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Type of Meanwhile Space: Cultural Engagement

Meanwhile project funding: £2,000

Contact: Caroline Dalton, carolinedalton1@hotmail.com

Description of the project

Arcade is an artist-led initiative which aims to encourage the bringing together of artists and creative practitioners working in broad ranging art forms, and to organise openly accessible events in public ‘non-gallery’ spaces.

Projects to date have been organised specific to a Victorian built walkway Lowther Arcade in Carlisle city centre, Cumbria where the area is turned into an arts ‘hotspot’ using: the main walkway and architecture, several empty shop units or windows, plus adjoining businesses throughout.

May 2008 saw the very first initiative for Arcade with artists working together in consultation with local commercial property agents to create a short programme of art interventions specific to the place; through which the group aims in principle is to address several objectives in ethos: -

To create new art/business links and importantly to highlight issues of regeneration in the forgotten public 'space'.
To encourage networking opportunities by the bringing together of artists and individuals in cross-disciplines and to work towards making events viable and sustainable, whilst collaborating with extended arts organisations and businesses also.
To evidence a diverse presence of artists’ practice in the community and to witness significant communication between differing creative groups to effect.

Arcade’s upcoming project, Town2Town is in collaboration with Eden Arts. Together they aim to create a link between the Arcade in Carlisle and Devonshire Arcade, Penrith.

“It is hoped that by raising the profile between both spaces we will increase the awareness of the practice of empty shops usage and illustrate the benefits to be gained from artists and businesses working collaboratively to counter economic downturn”. Caroline Dalton.

Explanation of why it was created

“As a practicing artist focussing on Architecture and Occupation in enquiry I first became interested in empty shops from the perspective of the forgotten public space and saw an opportunity for artists to make a significant difference - so therefore initiated the work of Arcade. From here on I’ve organised a number of Projects in Lowther Arcade which set out to transform the whole area, but Projects are never about selling art, but instead are concerned with improving and regenerating the area and encouraging public interaction with the broad ranging art forms being offered, and past works have encompassed Visual Arts, Installation, Performance, Video, Poetry, Music, Dance, Experimental Sound, Animation and more.” Caroline Dalton.

A list of partners (individuals or organisations) that make it happen

Current partners:

Walton Goodland Commercial Property Agents who give permission

Eden Arts & Meanwhile Project

Previous partners:

The Cumbria Network, University of Cumbria

Informal partners:

Carlisle Arts Festival

Carlisle Artists Hub

Freerange Artsists

Was there a point where the project looked threatened, how was this overcome?

“The most significant obstacle to emerge from doing this activity was receiving business rates bills last year for the several empty shops we had occupied for a term - which amounted to a significant amount where I myself was made personally accountable. At the time I believed (wrongly) that we would be exempt because we weren’t trading in any way - but I’m now more informed about legislation, status and rates demands. These bills are still under appeal and in realising that concession relies on charitable status in order to claim the 80% mandatory waiver, I imagined that without charitable status Arcade could not have continued. However our meeting with Eden Arts who do have charitable status allowed us a loop hole and has enabled us to contract under their auspices: thus allowing Arcade to continue.

Increasingly Arcade is gaining credence locally and I’m now often approached to give advice on our practice; but unfortunately I still find sourcing funding difficult from my own inexperience in this area and our local council are somewhat lax in acknowledging endeavours and somewhat hard to reach, but I continue to pursue this dialogue and argue the benefits to be gained from empty shop use, not only in highlighting the added refurbishments which come about to premises but also from the rejuvenation into the area from activity. Arcade can perhaps lay testament to such success from seeing new tenants take up occupancy of recently improved premises where we have operated.”

Caroline Dalton.

What is the best story to come out of it (so far?)

“Some of the best stories to come out of the Group however come out of the actual activities which have been devised many of which have relied on public participation – such as Dance projects, Floor Chalking or producing a free compendium of People’s Poems; which gave opportunity for anyone to see their own words put into print in anthology = for individuals of low income backgrounds this proved to be a particularly meaningful experience and illustrates the sense of pride which can be garnered and the power of change which can be instilled within the community in impact from our Empty Shop use.”

Caroline Dalton.

How do you measure the impact of your project?

“Previously we have not recorded footfall efficiently as this has been difficult to monitor due to visitors passing widely through the Arcade and experiencing the Project wholly over and above those who have crossed the actual thresholds of the units. However this next project is set to monitor these statistics much more closely in participation and will also include a comments book for visitors. Remarks from the community regularly support our endeavours in passing within the area and we set out also to ensure local publicity about the events in promotion via press/radio and also organise a supporting launch event which averages about 150+ people in attendance.”

Caroline Dalton.

A budget/costs explanation

Arts Development Grant from Carlisle City Council	£2,000
– earmarked particularly for marketing purposes
Meanwhile Project Grant	£2,000
*Total*	*£4,000*
Spend Breakdown
creating Web presence/logo for the group	£1,000
Project Running Costs: Including 20% Business Rates/Utilities/Press/Print/Publicity	£1,000
Artists bursaries	£1,500
Workshops/education/participation	£500
*Spend Total*	*£4,000*