10 What actually is a creation centre and what makes it world class?

Convener: Debra Reay

Participants: Violaime Bailleul, Katie Roberts, Jill Skilling, Phelim McDermott, Jonathon Graham, Abigail Yeats, Robin Morley

Summary of discussion, conclusions and/or recommendations:

What is a Creation Space
• It’s a space to make work, a space that affords the time to think, develop ideas, make mistakes, make new work, to improve and revisit previous ideas, on your own and with other artists. It provides the freedom to take the necessary time and perhaps to fail somtimes.
• A place of encounter
• Notice that this is a process (not necessarily a building), in HE they call it practice led research.
• The creation process must be artist led and defined.
• Proposal - the invitation needs to be to the artist to define their own creation process – this will take a number of forms – possibly requiring the building –large space , small space, - possibly in the form of a retreat, possibly like Cape Farewell on a boat in the Arctic and other.

• Place where artists own and control their work

• London (the city) is the creation centre, with a diversity of practice and places involved in creativity. Much of what we need is already here but not necessarily adequate, affordable. Let’s make what’s here and emerging fit for purpose.

• A (single building) Creation Centre would be a mistake. The diversity of demands, needs, opportunities cannot be met in a single space. A building will always be prescriptive in some way. AND better space is needed. Building can influence the attitude to the work.

• So much of what is around is not good enough – COLD COLD COLD
Space that is warm, clean affordable please.

• We need to be pragmatic.

• The French model is not replicable here – the whole system of supporting artists and funding buildings is entirely different. The creation centre belongs to particular towns / regions. Companies take up residency and produce work for the local/regional festival.

What do we mean by world class?

• A reflection of our (British) inferiority?
• Confidence building
• Place to create product for the international market? (There is a very limited market in Britain).
• An elite place?