An empty shop on Twerton High Street is being transformed into a vibrant creative and exhibition space for local artists, students and the community.
Creative Twerton is the result of a partnership between Bath Spa University, Bath creative tech studio Little Lost Robot, Bath & North East Somerset Council, Radstock-based arts group Creativity Works and Bath-based charity Youth Connect South West.
Thanks to the link-up, the former Urban Ink tattoo studio on Twerton High Street is now a buzzing creative hub, which will officially open its doors on Saturday 19 November.
The free launch event will be open to the public between 3pm and 5pm, when there will be the chance to take part in creative activities, including textiles and digital arts, as well as an opportunity to share ideas on what free activities could take place.
The work to improve the spaces has been led by a local team, including Twerton residents, meaning Creative Twerton can now offer affordable ‘maker’ spaces and exhibition space for local artists, including students and art graduates from local colleges and Bath Spa University.
A series of free activities for residents have been planned, including regular art lunches and ‘Robot Your High Street’ sessions for young adults.
The space will also provide access to wi-fi and computers, after-school provision and a food and a warm bank over the winter while there are plans to run regular youth services.
Bath Spa University creative and cultural development officer Ruby Sant, who also owns Little Lost Robot, said: “We are hugely excited about this space as it allows us to show the vital impact of arts and community engagement on wellbeing for a community and, as importantly, simultaneously offer vital basic services for those in need.
“We will be building and developing exciting work with people in the space, including a commission for Hampton Court Palace and for Kew next spring.”
The partnership aims to open up vacant spaces for local communities to spend time creating together in a way that costs nothing, helping focus and develop skills and supporting individuals in pathways into further education, training, employment or other opportunities.
The team have plans to expand into the neighbouring premises by next January.
The project is supported by the West of England Combined Authority’s Love our High Streets fund and the High Street Recovery Fund with in-kind support from Bath Spa, one of the UK’s leading creative universities offering a wide range of courses across the arts, sciences, education, social science and business to 7,000-plus students.
It is the first step to improve Twerton High Street and will act as a base for art interventions undertaken as part of the local high street improvement project.
