7 areas of Ashford are areas of high deprivation, mental health issues and poverty, mostly within the female population and single parent households. Some of the work will involve individuals from those communities, who often have complex needs.

The Centre is a gallery, and offers workshops and courses in creative disciplines and business. It is a hub for creativity (we are often commissioned to produce murals which we do in collaboration), and support to many artists and makers who are isolated, and often have health issues, and need an outlet. By being at the Centre and using our studio, artists will be able to collaborate and produce work together and use our networks of business advisors, coaches and mentors to gain business experience as well as to display, promote and sell their work.

What we'll deliver:

• We will decorate and adorn the streets with arts and crafts
• We will deliver the festival
• We will draw and colour our murals and street art
• We will engage the community by doing outreach work
• We will work on monthly events much in the same way
• We will hold open events to celebrate and showcase the work
• We will hold regular weekly meeting
• We will produce the designs for our murals and street art in group meetings

Why it's a great idea:

The Centre for Creativity and Enterprise is a not for profit gallery and crafts centre and aims to bring together creative start ups, or individuals who are lacking the skills or the ability to start their own business or become self-employed, together to find solutions to unemployment, self employment and product testing and promotion.

Furthermore, we aim to involve the community in making Ashford a desired destination for the viewing and purchase of art, and the involvement of local families and businesses in organising cultural events that will be the envy of other towns in the South East. Having a gallery will mean that artists have a public space to work from but also potential clients of their work can visit them whilst they are producing work and commission work if they wish to do so.

The studio will also be a potential income source for our not for profit and will enable us to become more self sustaining and self supporting.

Steps to get it done:

• Our artists and designers will plan the makeover
• The work will begin
• We will produce project plans and designs
• We will put together a working and planning group and meet to come up with ideas

Artists and makers are often isolated and have no support. The studio aims to create a space that will be productive and inspirational but will allow its users to interact with other creatives and centre users. It will also give artists the opportunity to promote their work though our networks and partnerships in the community.

A studio is a good resource for collaborative work and will give way to the production of community projects and delivery of community art events.