The Importance of Creative Spaces
Four years ago we were offered an exciting opportunity to take on an empty shop unit in a city centre shopping mall in Southampton.
At the time SoCo Music Project was a small 2 man delivery organisation running music tech workshops in schools and youth clubs across the city, we were aware that there was a distinct lack of creative space, young people would tell us that their only experience of playing music outside of school was to pay a visit to their local guitar shop and strum away until being kicked out. We saw an opportunity to turn this on it's head and provide a space where young people would be actively encouraged to pick up an instrument and experiment for as long as they wanted, with no pressure, no judgement and most importantly the support to progress in their instrument of choice. The Creative Hub was born and we embarked on a mission to fill the space with as much exciting music kit as possible; with electric guitars that could be played on headphones, digital drum kits, turntables, synths and music tech workstations for production. We used JamHubs for headphone jamming and we had a stage area with full PA for performances. Having the space forced us to expand our workforce, dipping into traineeships, work placements, volunteers and interns to develop a safe and nurturing space, where people with a passion for music could connect, collaborate and explore. We put on regular taster workshops and showcase events for young people to gain new skills and perform for their peers. It was a vibrant, busy, sometimes challenging but always exciting space, the young people felt a sense of ownership and it enabled us to build a music community reaching out to all ages, all skill levels and all areas of music engagement.
The space allowed us to provide focused workshops, working with mental health groups, children and adults with learning difficulties and young people outside of mainstream education. We hosted conferences, seminars and information days with partners that included Music Education Hubs, creative networks and The Musicians Union. It was a space to explore, to learn and to connect.
It didn't always work... being in a mostly empty shopping centre had it's pros and cons. We could make as much noise as we liked, and the vulnerable groups we worked with felt safe, but the centre as a whole was a ghost town, with neglected facilities and a lack of heating that caused problems in the winter months. But with no budget and lots of enthusiasm we made it work.
The shopping centre closed it's doors for good in February of this year, another victim of the tough financial environment and the dwindling highstreet, and with it's closure saw the end of SoCo's Creative Hub. We moved our group work to a city centre park pavilion and our studio space in the east of the city, and our work continues across the county but without a visible, accessible space. But not for long... In the New Year we are taking residence in a disused magistrates court building in Eastleigh. The space will offer much the same as the Creative Hub, but with considerably more space, 24/7 access and a much bigger offer of music engagement. There will be rehearsal rooms for bands and ensembles, tuition spaces for music learning, offices for emerging organisations and large spaces for performance and group learning. Partnerships will be key to the success of the project, from managing a cafe space to providing information and advice to young people. The space will provide opportunities for sector development with work opportunities and training, and social space will allow people to once again connect and collaborate in a safe environment. We'll have the court house for 2 years, maybe more... and we see this as an opportunity to pilot a range of activities, explore new income streams and prove the concept of accessible creative space.
We know that space like this is important. Space to learn and play, to engage with music on your own terms and discover routes for progression. How do we ensure that space like this exists? We've been fortunate to find sympathetic landlords and supportive local authorities, but these are not always so easy to find. Perhaps it's about sustainable income streams to allow us to engage with the private sector better, or government initiatives providing affordable long term space. Either way it's imperative that we as a sector push the importance of creative spaces, and hopefully in times to come every town and city will have spaces for creative practice that are as valued and accepted as local leisure centres, both providing access to activities that enhance the health and wellbeing of the population.
We'd love to hear about creative spaces in your local area, you may run one yourself. And we'd be happy to share our own experiences. To find out more you can contact me at matt@socomusicproject.org.uk