A group of artists and creative businesses have helped Gateshead Council to transform an empty furniture store in the centre of Gateshead into Britain’s latest artists’ colony.
See the video of the Shed Launch| with Design Guru Wayne Hemingway and the leader of Gateshead Council Mick Henry.
Eleven of the region’s freshest creative business stars have been given rent-free workspace by Gateshead Council as part of a new project to help small, creative businesses to get off the ground.
The innovative ‘Starter for Ten’ scheme, jointly developed by Gateshead Council and design guru Wayne Hemingway MBE, has seen the transformation of The Bed Shed, a redundant furniture store on Gateshead’s High Street, into a thriving creative cluster for small businesses called ‘The Shed’.
On Monday 23rd November 2009, Councillor Mick Henry, Leader of Gateshead Council, joined Wayne Hemingway MBE to throw open the doors and officially welcome the first eleven creative businesses to their new premises.
Initially a pilot scheme, The Shed offers basic business premises at with no rent or rates to pay as a catalyst for growth in the local creative sector.
Starter for Ten’s first eleven tenants include:
Kate Craddock
Kate Craddock is co-founder and artistic director of 'mouth to mouth' international performance collective. Recent projects include her performance 'Hand me Down' at Live Studio Theatre.
Colin Davies
Graphic designer, started his own design studio called OneNineFour in Newcastle in January 2009 specialising in creating branding, editorial design and art direction for the cultural sector. He has also co-curated a number of design exhibitions including Our Friends In The North for Design Event 07 and MadeNorth for Design Event 08.
Jennifer Douglas
Visual artist whose practice focuses on sculpture, large scale installation and drawing. Graduated with a first class degree in Fine Art from Newcastle University and has a Masters in Fine Art from the Glasgow School of Art. Jennifer is represented by Workplace Gallery, has had a solo exhibition at the Grundy Gallery Blackpool and has a forthcoming solo show at the Durham Light Infantry Museum in 2010.
Kate Eccles, Molly Barrett and Verity Quinn
A group of theatre practitioners and visual artists whose specialisms include costume and textiles, puppetry, animation, theatre design, site-responsive installation and performance.Recent projects include 'Stranger Places' at Enchanted Parks 2008.
Lisa Gara and Hannah Gair
Two graduate designers from Nottingham Trent University 2009 specialising in hand-printed textiles and womenswear.
Anne Risaria Langley
Scriptwriter with her own film production company Brief Encounters 21st Century Ltd. whose award-winning shorts have been screened on television and at the Cannes Film Festival. Her second short film 'Brief Encounter 21st Century' was shown at Cannes 2007 and was sold to the Mini-Movie channel in Luxembourg for worldwide distribution. She is currently developing her first feature film, 'Not Only Angels Can Fly', a romantic comedy.
Liam Murray
Visual artist with a degree in Fine Art from Glasgow School of Art 2004. Prior to moving to Newcastle last year he spent 2 years renovating a 19th centruy black house in the Outer Hebrides.
Christoph Oschatz
Architect originally from Germany, moved to Newcastle in 2000. Specialises in residential projects but is also interested in art collaborations and education. He has organised exhibitions such as the "Make me a Home" exhibiton for Northern Architecture and in his previous employment was responsible for organising and constructing the interior and exterior of the Dott07 Festival. Christoph is working as a Creative Practitioner for Creative Partnerships with 2 schools in Co.Durham.
Aether & Hemera
A lighting design and new media architecture partnership specialising in art installations and lighting schemes which began in 2008. Originally from Italy they recently completed a fellowship at the Institute of Digital Innovation, University of Teesside. For this they created a prototype for an interactive 'Mood Chair' which changes colour in response to the sitter and the environment. They also created the audio and light installation 'Rose's Halo' for the Enchanted Park event in Saltwell Park 2008.
Kate Usher
Kate is a recent graduate in Textiles and Surface Design from Cleveland College of Art and Design specialising in digitally printed and hand finished wallpapers. She has just exhibited at 'New Designers' at the Business Design Centre London.
Laura Jane Vest
Fashion and beauty photographer. Graduated in Photography at Newcastle College in 2007. Regularly does fashion and beauty shoots for the regional Accent magazine and was commissioned to do a series of images for the launch of the Vivienne Westwood Store, Newcastle. In addition Laura has a monthly commission with The Royal Photographic Society Journal providing items of interest for the news section.
Further space is now available on the first floor of The Shed. |