. He's also been the owner of the membership list this time around - who's in, who's out, how much space let? It changes by the hour. I've just done the final draft of the rental rates, which we hope to email out tonight. Providing the costs don't send everyone into a spin, we're on course to have 75% provisionally let by Friday, which is our green light for signing the contract. Then the real trouble starts! ... Thu, 01 Jan 1970 01:00:00 +0100 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/385324 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/385324 HAVEN'T WE BEEN HERE BEFORE?Every time we measure the space, it seems to have changed! Either the walls are moving or we're getting very tired. On Sunday, I took my partner Tim into the building to supervise. He stood over Francis and me with our tape measure, made notes, then checked our sums for us. I think we have it sorted now!So, on paper we have the space fully let - plus a waiting list. And more artists are still getting in touch wanting to view. This is amazing! What's not so amazing is the missing contract. We were supposed to have it last Friday, then Monday. Now it's Tuesday and there's still no word, despite our chasing. Twenty or so people collectively holding their breath - cheque books at the ready... ... Thu, 01 Jan 1970 01:00:00 +0100 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/385324 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/385324 TOUCH WOOD Still no contract, but things are moving forward and the landlord has given us access to the building to start our conversion. Of course there's a risk that we could spend lots of time and money only to have it all snatched away, but with the keys in our pocket we feel reasonably confident and have got stuck in.Having had a closer look at the space, we've decided to revamp the studio layout slightly. It makes a lot of sense as it gives us more working studio space, better access, and quicker exit in an emergency, but it has meant changes to a handful of spaces. So I had to re-do all the plans and costings and tell one or two people that their studios had completely changed - and not for the better. It's bad news for them but good news for the project overall. So that was my Friday night - I didn't even eat dinner until about 11pm. And then my Saturday morning too.But on Saturday afternoon I dropped into the studio to measure up for some plumbing work that needs to be done. My colleagues Francis, Sam and Sylvia had been hard at work and the space was already transformed. It was thrilling to see something physical and real instead of just piles of paper and plans. Issues are coming up thick and fast and it's interesting to see how each of us is reacting. It's already evident that we have differing attitudes on everything from the importance of planning to the management of money, from what's an acceptable risk to the way we should treat our members. These differences are a potential source of conflict and disintegration, but so far they're working incredibly well for us, causing healthy debate and useful checks and balances. For example, I admit it, I'm a worrier - and I wouldn't get anywhere with a project like this if I wasn't involved with more gung-ho optimists. At the same time, I think my caution may have stopped us making one or two potentially disastrous mistakes. So, yesterday, I stood in the middle of a space that will be my studio. And even though it could all still go horribly wrong - and even though there was rain dripping on my head - for a moment, the heart-pounding, sleep-depriving stress of the past few weeks just melted away. ... Thu, 01 Jan 1970 01:00:00 +0100 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/385324 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/385324 GOING WITH THE FLOW We knew we had problems with water coming in but, after a bit of a deluge, we discover we also have problems with water getting out. Rain was gushing down drainpipes from the roof and hitting blocked drains in the interior. Rivers, fountains, lakes...water everywhere! So while some continue to build spaces, others are opening up the manhole covers and getting to work with the rubber gloves and drain rods. The rotting rags, rubbish, wriggling wildlife, sawdust and other gunk would be bad enough but someone in our neighbourhood has also deposited used engine oil down the drains. It's left a reeking clotted mess down there and my colleague Patrick had his head right in it. Issues continue to surface and one is becoming really critical. We all agree that we want to get the most out of the building in the short time available to us: having some time to practise while also gaining the profile and experience to take this organisation on to better things. But of course this means different things to different people. My view at the moment is that I'll make my work with and from what's to hand. I have a broad direction but I'm also interested in how the building and the community influence me. This is a phase of experiment for me, both with being in a studio project and finding out what kind of work I want to make next. If we were here for five years I'd be more interested in changing and controlling my environment, but I feel with 20 months or less, it's more important to accept what we have and get on with some kind of work.For other artists with more established practices or very specific needs, this may not be possible. After all, if you have a kiln, it has to be properly powered. If you're preparing a series of paintings to an exhibition deadline, you don't want them to get wet. Where do you draw the line between essential and desirable, particularly on a tight budget and a short lease? ... Thu, 01 Jan 1970 01:00:00 +0100 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/385324 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/385324 FROM ITALY TO WHO KNOWS WHERE... Never read panicky emails from studio colleagues just before you go to bed. Sleepless night guaranteed! It's not the mountain of tasks that keeps me awake - that's become a fact of life - it's people's states of mind. I'm worried about what might result from a reckless (though understandable) rush to GET STUFF DONE without thinking about it first. And I was feeling so mellow! I've just come back from a family holiday in Italy and had my first sight of the studios in over a week. It was hard to leave the project at such a critical stage but the trip was booked ages ago. So I just had to pack my bags and try not to worry.To my great relief, the contract went through smoothly and most people who committed to taking spaces paid up. A small crisis when the bailiffs forced entry to turn off the power (due to money owed by the previous tenants) but no major disasters. Everyone's been really busy and the building conversion is progressing well. We even have a new front door! It was only when I tried to pick up the threads of our priorities and plans that I realised we might have started to get a bit lost. You have to improvise to some extent in a project like this - there are just so many unknowns. And you certainly need to favour action over talking, or nothing would ever get done. But I can never forget it's other people's money we're spending as well as our own, that there is a finite amount of it and that we can only spend it once - so we'd better be sure to spend it on the right things.And if we don't stop occasionally, look each other in the eye and remind ourselves who we are, what we're supposed to be doing and where we're up to, we're going to end up some place we never meant to be.... Thu, 01 Jan 1970 01:00:00 +0100 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/385324 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/385324 BACK TO SCHOOL On Friday we hired a van and raided the art college for unwanted partitions and furniture. The boards were very knocked about and hard to dismantle (most of the easy to remove and/or decent ones had already been taken down and shipped to Plymouth) but good enough for our temporary space. We only had access for one day and rushed to get as many boards as possible. Taking the partitions apart was hard, but getting the boards to the van was tougher still: some had to be hauled down four flights of stairs. It was sweaty, dirty, physically exhausting work and I'm ashamed to admit that my arms and legs turned to jelly within hours. (Too long away from proper studio work: I'm getting unfit!)The old college building is destined for demolition and there's a load more stuff in there we could reuse and rescue from landfill - sinks, doors, power points, lights, fire equipment. But we're not allowed to remove it. Instead we satisfy ourselves by dumpster diving outside the back door while we wait for the van. We liberate filing trays, ring binders, some circuit breakers, an old radio and - who knows why - a tatty University of Plymouth branded doormat.Back at the studio, gentle anarchy reigns over the construction, but it seems to be working. The money crisis feels calmer now. I think we've all got our heads round the idea we can't afford to do everything at once and have agreed spending priorities. Next on the list are lights, and fire and safety equipment.... Thu, 01 Jan 1970 01:00:00 +0100 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/385324 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/385324 A PRIVATE FUNCTION Here's a question. If you shared a studio building with 20 other artists, would you want a door on your space?This interests me because there's a division developing between people who want to work behind a closed door and those who think it's pointless - and it's not necessarily to do with the value of people‘s tools, materials or finished work.When we set up - to keep costs down and to keep things simple - we promised everyone a basic three-sided space. (Some got more because of existing rooms or walls in the building, but that was the principle.) We said that any further modification of spaces had to be done at your own expense. We thought that sheer inertia would result in a very open studio, with strong locks on the outside but very few bars within.But almost immediately, people started to barricade themselves into their spaces. Then others, who'd apparently been happy with the idea of open spaces, began to follow suit. To the point where I now feel a bit exposed by choosing to keep my space open. Could it be right, that much joked-about relationship between making art and shitting? One thing's for sure, many people feel the need to be shut in a small windowless cubicle in order to do their work.It can be hard to make work under the gaze of others, but it's equally hard to function without comment or feedback. My colleague Sylvia and I talked about it and we think that people who spend all their time behind closed doors will miss out on the collaborative benefits of a shared space while still enduring the disadvantages like other people's mess, moaning and noise. But maybe we're being naïve. It will be interesting to see.(And, in case you were wondering: I'm prepared to do art in public, but my loo door is always closed.)... Thu, 01 Jan 1970 01:00:00 +0100 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/385324 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/385324 ASK NOT WHAT YOUR STUDIO CAN DO FOR YOU... The Arts Council visited on Wednesday. They seemed genuinely surprised and delighted at how much we'd achieved. There is nothing like actual physical built stuff to convince people you might have it in you to succeed.While we waited for them to arrive, Sam and I surveyed the sorry state of the front gate. It's a big sliding door a few metres high that provides access to our outside space and it's jammed shut after its upper track broke loose from the wall last week. It means all deliveries have to come in the front door down narrow corridors instead of straight into the open studio space. And it means no one can park in the yard.It's a nuisance for everyone and we want to get it fixed, but it's just one of many, many tasks, all of them urgent, that we're trying to deal with. We decided to borrow a scaffold tower and get our best metal and woodworkers on the case this weekend. So I was rather taken aback later to be harangued by one of my fellow studio members about the amount it was costing her to park and how she only took the studio because of the free parking.In fact, her terms and conditions only offer parking "subject to availability". But that's the small print. Far more worrying is that she seems not to understand the underlying principle of the whole enterprise. We have always described ourselves as a collaboration and I thought we had been specific about what that implies. So I would have liked her to ask me what she could do to help fix the gate faster - and maybe she was about to ...However, our conversation was cut short by a call from a colleague in a state of some agitation because of two more unfriendly exhanges - with other people, on other topics, but similar in tone. Perhaps we haven't been communicating our ethos very well (in which case it's sheer luck that so many people are cheerfully mucking in). Or maybe the stress of being involved in start-up is pushing people's buttons and they'll be utterly reasonable next time we see them. I hope so.Eventually, though, we're bound to encounter people who can't get it and won't get it. For whom the idea of paying money to share in something just doesn't compute. Fingers crossed we haven't met them yet.... Thu, 01 Jan 1970 01:00:00 +0100 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/385324 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/385324 GETTING TO WORK Why, when I have so much else to do, have I found time to write this blog?It's partly to record for myself the process and the progress of the project during these crucial early stages. It will seem like nothing once we're up and running. But this is our history (or at least my version of it) and it might help to remember where we came from when we're wondering where to go next.It's also to explain to friends and family why I'm so preoccupied and tired, without having to repeat the whole story 100 times. And perhaps to pass on some of the things we've learnt to other artists trying to do the same.But mostly it's because the studio project has (temporarily) become my practice. Documenting it is a way of giving it substance and meaning. It becomes both a structured dialogue with myself and, I suppose, a kind of public showing.Now, I not only have a studio but something to do in it. I've been worried and excited about the moment where I stand for the first time in that big white space and have to decide where to begin again. I was seriously concerned I'd find lots of paperwork and studio business to occupy me and put off the evil moment forever. But quite out of the blue I've been given a gift - a commission for a painting. The money will be very useful, but more important is the impetus it gives me to get in my studio and get started. Not quite the open-ended time I was hoping for, but probably a better option when there's so much else that could distract me. Time to get cracking!... Thu, 01 Jan 1970 01:00:00 +0100 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/385324 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/385324 GOING LIVE Two big events this week. Adam almost got electrocuted and we finally became a community interest company (CIC).We knew the electrics were bad but not how bad until Adam picked up a stray cable while clearing his space. He was careful with it (thankfully!) as he had spotted some bare wires. But when he threw it to one side, it popped and sparked. Yes, it was live and lying there, waiting to be trodden on. It makes me go cold to think about what could have happened. So, the power is off and an electrician is coming in. And it's about to cost us money we haven't got but, frankly, we can't not fix the wiring after a warning like this.On a more positive note, we have officially become a community interest company (which means - gulp - I am officially a company director). It's just in time to support our application for business rates relief and just as we've started talking about possible community sponsorship with a local building firm. But, no surprise, my painting commission is going nowhere fast.... Thu, 01 Jan 1970 01:00:00 +0100 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/385324 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/385324 Last weekend saw a little more space building and tidying and, somewhat miraculously, enough capable people managed to turn up at the same time to complete the gate fixing. We have parking again! But progress is slowing. I guess people are exhausted. I certainly am. However Ruth O. has been busy - she's managed to secure us a little business sponsorship! She claims she just phoned up and asked, and they said "how much do you want?" Either she's underestimating her own effort or she has the magic touch! Anyway, it's badly needed and we're hugely pleased.A packed week for me too. Beginning with a dash around to buy materials for my painting commission (scarily I've earned very little so far this month, so this piece of paid work can't wait). In between making and priming canvases, I've discussed our new wiring with the electrician, got my head around the basics of power loads on rings and chased members about what kind of electrical equipment they're planning to use. Then I had to go and buy all the cabling and fittings we need to fix it up. I (sort of) dealt with the wodge of official papers that have arrived since our CIC was incorporated (mostly by putting them in their own special pile). I liked it better when there was no post. I've also been trying to conclude our application for 50% business rates relief (worth £3000+ a year) and am now on round three of begging. So far Exeter rates department have had: our official application form; our memorandum and articles of association; our incorporation details from Companies House; a statement of aims; a two-page document explaining how we benefit the community, how we fit in with the council's aims for the arts in Exeter and the precedents for local authority support for studios; a financial forecast; contact points for two references; and our accounts since August (which is when they became active). Worryingly, Dave our rates officer has never heard of community interest companies and thinks we might need a year's accounts before they can make a judgement about our not-for-profit status. We've priced the spaces assuming rates relief will be granted, so if we don't get it, there's trouble ahead. We have to stay optimistic, but my thoughts are already turning to how loud and smelly we could make our protest should the council let us down.... Thu, 01 Jan 1970 01:00:00 +0100 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/385324 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/385324 OUT AND ABOUTBeen more of an art tourist than an art maker this week. Shows in London and Plymouth and, on Thursday evening, the opening of Exeter Open Studios at Art Terracina on Exeter's quayside. Ruth F. and I went along as Part One of our schmooze campaign. Part Two is our studio opening event at the end of November, which is now getting worryingly close. I'm convinced that the studio's survival (beyond this first temporary home) depends on getting ourselves known, not just by the local art crowd but by people in local government and business. Even so, this kind of socialising doesn't come easily to me.Proof of its value comes quickly, however. We have a very reassuring chat with Catherine, the City Arts Officer, who says we're unlikely to have any problems with our 50% business rates relief. She's already on the case several levels above our Dave's head. As far as she's concerned we're offering incredibly good value for money - fulfilling a need the council has long been aware of and not asking for much financial support to do it.Ruth F. is getting very pregnant and it makes her a great sidekick. She managed (quite literally) to bump into a journalist on the way to the loo and ordered him to wait for her while she had a pee. I'm sure he wouldn't have been nearly so obedient had it not been for her pregnant-lady superpowers. Grab a couple of minutes with Cristina, the gallery owner. Like us, she rents her property cheaply because it's temporary. She too is up for redevelopment as her gallery occupies a lovely old warehouse on the waterfront. I invite her to our opening night and hope we can talk more. Even if we can't help each other, we can at least commiserate. ... Thu, 01 Jan 1970 01:00:00 +0100 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/385324 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/385324 MY MISSING EIGHT HOURS Maybe it's because winter's coming and I have a sudden deluge of work BUT I'm having some dark moments where I feel the to-do pile for the studios is insurmountable. We've got so much to sort out ... and an opening to organise ... and a director who's about to disappear to have a baby. This past week, amongst other things, we've had to deal with the new recycling legislation, the installation of a new electricity meter and registering for corporation tax. And the light and power saga goes on. Then there are invite lists to research and a schedule to prepare. Also, unbelievably, we're still chasing some members to set up standing orders. What does any of this have to do with being an artist?It doesn't help that I'm in my studio, snatching a couple of hours away from money work, and end up in protracted discussions about building and maintenance issues. It even follows me back to work via my mobile. So here's the thing: how much of my own practice am I prepared to sacrifice to allow other people to do theirs?I know that the workload will never be completely fairly shared: people have different responsibilities, abilities, commitments. I also know that, for all the talk of self-help and collaboration, only a few of us can see the bank statements and sign cheques. That means members do need advice and decisions from us.As long as I'm convinced that each person is doing as much as they can to help, when they can, I'm happy. But I also have a mantra: one-and-a-half days. From the start I've said that if - after earning money and running the studio - I average at least 1.5 days actually working in my studio per week, it's worth the hassle of collaboration. Anything less and I might as well not bother.Right now I'm averaging fewer than four hours. ... Thu, 01 Jan 1970 01:00:00 +0100 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/385324 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/385324 ON BEING THE BAD GUY Ruth F. went on a free health and safety training day for social enterprises and came away quite terrified. We knew it was a weak point, but it turns out there's even more to do than we thought. When you're a small organisation getting by on the barest essentials, it feels overwhelmingly complex.I wondered if it made any difference being a membership organisation as opposed to an employer, but the message was "no". Our studios might be a private workspace for which all members share responsibility, but the company still has a legal duty to enforce their collective health and safety.I suppose it's only right. I don't want to get hurt because the person in the next door studio does something stupid. But it's also very wearying. You won't believe how hard people will defend their right to switch back on a power supply that's been declared dangerous or block fire exits with bulky furniture. You end up feeling like an enemy of artistic freedom for even raising it. And you only dare raise it when you have at least 20 minutes to spare because it is never ever a short conversation.Health and safety is an important issue but if we want to waste less time on it, I reckon we should stop being so damned patient and polite. ... Thu, 01 Jan 1970 01:00:00 +0100 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/385324 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/385324 AREN'T PARTIES SUPPOSED TO BE FUN? The invitation list for the opening has become as much of an obsession for me as the member mailing list was several months back. I wake up in the middle of the night thinking of important people I haven't located.Members are making lots of suggestions: some very precise (name, job title, organisation, email address) and some more in the vein of "you simply must invite that bloke Steve who manages that art thingy". This is a kind of torture for me as I then feel compelled to find him - just in case he's the one who'll save us from certain closure in 18 months time.On Tuesday I started emailing, hand delivering and posting invitations. Ticking them off the list gives only temporary relief. It's one more job done but it really sets the wheels in motion. In just over three weeks' time, people are going to be turning up at our building expecting a party. Aargh!Ruth F meanwhile is fiercely and very pregnantly supervising a health and safety sort-out: organising rubbish removal, metal recycling, electrics certification, risk assessments and insurance. She claims she's diverted her nesting instinct to the studio.To be honest, there's a mismatch of expectations about the opening night. Some people think it's a right bloody nuisance having to clear up their studios and invite the public in. Others think it's great we're having a party, but why do we have to invite all those boring officials? And me? I'm really pleased to be able to say thank you to all the people who've helped us get this far.But also, I'm pinning lots of hopes (probably far too many) on making seriously good contacts for the future. I want the power and money behind us to make sure we swim rather than sink when we have to leave Red Lion Lane. ... Thu, 01 Jan 1970 01:00:00 +0100 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/385324 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/385324 14 DAYS TO GO The opening night is fast approaching, so we called a big studio meeting last Saturday. It's only the second time we've all been in the space together; the first was when we handed over the keys. So some members are still strangers to each other. But, if the event comes off, we'll be stuck together with the glue of shared achievement. Over two-thirds of our members turn up and are full of suggestions, comments and offers of practical help. Quite a relief when you're feeling as stressed and weary as I am. My lengthy to-do list, which I feared might mark me out as a most monstrous bureaucrat, actually proves incredibly useful. It means people can see precisely what needs to be done and get on with it without having to ask anyone. Vital when we're all working different hours. Note to self: when you're trying to organise 30+ people, lists and sign-up sheets can actually help. This week we've cleared the mountain of rubbish on our yard, installed the fire equipment properly, put up extra lighting, got our insurance sorted out, started to build a kiln area, done all our press work and begun painting our acres of walls...Meanwhile, several well-known artists have put their weight behind us and volunteered to help with a fundraising project. We only dared ask after much nervous procrastination. We expected to be ignored or rejected - after all, established artists have to work hard to pay their studio fees too. But the response has been incredibly warm and generous. We're making amazing progress, but we still have issues with management and delegation. It's mixture of things: poor communication, differing priorities, lack of experience and lack of time. Plus of course, some of us (OK, me) are very tired and getting just a teeny bit ratty. We'll muddle through but - gawd - it's hard work sometimes.One major gaffe. We've discovered too late that the first conference of the National Federation of Artists' Studio Providers http://www.nfasp.org.uk at Spike Island clashes with our opening. It means we'll miss this important networking opportunity and, presumably, several of our guests will choose them over us.... Thu, 01 Jan 1970 01:00:00 +0100 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/385324 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/385324 WHAT DO YOU REALLY WANT? Years ago I remember reading something which said: "you can always have what you most want, as long as you don't expect to have all the other things you want". So, if you want plenty of leisure, don't expect to get rich. If you want a high-flying career, don't expect to spend lots of time with your family. And if you want to get a studio project off the ground (and I mean a sustainable project, not just a bunch of artists temporarily renting a warehouse) don't expect your life to carry on as normal.Of course there are people who "have it all" (or would like you to believe they do) but somewhere along the line they have definitely prioritised. Consciously or unconsciously, everyone does.I would guess that hardly anyone in the studios has the success of the project as their top priority. I reckon that for many it comes a poor second or third or even sixth to paid work, family and friends, study, leisure time, studio practice etc. And let me say, this is fine by me. People's priorities are absolutely their own business.It is my top priority at the moment. I've had to cut my paid work back and have scaled down my social life. Even home life has been absorbed into it as Tim, my partner, now spends almost as much time on the project as me: boarding spaces, fitting lights, fixing leaky gutters, installing fire equipment, printing invitations and so on. But after the opening, things will change. The project itself will come after my studio practice (I wouldn't do it at all if I didn't want somewhere to work) and after paid work (otherwise I can't afford it). And Tim and me are getting some of our life back. Yet because we're a group, if we all work together, with even a handful of us having it fairly high on our list of priorities, it will probably survive. But for those who are lurking in corners claiming: "I'm too busy to help" or "I just want to be in my studio working at my own practice", I think, well OK, but don't moan if the studio project is gone for good in six months time.It wasn't easy to get this project off the ground. If it was, Exeter would be full of studios rather than full of artists complaining that they have nowhere suitable to work. And if it fails it will be doubly hard to do again, because we'll have lost the faith of all the organisations who've supported us so far. Now it's here and real, it's easy to believe it will never go away (particularly for those who weren't involved at the very start). But it is so very fragile.You can go to the pub rather than put up boards. You can sit in your studio while your pregnant colleague paints walls. You can poach our electrician for your own home improvements before he's finished our wiring. You can do all these things because you can always have what you most want. As long as you don't expect to have all the other things you want. Such as a decent, affordable workplace to share.... Thu, 01 Jan 1970 01:00:00 +0100 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/385324 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/385324 THE LAST SEVEN DAYS Acres of unpainted walls, heavy furniture to move around, studios to clear and turn into exhibition spaces, unfinished lighting, health and safety glitches, rubbish everywhere - and very few people to help: the early part of the week felt lonely and overwhelming.By Tuesday lunchtime, I was sending out desperate emails. "Do you think maybe we have some problems with this whole collaboration thing?" asked Tracey, one of the few who answered my plea, despite suffering from pharyngitis. Do I?! Something that could have been fun in a large group became a grim, exhausting chore. I was rollering white emulsion in my sleep. Ruth took time out from organising food to come in and give a bit of moral support. She even gamely wielded a paintbrush for an hour, but she's way past anything too strenuous now.By Wednesday I was so exhausted that when one of my fellow directors phoned me up to tell me she couldn't hire a promised patio heater I nearly lost it. It wasn't that it was such a big deal, or such a big job, it was just that I couldn't understand how, along with almost everything else, it had become my problem. But we got there. By late Thursday afternoon the paint was dry, the exhibition spaces looked fabulous, most of the maintenance problems had been solved and several more people had arrived to help set up the show. I have to hand it to our exhibition crew - especially Adrian - who managed to get a really coherent show 85% sorted by 8.30pm. Given the awkwardness of the spaces, the diversity of the work and the number of egos involved, it was little short of miraculous. So was it worth it? Definitely. On the night, driving rain and streaming colds kept many away but the event still buzzed. We played host to lots of artists but not many representatives from the council or business, which gives a good indication of the mountain we have to climb. We had a few visitors from significant arts organisations like the Phoenix (our local arts centre) and Devon Artsculture (an important local arts support organisation) but also some notable absences.We finished loads of jobs it would otherwise have taken weeks to get around to. We got to publicly celebrate our achievement. We raised more than £300. We all got to see each other and each other's work in scrubbed-up exhibition style for the first time. We definitely took another important step in raising our profile.It was so much work that it's tempting to go back to my studio and wait for the support to roll in. But if this was even 10% of what we need to do to have a hope of future survival, I'd be surprised. There are loads of leads, contacts and questions to follow up. We need a break but if we leave it too long, the momentum will be lost.There are problems to solve. Too much dithering and not enough delegation at the start of planning for the opening meant that consultation went out the window. Things became simply too urgent to debate and we lost the fragile thread of collaboration. Though most people helped a bit in the end, I estimate that 20% of the members did 80% of the work for this event. I also think it highlighted some fundamental differences between the directors about what we're here for and how we should achieve it. I can feel tensions rising, egos jostling, politics beginning. I have some serious thinking to do.... Thu, 01 Jan 1970 01:00:00 +0100 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/385324 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/385324 TOGETHERNESS At the weekend, clearing up after the party I'm feeling AMAZED at how much we've achieved in just three and half months. It's been a good week: I earned some money. I slept. I slept some more. I uncovered the floors of my house again after spending weeks walking over a layer of papers, tools and unwashed clothes. And I had a whole afternoon in my studio painting. Several people got in touch to tell us we'd been wonderful darlings. We got yet more press (official crowd estimate 200). Everyone looks a bit glowy - or is that just the fact they've finally got some sleep? Lots of excitement about what we've done and where we could go. We're talking about another open event in the spring. We're even talking about a permanent project/gallery space in the studios and wondering if we have the time and money to run it. Also we had two visitors this week who couldn't make it to the opening but were really keen to see us: Liz Harkman, the Exeter City Arts & Events Officer and Lee Morgan from Art in Devon magazine. Both are incredibly well connected, very knowledgeable about the opportunities and problems in the local visual arts scene and very excited about what we've done. In fact, Lee looked slightly giddy with it all. I should really sit back and bask a little, but with more time to think I'm becoming anxious about the management stuff. By setting up the CIC we've given ourselves longevity, limited liability and kudos with funders but we have also set a legal monster in motion. We directors have responsibilities that - frankly - we have so far largely ignored. Some of it is paperwork we just have to grow up and get down to. Some of it is stuff we need to do to look after ourselves in a legal sense - for example knowing our data protection responsibilities, doing the paperwork to accompany our health and safety measures and putting in proper financial controls. But some of it is fundamental to what we do and how we do it. It's not just that we need more help, it's that our members expect to help, to be consulted, to be involved. It's what they signed up to. The directors do not own the business; they serve it. The CIC Memorandum & Articles of Association (the big fat legal documents lodged with Companies House that govern what we do) make this abundantly clear. We simply must solve the collaboration problem. And we must do it fast as there are decisions to be made together before we can move any further forward.... Thu, 01 Jan 1970 01:00:00 +0100 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/385324 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/385324 TOGETHERNESS - PART II It's been extremely cold this week and the lack of proper heating has kept the studios quiet. Quiet apart from the four screaming smoke alarms that greeted me on Tuesday morning. No sign of a fire. It's happened before and we blamed the tandoor oven in the takeaway across the road. But this early in the morning, it has to be the cold and the damp that's setting them off. We may not be seeing much of each other but we're drawn together anyway. Just being in one space where people can find us is throwing up all sorts of opportunities. I really hadn't expected the benefits (and possible hazards) of our group status to kick in so quickly, but they have. For example, we have the opportunity to exhibit together at the offices of a local company: ROK. They used to offer their huge double-height reception area to the art college as space for a rolling show of student work, but now the college has left town they've got bare walls. Exeter Artspaces to the rescue! The interesting question for me is how far our work can - or should - sit together like this. It's one thing to show the diversity of our practice in context at an opening event, but something different again to present ourselves in a gallery-like environment as a coherent group. It's an interesting experiment and I'm keen to see what Adrian and Zoe - our volunteer curators - will make of it.PS Still trying to sort out the collaboration stuff. Directors are divided between those making lists of tasks ready for delegation and those who believe we should keep it altogether more relaxed and spontaneous. "I'm up for a sort of spiritual democracy built on love, but I don't know who'd do the admin." Russell Brand on Have I got news for you ... Thu, 01 Jan 1970 01:00:00 +0100 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/385324 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/385324 REAL ESTATE An off-duty, artist-friendly commercial estate agent I spoke to the other week guessed our current building would be worth £300k-£400k on the open market - if it were just a warehouse. However, its city-centre redevelopment potential makes it worth "seven figures". If it wasn't on such a short and insecure lease we couldn't afford to rent it. Even if we could organise funding to buy a building like it, we'd never be able to fight off the developers. All over Exeter, every available piece of land is being sold off and turned into shops, offices or flats - with the full and enthusiastic support of the city council.Without the council or another powerful organisation backing us, it's debatable whether we'll manage to make a seamless move to another building, which is a problem as it's so central to our purpose and our identity. Until we had a building as a focus, we struggled to hold a group of people together to work on the project. (Francis and me are the only ones who have remained consistently involved from the very first meeting through to Red Lion Lane). Quite apart from the fact that it provides much-needed workspace for Exeter's artists (29 resident, 14 on the waiting list, and counting), the building's sheer physical presence has given us credibility we previously lacked. It's shown we're practical and resourceful, grown up and capable. We get things done. It's also bound us together as a group. We don't just bump into each other around town, at openings, in the galleries - we meet each at work. Sometimes every day. It makes it easy to exchange information and ideas, gossip and news. It has slightly set us apart from the more typical home-based Exeter artists who, for all their hard work and professionalism, probably don't register with the council as real force to be reckoned with. It's like we got unionised.Not all my parts of my practice require a studio, but I've decided I definitely do. I really believe at least some artists need to keep up the tradition of being together in spaces and making mess and noise. Despite the attractions of digital and time-based practice and despite the feeling that virtual communities can stand in for actual ones.Fine art degree courses have been accused of championing digital practice because it allows them to cram in more students per square metre. No fuss, no mess, very little real estate. A city council could take the same view and choose to promote digital and film-based arts over other visual arts. Such thoughts make our shabby, draughty warehouse feel like a fortress against invisibility and isolation.... Thu, 01 Jan 1970 01:00:00 +0100 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/385324 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/385324 GRAVEYARD OF AMBITIONEveryone talks about what a great move forward these studios are for Exeter. Well done you, good luck, thanks, great job. It's nice of people to offer encouragement - and it's the only thing many people can offer - but it's no substitute for practical help or cash. That's why the guest artists who gave work for our fundraiser were so important. Or the handful of local organisations who've made donations of cash, goods or services. (We're still waiting to hear the council's decision on business rates relief.)Encouragement sometimes comes with advice which, though well-meaning, casts a very limited role for us in the city's cultural life. It's one in which we provide a nice little art and craft market to complement the shiny new shopping centre up the road, preferably with a few kids' workshops thrown in. In return, and if we labour hard enough over the appropriate paperwork, we might be granted the odd handout to help "do a bit of publicity" and such like. While I have no objection to such activities (and know that many of our members are very keen to participate in workshops and selling events), I feel it's a distraction from the big issues we face (like keeping a roof over our heads) and the real opportunities we present for the city, its artists and their audiences. In particular, there's an underlying assumption that the artists in our space have no intention - or indeed history - of showing work much beyond the city boundaries. It's provincialism gone mad. It ignores the fact that we could offer significant cultural and economic value to Exeter through our national and international connections. Maybe I'm suffering delusions of grandeur, but I do believe a little ambition is appropriate here. Bristol and Plymouth city councils both provide practical support for their artists through subsidised studio rents (via Spike Island and Flameworks respectively). It may be partly because these councils have greater access to regeneration funding than Exeter, but it's also about vision.When I first arrived in this city four years ago, the lovely Californian woman who worked in the wholefood store told me that Exeter was "the graveyard of ambition". She suggested people come here for a quiet life: horizons are narrow and everyone likes it that way. She hardly seemed like an example of it herself, so I laughed it off - but, at times, the idea still haunts me.... Thu, 01 Jan 1970 01:00:00 +0100 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/385324 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/385324 Unhappy new year. I’ve resigned as a director of Exeter Artspaces CIC. Six months as a director may not seem long, but we are at a critical point right now and we all need to review our position. Is this what you want? Is it working out the way you hoped? I know some members have done this because we’ve received notice on their spaces. Getting going is one thing – chaotic, frantic. But now we’re in a whole new phase and our approach needs to change. The studios are in routine use and the directors have to manage a business day to day and plan the project’s future. Despite occasional frustrations, I rate our start-up a huge success. In recent weeks, however, I’ve repeatedly raised concerns about our legal, financial and other responsibilities. We needed to get organised, not just in an administrative sense but as a team of directors. I made what I felt was a strong and final bid to sort this out at the beginning December. I thought I’d finally got us started on tackling it. Actions and deadlines were agreed, but no one apart from me and Ruth really did anything. And it all felt horribly familiar.So last Sunday I had to tell three of our directors that, while I was convinced of their good intentions, I no longer had confidence in them. They offered me all sorts of promises and possibilities, but none seemed to address the underlying problem that we’re simply not managing. Not planning, not consulting members, not putting essential controls in place, not setting up processes, not even agreeing on what’s important… I’m sure they found my rejection of their suggestions puzzling and hurtful. To be honest, it would have been fairer to them if I’d got madder sooner about some of the things that have been bugging me. But I couldn’t quite bring myself to do it. Especially as I think they’re not engaging with our issues partly because they don’t have time. One director is living and working half the week in Cardiff with only limited access to email, another is in full-time employment and studying part-time for an MA. The third keeps having to delay or pull out of things. To top it all, Ruth now has a brand new baby son to look after. Although I still have faith in her, I know her priorities have changed.I asked them to consider moving on to make room for directors with more time or experience to work alongside me and Ruth, but they didn’t want to budge – and so I resigned instead. It’s not just the uneven distribution of work or the frustrations of not getting stuff done. Directors of limited companies can face fines and even prison terms for failing to comply with the law. You have to trust your fellow directors to look out for you as well as themselves. For me personally – at this time with this team – that trust is missing. ...continues... Thu, 01 Jan 1970 01:00:00 +0100 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/385324 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/385324 Continued from previous post...After 18 months of hard work, this really hurts. A big part of me wanted to stick in there and fight my corner, but I think it’s better to go before work issues sour into something much more personal. As it is, I’ll still be around to help and support the directors where I can, but the legal, financial and managerial responsibilities (and liabilities) are now all theirs. Here’s hoping a new director will change the dynamic and enable them to move on. I may have given up my roles as a director and company secretary but I haven’t given up on the project and I certainly haven’t given up on the idea of sustainable, affordable shared studio space for Exeter. I hope Exeter Artspaces succeeds (it contains my blood, sweat and tears after all). But if it doesn’t – I’ll be back! ... Thu, 01 Jan 1970 01:00:00 +0100 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/385324 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/385324 ARTISTS AGAINST ADMINAndy Warhol might have said that being good at business is the best kind of art, but he hadn’t tried running a Devon studio project. This was my first week in the studios as an ordinary member. Of course I have regrets, but resigning as a director really has its compensations. All that corporate stuff was eating my right brain. I couldn’t believe how delicious and uncomplicated it felt to go into my studio knowing I only had to worry about my own creative stuff. Much as I was hoping for personal practice and studio business to merge creatively, business got the upper hand. I’m quite comfortable with business stuff (too comfortable perhaps). I find it quite absorbing in the short term but, in the bigger picture, it is not what I came here for. I think about what would have happened if two or three other directors had left instead of me and how I would have been sucked right back in, except deeper. In an article last year published on www.aliasarts.org, Dominic Thomas comments on "the artist-led group as the underpaid administrators and managers of local cultural activity" and "the transformation of artists into efficient arts administrators". It’s not just the exploitation – it’s the cost to creative freedom and the impingement on creative time. It’s what thinking about cash flows and health and safety legislation does to your brain. I’ve worked on this project consistently for 18 months, flat-out for the last five. I’ve built profile and networked us, written business plans and funding proposals, set up a business structure, drafted terms and conditions, created membership systems, issued press releases, painted walls, talked to lawyers, negotiated with electricians, emptied bins, filled in forms … I think I’ve earned a bit of unencumbered studio time. And after weeks of struggling against a torrent of administration and maintenance work, the disruption of the opening event, bitter cold and Christmas, this week I was finally able to finish the painting that was commissioned from me back in October. For the time being, I think I’m back on track.... Thu, 01 Jan 1970 01:00:00 +0100 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/385324 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/385324 THE MEMBRANEHad a studio meeting on Sunday where it was announced that I was "stepping down". We all skirted politely around the reasons and it’s probably for the best. The remaining directors have decided to try to appoint two directors in my place, which I’d find rather flattering if I didn’t suspect it’s because they think another one is about to walk. This week I’ve spent something like 12 hours (count ‘em) in my studio actually doing art and managed to fit in some paid work and thinking time too. I confess that now I‘m working there more regularly (and don’t have to set such a good example), I have caved in over the privacy/artpoo thing (see 14 September) and allowed myself to hang some sheets of plastic across the front of the space. With almost everyone else closeted away, I was beginning to feel like a bit of an exhibitionist. So a semi-public space has become a semi-private space. It’s only three removable pieces of translucent polythene, but it makes a massive difference (and not only to the draughts). It definitely separates me. I’m less visible, less connected. By resigning, I removed myself from the organisational centre of the project. By making this small change to my workspace I’ve made a physical representation of it. I’ve also conformed to the studio norm – of seclusion. I have to admit it feels cosier, like being behind net curtains, and so just a little bit suburban. ... Thu, 01 Jan 1970 01:00:00 +0100 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/385324 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/385324 YOURS & MINEI decided to have a look at the ways artists in Red Lion Lane mark the boundaries between communal space and their personal working spaces. ... Thu, 01 Jan 1970 01:00:00 +0100 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/385324 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/385324 THE VIEW FROM HEREOur problems with (lack of) collaboration continue, except this time I’m seeing them from the other side. I’ve done a bit of housekeeping to remove the smellier mess from the studios, have been trying to follow through on the rates relief and, yesterday, I honoured an appointment I’d made previously with a creative industries specialist from the council. But the more out of touch with the centre I become, the less I can do. I need information and – yup – direction. The directors have asked us for help and read out to us a list of areas where we could help. But that was it - they haven’t actually told us how we can help. It makes it easy to head off to your studio and tell yourself that helping out can’t really be that important. Otherwise there would be more fuss about it.But it’s worrying. If as a member you don't take an interest in what’s going on, it encourages others to make decisions on your behalf. Decisions that, one day, you really might not agree with. For example, at the recent studio meeting, we heard that one set of decisions would be made "at the directors’ discretion". It’s not that the outcomes of these decisions were bad, but I would feel more comfortable for all of us if the process had been more transparent. Our directors do not own Exeter Artspaces. They are not our landlords or our bosses. They are the current legal guardians of the community interest company and coordinators of a collaborative project. We need to be involved in what they are doing. For example, the money in the bank account belongs to everyone and – for their own protection as well as ours – the directors need to demonstrate they are being scrupulous in their care of it. And as members of a community interest company, we really should request that our directors are fully accountable to us. It’s down to all of us to get this right. ... Thu, 01 Jan 1970 01:00:00 +0100 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/385324 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/385324 (DIS)ORGANISATIONI had to put my business head on to meet the creative industries man from the council, and it’s been hard to take it off again. Artists are potentially as good as anyone else at doing business, but we may want to do it in different ways. If we decide to break, bend, wiggle or ignore established business principles, are we being creatively subversive and free-spirited or just plain dumb? This question hovered in the background of my meeting last week. First there is the whole issue of whether all visual art can (or should) be considered a creative industry. Philip from the council was interested in how we could contribute to the city’s economic development.He was comfortable with the artists who are making work to sell through commercial outlets but struggled a little with my insistence on calling myself a professional artist when I do other jobs to support and even subsidise my art practice. He could see the group’s impact on culture and tourism and our potential to create small amounts of economic activity (buying goods and services, using redundant buildings). He really liked the way we pool skills, knowledge and opportunities. He was encouraged by the partnerships we’ve started to form with local businesses and hoped we’d also build more links with colleges. And he was keen for us to have some business advice. Of course any business adviser is likely to suggest we follow a few tried and tested methods for running our organisation. Things like forward planning and delegating responsibility are bound to come up. When I mentioned this offer of free support to one director, he looked positively wobbly at the prospect. Business training is the kind of thing people become artists to avoid. It’s a difficult thing. I certainly never want to have to measure the studio group’s value to Exeter in monetary terms. But the actual running of the project is a different matter. Presuming we want to survive, the books have to balance, next week, next month, next year. Our future survival depends on more than just keeping our fingers crossed that we’ll find a new building. We don’t have to be business people, but we do have to learn how to work with them and, sometimes, how to work like them. ... Thu, 01 Jan 1970 01:00:00 +0100 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/385324 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/385324 PUTTING THE RECORD STRAIGHTSeveral people have said they thought I resigned as a director of Exeter Artspaces because it was too big a commitment for me. Not true.To recap: I resigned because I believed that some of my fellow directors were not acting in the best interests of the project, its members and their fellow directors. I’ve now sat here for five weeks waiting for them to prove that their free-and-easy approach to running a studio is taking us where we want to go. I genuinely hoped it would, because I’ve really appreciated all the extra time in my studio. To be fair, nothing disastrous has happened. Things are bit messier, a few people are behind on their rent, but we’re muddling along. Which may be fine if all you’re interested in is short-term studio space – or, in the case of two directors, cheap storage. However, if you see this as an opportunity to establish much-needed permanent art/studio space in Exeter, you will be utterly frustrated that we’re not grabbing this chance to acquire the necessary skills, profile and credibility.To have a future beyond this temporary building, we are going to need substantial investment or subsidy and a good few friends in high places. The kind of support we’re talking about is unlikely to be handed to people who don't even seem to be able to organise a meeting properly. We’re asking people to trust us with serious money and some important reputations. It’s good to dream of the day when we’ll have a permanent base and some professional arts administrators to help us run things. But we also need to imagine how we’re going to get there. Organising viewings of unaffordable, impractical buildings and muttering vaguely about Arts Council support do not constitute a business plan. And sitting around a plate of biscuits on a Sunday afternoon saying "who feels like doing fundraising?" isn’t managing a business.I want this to work so much that I’ve been pretending (even to myself) that everything’s OK. But it really isn’t. We could squander everything we’ve achieved so far because I’m too scared to stand up in public and voice my concerns about some of the people who are running our project. There, you see, I’m bloody useless too.... Thu, 01 Jan 1970 01:00:00 +0100 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/385324 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/385324 END OF STORYTim says it’s like we pushed a boulder up a hill and they're letting it roll down again.At the members’ meeting on Sunday I poked and I prodded the directors and I occasionally preached. I felt very uncomfortable doing it. But I also knew I’d feel even worse later if I didn’t at least try to air some of the problems while there’s still time to solve them. Sadly, I don’t think I achieved much except a new reputation as the studio whinger. Most members simply don’t care about things like not following regulations or policy being made up as we go along. Not yet anyway. They are just so bloody grateful to have a studio space and someone – anyone – to run it for them. There’s a battle to be fought but I can’t fight it on my own. Someone raised the issue of whether starting to run community workshops could be helpful to our future fundability. Francis responded by saying he didn’t see why it all needed to be so complicated. Our aim was to set up studio spaces "and we’ve done that: end of story."... Thu, 01 Jan 1970 01:00:00 +0100 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/385324 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/385324 POST SCRIPT – LETTING GOI’m leaving the blog alone for now. I wanted to be honest about what has happened but I also think that continuing to be negative isn’t a whole lot of good to anyone. Especially when it’s clear that, from the point of view of most other members, everything is fine. One of my biggest contributions has been to present Exeter Artspaces to the world – to make the case for CIC status, for funding, for rates relief, for public support. To produce online materials, campaigning leaflets and press releases. I once described myself as a "walking billboard" and I was, sometimes pounding the streets of Exeter to talk to artists, arts projects and local businesses. But what’s occurred to me in the last few weeks is that I was still out there communicating the original version of the project, when in fact it has changed. Exactly how has yet to be reflected in our public face, but I expect it will happen. The point was, I had started to feel dishonest about the way I was representing us. To make things worse, many people assumed I was one of those leading the project, which alienated the remaining directors further.Lots of people have commented that this kind of management meltdown is not unusual in artists’ projects, it’s just that it’s never been quite so publicly documented before. I have very mixed feelings about what I’ve done here in this blog, but that’s been part of the experiment too. But, I’ve received more positive feedback than negative and, apart from one or two bruised egos (including mine), I think – hope – it’s been useful.So it’s time for me to adopt a much lower profile, to get back into my studio and let the project evolve the way the members want it to go. ... Thu, 01 Jan 1970 01:00:00 +0100 http://sites.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/385324