We're expanding our studios to create an inclusive, shared and collaborative makers yard. Run by an onsite technician and trained sculptors, it will include facilities in wood and metalworking. This space will equip the local community with skills in making from welding to up-cycling old furniture. Through a curated series of monthly workshops run by visiting artists and designers this space will be a place for people to learn, build, make and connect. Our plan is to link the yard to a shop along the local high street, working together with Enfield Council and our community to transform our public spaces and empower individuals by showcasing their hand-crafted works made throughout the programme via quarterly exhibitions. Our makers yard will provide awareness in sustainability and zero waste, up-cycling discarded or unwanted materials sourced from the local community. An intergenerational space with a series of activities designed to bring us together as we emerge from lockdown.

What we'll deliver:

• Create a makers yard as a space for the local community to learn new skills through making
• Curate an annual programme of monthly workshops connecting the yard and Hive's indoor communal area
• Link to the local high street by taking over a vacant shop so makers have the opportunity to show and sell their works
• Equip the makers yard with wood and metal working facilities
• Have free weekly drop-ins available for the community, with a trained technician on hand to offer advice and support
• Free training workshops for young people aged 16-25 from the local community
• Kick start the regeneration of the local high street in a sustainable way
• Adding to existing facilities for local creatives
• Provide managed donation points for unwanted materials both at the makers yard and pop-up shop
• Develop an online booking system for workshops, classes, drop-ins and donations

Why it's a great idea:

We established an artist studio in the heart of Upper Edmonton in late 2019 and despite of COVID-19 we are continuing to grow and now have 14 resident artists working from the space. During 2020 and the various lockdowns it was clear that people were picking up new hobbies and keen to learn skills. We hope our yard will encourage this. Currently, there are no Further Education providers offering courses in the arts in Enfield. Our project aims to address this gap. We also want to reduce waste and encourage the creative re-use of salvaged materials from our local area and generate wealth for the local economy. Continuing our work in the public realm, the Makers Yard would be a social enterprise designed to bring people together post-pandemic and boost the local economy, via a meaningful arts and culture project that is designed to transform our high street, celebrate our industrial heritage and create a unique local identity with artisanal products designed and made in Enfield.

Steps to get it done:

• Install power and lighting
• Install workbenches and pegboards
• Purchase equipment (hand tools, metal & wood working machines)
• Install health and safety measures for the yard
• Curate a programme of events (weekly drop-ins, workshops & courses)
• Advertise in our local and wider areas
• Ensure programme is fully listed on all community platforms
• Secure visiting artists, designers and practitioners to the monthly programme
• Create managed donation points for salvaged materials and develop booking system
• Launch makers yard via an event
• Take over vacant shop in local area, organise fit out
• Launch event to connect the two spaces
• Manage, design and curate the pop-up shop to create a unique identity on the highstreet
• End of year makers event to celebrate individuals in the community who have participated
• End of year review of metrics, to develop approach for future years

Here's an insight into the expertise that we have at our studios. This is a brief overview of one of our workshop programmes. Make, Repair, Restore Workshop is a programme of weekly activities provided by Artist Hive Studios that offers the local community the opportunity to engage with artists and designers in realising small projects that aim create an appreciation of practical making skills and to reduce waste through recycling and up-cycling rather than throwing away. The workshops will be practical and fun through making use of our well-equipped yard workshop but they will also be didactic in encouraging us to rethink our attitudes towards how and why we create waste. The workshops will be led by Huren Marsh, a designer who originally trained as a furniture and product designer and has had over twenty years experience of working in architectural and design practices as well fifteen years as a university lecturer in design.