Former fashion designer on success of Stirling shop that's become creative hub
What started as a small Stirling arts project 13 years ago is now a thriving shop and creative space for local artists.
Made in Stirling began in 2012 as a small project by arts charity Creative Stirling.
It has since evolved into a thriving community interest company in the heart of the city which gives local artists a development space and customers the opportunity to buy their products and designs.
Profits are reinvested into the local artists and partially returned to Creative Stirling to fund broader cultural work.
At the helm of the local enterprise is Paul Jenkins, a former fashion designer who started volunteering with the organisation eight years ago.
Its initial location in Murray Street was modest, but as interest grew so did the demands.
Paul said: 'It became really popular and was generating a huge turnover. We had to create a community interest company to manage it properly.
'It was just too successful to remain a small project. Eight years ago, we moved into a former convenience store on 44 King Street.'
Today Made in Stirling houses seven artist studios, an expansive retail shop, a gallery space, and an events area that hosts everything from corporate away days to creative workshops.
'The core of what we do is giving people access, whether that's through coming into the shop and buying something, attending a workshop, or being part of our artist community,' Paul said.
'It has become a place for Stirlingers to enjoy and make art.'
The shop operates on a hybrid model where local artists rent a space to display their work and a studio where they can create. They can reduce their costs by volunteering in the shop.
'We take commission on the sales, but if they volunteer a couple of days a month, they get their rent back,' Paul continued.
'Those who do volunteer usually end up doing the best. They get to meet their customers directly.
'Often people want to meet the person who made the jewellery or painting. It is like a marketplace.'
Each available spot is carefully curated to maintain quality and variety.
Paul explained: 'We are inundated with applications now. It has become quite hard to decide who to take.
'We try not to duplicate styles. If we already have someone who does landscape oil painting, we're unlikely to take someone similar.'
The shop also hosts regular workshops and courses, led by the artists themselves. Some are short weekend classes, while others offer full-day creative experiences.
The shop has plans for future growth and wants to provide more opportunities for artists. Creative Stirling was recently granted multi-year funding from Creative Scotland.
Made In Stirling draws in tourists visiting the town, while the local support has remained strong. An estimated 50% of the sales come from residents.
The shop has started collaborating with tourism companies.
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