Empty Shops Network

Resource Quicklinks:

• Download the Empty Shops Workbook here>>>
• NEW! Yahoo Group for discussion, support and advice here>>>
  

Project pages:

• Empty Shops network in Adur & Worthing
• Empty Shops Network on tour

About the Empty Shops Network:

"An ingenious way of bringing art to the people" Alan Yentob

"Helping local individuals and groups to work with councils in converting less glamorous spaces to good use" The Times

Welcome to a network of people using empty shops and void spaces across the UK to create temporary pop-up shops, community spaces and arts galleries which support local business by bringing people back to town centres.

In February 2009, it's estimated that about 10% of the UKs shops are sitting empty and the figure is rising to one in six shops by the end of the year, with over 1000 high street businesses closing every week. Landlords letting artists, arts organisations and community groups use their empty spaces see the property looking great and kept in good order, and their business getting some great publicity.

Existing local traders benefit from a revived town centre, with more visitors and a brighter environment. 

The users benefit from low-cost space on short and easy-to-manage leases, meaning they can take a bigger risk on bolder, more innovative and experimental projects. And the chance to get a good business kick-started.

Meaning local communities benefit from a better high street. And seeing their town being brought back to life will visit, spend locally and maybe stop other businesses from closing too.

Empty Shops projects across the UK: 

Scotland

• Peebles Empty Shop Initiative

Wales

• Do I have to paint you a picture? (Cardiff)

England

North

• POP Blackburn
• Art In Unusual Spaces (Leeds)
• Sheffield Empty Quarter
• Empty Shop (Durham)
• Triangle Shopping Centre, Manchester
• Temporary Art Space (Halifax)
• Gallery TS1 (Middlesborough)
• Secret Gallery (Morecambe)
• 92 Empty Shops (Leeds)
• NeoArtists (Bolton)
• Arcade Arts (Carlisle, Cumbria)

Midlands

• The Corner Shop (Wolverhampton)
• Fishmarket (Northampton)
• Castle & Elephant (Coventry)
• The Market Cinema (Coventry)
• Shop Front Theatre (Coventry)
• Coventry Artspace (Coventry)
• VOID (Coventry)
• No Parking Collective (Derby)
• ANart Theatre (York)
• Frost (Birmingham - planned for Nov/ Dec 09)

East

• Breckland Council (Breckland)
• The Shop (Cambridge)
• Slack Space (Colchester)
• Changing Spaces (Cambridge)

West

• Our Place, Your Place (Taunton, Somerset)
• Dance Dialogues (Bristol)
• The Emporium (Bristol)
• The Milk Bar (Bristol)
• Steal From Work (Bristol)
• Phoenix 52 (Bristol)
• Broadwalk Arts (Bristol)
• The Island (Bristol)
• Dursley Town Council, Gloucs
• Malvern Exhibition of Contemporary Art (Worcestershire)
• art360-Hereford
• Plymouth Slack Space
• Kingston Studios Art Group (Taunton, Somerset)

South

• Pop-Up Playspace (Worthing) February 10
• Gallery This Way (Eastleigh, Hampshire)
• Re;Space (Hampshire)
• Limbo Arts (Margate, Kent)
• Hastings & St Leonards Artists
• iCandy Arts (Hastings)
• Suffolk Artists
• Revolutionary Arts Group (Brighton, Worthing)
• The Up Market (Worthing)
• Pop-Up Gallery (Worthing) April 09
• Ice Prince Festival (Worthing) January 09
• Artists + Makers Festival Shop (Worthing) June-July 07
• ConTemporary Gallery (Brighton) 2002-2006
• Archaeological Science Investigation & Preservation Project (Sittingbourne, Kent)
• B&B Project Space (Folkestone)
• Slack Space Brighton
• ReOrsa (Thames Valley)
• Creative Cabins (Poole)
• 2nd Birthday (Bournemouth)

London

• cutshuffledeal (Camden)
• Pebbledash Gallery (Stoke Newington)
• Market Estate Project (Camden)
• Brixton Village
• Shop at 34 (Covent Garden)
• Watford Art Space
• Camden Town Unlimited
• Quest For Paradise Arts (Wandsworth)
• [noplaceprojects*] London
• Supine Studios (Hackney)
• Wasted Spaces (Brent)
• The Apollo Project (Herne Hill)
• Watch This Space (Covent Garden)
• Bigger Picture Gallery (Crystal Palace)

International

• Renew Newcastle (Newcastle, Australia)

How to get involved in the Empty Shops Network:

Not on the list? If you know any empty shop or scheme we haven't listed, please get in touch with the Revolutionary Arts Group who are co-ordinating the network (on a voluntary basis).

Alternatively, post empty shops to our Moblog and map

You can browse Artists and Makers to find out about current Empty Shop opportunities for artists and makers across the UK.

You can also make a donation to support the Empty Shop Network

Last Updated Monday, February 22 2010 @ 06:56 AM UTC|22,320 Hits