Commercial property: Creative use of space in Renfrewshire

A new Business Development Fund will support the formation of up to a dozen creative hubs over the next three years, each one encouraging creative companies to share premises, collaborate and showcase their products.

Each hub will have a different creative focus and will receive subsidised premises costs to offer a range of shared services, including studio space, public workshops and networking opportunities.

Iain Nicolson, leader of Renfrewshire Council, says: “We want Renfrewshire to be the place of choice for creative businesses in Scotland, and our bid for UK City of Culture highlighted the breadth of creative talent across Renfrewshire.

“We know there’s a strong demand for creative spaces which foster collaboration, and this fund will enable our creative business sector to flourish right across Renfrewshire.”

Hub businesses will receive support through Renfrewshire’s business incubator, InCube, which has already helped more than 100 creative start-up businesses in the last four years. These include 50 through InCube Creative, which provides tailored support to a wide range of creative entities, including artists, jewellers, graphic artists, milliners and textile designers.

Ruth Cooper, economic development manager at Renfrewshire Council, says: “We have the knowledge and expertise to support creative companies and these hubs will provide the platform for established creative businesses to grow sustainably.

“Each hub will not only see the businesses based there help one another, but also provide space for other designers to exhibit and for public workshops to inspire new creatives to realise their ambitions.

“Importantly, they are business led and business managed, with our support to assist along the way, and we believe this will appeal to existing businesses based in Renfrewshire and also attract more creative companies to relocate here.”

Mark Newlands, head of partnerships at Scottish Enterprise, says: “Co-locating in a hub environment is a tried-and-tested method of fostering collaboration and nurturing business growth.

“This latest initiative by Renfrewshire Council will not only help create valuable space for creative businesses across the Renfrewshire region, but will open up fantastic opportunities for like-minded entrepreneurs and business owners to share their knowledge, experience and networks to support greater business growth opportunities.”

The creative hubs complement the council’s Start-Up Street initiative, which is set to open premises on George Street in Paisley later this year. The site will provide early-stage companies with short-term office space as they make the leap into their first commercial premises.

Angela Poultney is preparing to open the doors to Renfrewshire’s first funded creative hub in the town, an upcycling venture with artist Anna Piasecka.

Poultney says: “Anna and I are forming a new business at new premises complete with a display area, space to run workshops, a messy room and four spaces for other upcycling people to rent.

“This is so much more than an upcycling business. I want to support people and give them a purpose, empower them, give them a platform to showcase their creative talents and improve their wellbeing.

“Thanks to the council funding support – for everyone renting a workspace – all the overheads, like electricity and water, are included at a greatly reduced rate

“The creative hub concept is great – helping to set people up in business and giving people with creative skills the chance to come together and produce products you can’t get anywhere else.”