‘Pop-up shops’
'Bed Quilt on Chair' (200x150cm) by Pippa Caley; Photo: Pippa Caley, 2007
Several initiatives have now been announced helping makers and supporting craft retail during the credit crunch, with specific measures earmarked for ‘pop-up shops’.
Several initiatives have now been announced helping makers and supporting craft retail during the credit crunch, with specific measures earmarked for ‘pop-up shops’. The Government has unveiled new measures – and up to £3million – to encourage local councils to make best use of empty high-street shops.
Arts Council England will support this with £500,000 investment. And a new interactive book – supported by Creative and Cultural Skills (the Sector Skills Council for Advertising, Crafts, Cultural Heritage, Design, Literature, Music, Performing, and Visual Arts) and the British Council – details a wide range of responses to the global economic situation.
When a shop closes, it doesn’t just affect its own staff and customers – the unmaintained empty shell can make the whole street seem dismal and uninviting, damaging business and consumer confidence, and property owners can be hit too.
In addition to the financial commitment, the Government has announced measures to help communities reduce this negative impact, including advice, eased or changed regulations, reduced rates, as well as increased protection for businesses that serve essential needs, and more enabling of ‘interim-use’ and temporary leases. In particular, cultural and creative projects are being encouraged, including exhibitions of local work, workshops, learning centres and studios. This is recognised as a route for successful start-ups in the past, and helps keep areas lively and in the public eye.
(For full details see website.)
Arts Council England is offering a new £40 million open application fund for financial support, advice and help for arts organisations under pressure during the recession, with grants from £75,000 up to £3 million. There has also been a £4 million increase in the Grants for the Arts budget to 2010/11 as well as £500,000 earmarked for the Town Centre initiative, to further enable the use, by artists and makers and related organisations, of empty retail spaces. (NB: Grants for the Arts is open to applications from individuals, although it was originally restricted to fully constituted organisations) , (For full details see website.)
‘After The Crunch’, edited by Tom Bewick of Creative & Cultural Skills, and others, is a collaborative, downloadable book about responses in the creative sector to the downturn, with contributions from UK and international makers, writers, policy-developers, consultants and economists. A blog feature on the website allows visitors to share personal tips and experiences, and all work has been contributed under Creative Commons. This document can be downloaded and distributed by email, and added as a resource to websites, so that a wider audience can download and distribute it further. (For full details see website.)
Government initiative
ACE press release
After The Crunch
