Business grant fires up city’s first public ceramics studio

Derby City Council has revealed the role it played in helping Artcore establish the city’s first public-access ceramics studio.

Earlier this month, Craftcore opened its doors following the refurbishment of an empty shop unit in Osnabruck Square, in Derby city centre.

It is the brainchild of arts and culture charity Artcore, which has its community hub next door to the new unit.

The workshop and studio space is open to all, from local community members and emerging artists to creative professionals.

To create the studio, the unit underwent extensive work, including the installation of pottery equipment such as ceramic kilns, pottery wheels and specialist workshop tools.

The electrics, lighting and heating were also upgraded, along with improvements to the flooring and waste disposal facilities.

The studio has also been refurbished and decorated internally and externally to support its use as a functional ceramics workspace.

The business is one of 10 so far to be awarded a grant from Derby City Council through the Vacant to Vibrant scheme, which is focused on bringing empty shop units in the Cathedral Quarter area back into use.

This is funded by a pot of £500,000 from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund, via the East Midlands Combined County Authority.

Craftcore received £56,000 towards its refurbishment costs through the scheme and is the first to open.

Ruchita Shaikh, chief executive of Artcore, said: “With the support of Derby City Council’s capital funding, Artcore has been able to establish Craftcore – Derby’s first fully equipped ceramic studio open to the public.

“The studio provides new opportunities for artists, learners, and local communities to develop skills, explore creativity, and experience the therapeutic benefits of working with clay.

“Craftcore will become an important hub for making, learning and community engagement in the city.”

Councillor Nadine Peatfield, city council leader and cabinet member for city centre, regeneration, strategy and policy, said: “We are working closely with EMCCA to utilise future regional funding to support our businesses and regeneration of the city, and Craftcore is exactly what the Vacant to Vibrant funding is designed to support.

“It’s fantastic to see an empty and run-down shop unit transformed into creative space, which offers something new and different for the city.

“We look forward to seeing more empty units open up in the coming months, bringing new interest to the city centre and helping us create a Derby to be proud of.”