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A New Creative Hub for Wood Street

Funded on Spacehive 14 October 2015 Delivered 1 June 2017

Impact data and claims within this report are provided by the project creator and have not been independently verified by Spacehive.

A New Creative Hub for Wood Street

Wood Street Walls By Wood Street Walls

We want to unleash creativity in our streets & spaces. By building an artistic space for our community, we will bring more fun and excitement to Walthamstow for all to enjoy!

Walthamstow Delivery stage

169
backers
£39,041
raised
funded icon
This project was funded on 14 Oct 2015!

The Wood Street Walls community art initiative is all about bringing character and creativity to our community. Working with local residents, children and young adults will develop skills whilst improving their area. By giving art a permanent home in Wood St, our artistic community can continue to transform our spaces and places to their full potential!

There is a real need for affordable artist space in London, with only 300 artist studio buildings catering to 11,500 artists. London is seen as the creative capital of the world, but within the next 5 years over 3000 artists will lose their place of work.

Waltham Forest only has 70 studios. In comparison the number in our neighbouring Borough of Hackney is 1124.

By reviving a disused public building – such as the Manual Instruction Centre in Brooke Rd E17 - we will create a brand new studio and community space for local artists and residents to enjoy!

What we'll deliver:

  • Become an established and integral part of the E17 Art Trail
  • Provide local, up & coming artists affordable space to hone their craft & showcase their work
  • Provide new and original artwork to be displayed in local shops providing addition income for artists and businesses
  • Regenerate the Manual Instruction Centre to provide a studio space for local artists, subject to consent
  • Bring to life old walls & spaces
  • Give children and young adults the opportunity to learn from our artists
  • Work with local business to brighten up their buildings & provide artwork for shops

Why it's a great idea:

There are a lack of creative spaces and studios for artists. As studio space vanishes and rents increase, urban areas lose artists and art, taking creativity out of our neighbourhoods.

Working alongside the community to bring generic public spaces to life will give skills and opportunities to local young residents, while improving the spaces we all use on a daily basis.

Steps to get it done:

  • Create a Community Interest Company to manage the site
  • Use disused shops as pop-up galleries and drop in centres to build awareness of the project
  • Identify properties to convert into studio space & public art workspaces - starting with the Manual Instruction Centre
  • Put all rental income back into the studio space
  • Resident artists will put on 1 free workshop a month for the local community
  • Speak to local businesses & individuals and get them to donate their walls, shutters to artists

Similar projects have been undertaken in Miami (Wynwood Walls) and Brooklyn (Bushwick Collective). These projects have ended up re-energising their areas and turning them into a hub of creativity. By developing a new studio as the focal point for the Wood Street area, we will make urban art accessible to the local community.

Everyone who pledges gets their name on our Founders’ Wall!

What else you can get if you pledge:

£5 - 2 Wood St Studio stickers

£15 - a Wood St Studio T-Shirt

£35 - Street Art workshop

£75 - a special edition Wood Street Studios print from local artist Static - www.welikestatic.com

£200 - we will put on a group street art workshop for you and 9 friends.

Resident artist:

£450 gives you your deposit for a space at our chosen site when it's ready

£1300 secures your deposit and studio space for 2 months

£4500 secures your studio space for a whole year

Location Walthamstow

About the space

Manual Instruction Centre near Wood St

Council

London Borough of Waltham Forest

How will the money be spent?Total £38,540

Re-purposing of Manual Instruction Centre (basic fit out) - £12,000 (31%)
Workshop setup, facilitation & running costs - £3,500 (9%)
Further prefabricated "pop up" buildings for temporary space (incl. fit out and services) - £3,500 (9%)
Solar Panels for long term self sustaining energy - £3,200 (8%)
Architect plans & prep for planning - £2,500 (6%)
Supplying of Utilities (water, electric, heating) to new studio spaces - £1,500 (4%)
Maintenance & Running of site - £1,500 (4%)
Weekend Events for the year - £1,250 (3%)
Plans & planning permission - £1,000 (3%)
Securing of dedicated entrance to site instead of using Woodside Academy entrance - £1,000 (3%)
Other - £7,590 (20%)

Costs Breakdown

This shows how money raised for the project will be spent. These costs have been confirmed by the project's Delivery Manager and verified.

31%
Re-purposing of Manual Instruction Centre (basic fit out)
£12,000
9%
Workshop setup, facilitation & running costs
£3,500
9%
Further prefabricated "pop up" buildings for temporary space (incl. fit out and services)
£3,500
8%
Solar Panels for long term self sustaining energy
£3,200
6%
Architect plans & prep for planning
£2,500
4%
Supplying of Utilities (water, electric, heating) to new studio spaces
£1,500
4%
Maintenance & Running of site
£1,500
3%
Weekend Events for the year
£1,250
3%
Plans & planning permission
£1,000
3%
Securing of dedicated entrance to site instead of using Woodside Academy entrance
£1,000
20%
Other Read More
£7,590
  • Spacehive fees
    £1,326
  • Shared equipment for communal spaces & future workshops
    £1,000
  • Building regulations
    £600
  • Materials for workshops & murals
    £500
  • Implementation, management administration of policies & procedures and forming CIC
    £400
  • Financial Accounting & Reporting
    £400
  • Public event hosting
    £400
  • VAT
    £358
  • High Speed Internet and Wifi Setup
    £300
  • Website Design & Digital Presence
    £300
  • Implementation of automated background checking prodedures & safeguarding - Onfido
    £250
  • Ceiling & Cavity Wall Insulation
    £250
  • Design and Purchase of Merchandise
    £250
  • Setting up merchant card payment services for workshops and goods
    £240
  • Transaction Fees
    £211
  • Planning & Pre-Planning Permission
    £200
  • EPC
    £90
  • Website & Email Hosting
    £50

Total £38,540

Our Volunteer List

We're currently looking for people to offer skills and time to develop our project! Check out the list of what we need below and then use the 'Volunteer' button to the right to get involved.

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