Barony

Barony Craft Centre

Transcript

1. Craft Town Scotland is a Project of the West Kilbride Community Initiative Ltd Registered in Scotland SC 192083, Registered Charity no. SC 028481 The Barony Centre photography by David Barbour
2. Craft Town Scotland, West Kilbride Year of Creative Scotland Creative Place Awards Winner 2012 The Barony Centre: Craft Exhibitions, Education and Events Project Details West Kilbride Community Initiative Ltd has created a dedicated Craft Exhibition, Education and Events venue both as a focal point for Craft Town Scotland and a regional focus for craft and design. The new centre will build on the regeneration achievements of Craft Town Scotland, which include reversing the spiral of decline experienced in our disadvantaged area, fostering a new sense of community and civic pride amongst residents and attracting new commerce and businesses to the area. These achievements have been underpinned by placing culture, and more specifically crafts, at the very heart of Craft Town Scotland operations. Our determination to develop a major regional centre dedicated to contemporary craft and design is a powerful statement of our commitment to strengthen our support to makers, to increase the exposure of craft and raise its perceived cultural and commercial value and to maintain the important role of the arts in delivering sustainable development. The group has recently completed the redevelopment of the old Barony church, a ‘C’ listed building, integral to the unique townscape of West Kilbride and the strong sense of community identity. Significant adaptations have been required to enable the building to provide the level of service envisaged. Whilst remaining sympathetic to the original external building, the redevelopment has incorporated contemporary architectural interventions that have resulted in a flexible, dynamic space for the future.
3. The project has been developed over a five year period and has been made possible by the following grant awards: GCA Big Lottery Fund Scotland £1,028,072 Town Centre Regeneration Fund £ 296,290 Ayrshire LEADER £ 266,634 Third Sector Enterprise Fund £ 95,000 The Robertson Trust £ 60,000 North Ayrshire Council Landfill Communities Fund £ 25,000 Nuclear Decommissioning Authority £ 11,000 Ground level Retail Area: The area leads directly on from an entrance hall and is designed to display a wide range of accessibly priced craftwork well, thereby creating opportunities for retail sales. It will incorporate display and sales points for a combination of craft goods organised in 4 distinct sections ! Gift Items manufactured by skilled amateur and semi-professional makers from the local area and the West of Scotland ! Accessibly priced collectable items made by established skilled designer-makers ! Premier Crafts made by designer-makers with national and international standing ! Craft Town Scotland branded merchandise The retail area will encourage visitors to enter and then, via the creation of Craft interpretation ‘signposts’, carry on through to the larger exhibition gallery.
4. Craft Exhibition Gallery ! Exhibition area showcasing the diversity and innovation of contemporary craft practice whilst referencing heritage craft origins ! Flexible Area - partition when hosting several small exhibitions simultaneously, single area when exhibiting large scale work / solo shows/ touring exhibitions ! Multiple access routes, from those with little knowledge through to those critically informed in the fields of culture and contemporary craft. The office space houses the orginaisation’s 2 full-time members of staff (Director, Craft Town Scotland and Administration/Creative Assistant) and one part-time member of staff (Business Manager). Our small, flexible café space is capable of seating 26 – it also acts as an activity space for hire to local craft / community groups in evenings. The facility also has fully accessible toilets, including 2 with baby changing facilities, in the café, ground floor and mezzanine areas. Finally, we also have our equipment storeroom and stock storeroom discretely located at the back of the ground floor area. Mezzanine area This area has been specifically designed to retain a strong visual link between it and the exhibition space below by incorporating large areas of glass within the structure. Its design reflects the town’s weaving heritage in a pared down abstraction of loom and warp threads. In addition to the practical requirements of operating flexible creative workshop spaces, the architect’s brief reinforced the clients desire that the link between the making process, in all its stages through research and development to the finished piece, and the work on show in the exhibition space below be maintained. Craft Activities Studio: ! The dedicated Learning Space will allow us to support an annual inclusive programme of lifelong learning activities, accommodate groups of up to 20, and organise craft- based courses and workshops tailored specifically to their needs. ! The studio will be flexible, with sinks and equipment screened off when not in use. ! The space will interconnect to a “Maker in Residence” studio by means of moveable partition screens.
5. ! The studio will also be equipped with IT equipment to facilitate the use of new technology within craft practice e.g. enable makers to instruct on the integration of digital and hand processes. ‘Maker in Residence’ Studio: The studio will support emerging and established makers by providing an opportunity for established makers to create a new body of work, whilst encouraging professional development in other emerging makers by exposure to the inspiring atmosphere of working alongside established professionals in a Master Class series of events. Volunteer/Training/ Education Room: This will be used to deliver training, including critical awareness presentations, of local volunteers and staff, including F.E. students on work experience placements The dedicated studios in particular will enable Craft Town Scotland to increase its positive impact upon the local community by providing a vibrant and inspiring atmosphere for community learning and development. Craft Town Scotland is a Project of the West Kilbride Community Initiative Ltd Registered in Scotland SC 192083, Registered Charity no. SCO 28481
6. Appendix I: Ground Floor Plan
7. Appendix 2: First Floor Plan
8. Craft Town Scotland is a Project of the West Kilbride Community Initiative Ltd Registered in Scotland SC 192083, Registered Charity no. SC 028481 The Barony Centre photography by David Barbour