Worcester City Council has announced that the recently refurbished spaces in the Arches Worcester (www.thearchesworcester.co.uk) are to be managed and let in the New Year by the team behind The Kiln, a managed workspace in Copenhagen Street.
The Kiln offers office, meetings, hot desking and events space to small businesses and freelancers (thekiln.co) and the team will bring their experience to this new project.
The Arches-Worcester regeneration, which is part of an investment of over £3 million from central government's Cultural Development Fund, aims to create a new cultural quarter for the City.
A number of railway arches located between Foregate Street, the Hive and the riverside are being sympathetically refurbished into spaces for creative businesses.
"The Kiln team showed a clear passion and commitment to The Arches Worcester in their proposal and had a good understanding of our longer-term vision for the area," said Shane Flynn, the Chair of the Worcester Arches Project Board.
"Crucially, their team was able to demonstrate strong and long-standing connections with Worcester's creative community, which is essential to this brief."
Under the terms of the Cultural Development Fund investment, the refurbished Arches must be let for creative and artistic purposes only.
The Kiln team will begin marketing the four available spaces at the Arches in the early New Year. In the meantime, interested parties are invited to register their interest at
"We're thrilled to be part of The Arches project. As Worcester residents, it's great to see the plan for a creative district coming to life in the city," said Greg Smith, Co-Founder of the Kiln.
"Since starting The Kiln Coworking Space, we've been dedicated to breaking down the walls around the creative community in Worcester, and this is the perfect opportunity to continue on that mission."
All four Arches spaces have a kitchenette, disabled toilet, and spaces for displays. Accessibility was designed in from the start with all front doors being automated and a level threshold at the entrance.
The refurbishment has been carried out by Worcestershire-based construction firm, Speller Metcalfe.
Several arches in the vicinity have already been independently occupied by restaurants and bars, a brewery, a coffee bar, entertainment and industrial design units.
About The Arches – WorcesterThe Arches – Worcester project will see some of the beautiful Victorian railway arches in Netherton Court and Cherry Tree Walk, Worcester, converted into affordable and flexible studios and offices for local artists and creative businesses. They will take their place alongside existing local businesses, restaurants and cafes to create a new cultural destination for tourists and local communities.
The area will also be home to a new flexible public space for performances, rehearsals and exhibitions.
In January 2019 the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport awarded more than £3m from the Cultural Development Fund, which is administered by Arts Council England, towards the costs of the The Arches - Worcester.
The project is being delivered by Worcester Cultural Partnership which is made up of:
- Worcester City Council
- The University of Worcester
- Severn Arts
- The Arch Company
- Worcestershire County Council
www.facebook.com/archesworcester
Arts Council England is the national development agency for creativity and culture. It has set out its strategic vision in Let's Create that by 2030 it wants England to be a country in which the creativity of each of us is valued and given the chance to flourish and where everyone of us has access to a remarkable range of high quality cultural experiences. It invests public money from Government and The National Lottery to help support the sector and to deliver this vision. Find out more about Arts Council England.
About The Arches FestivalsThe Arches Festivals organises brand new festivals, showcasing national and international creative talent and supporting local emerging work - placing culture & creativity at the heart of Worcester.
thearchesworcesterfestivals.co.uk/
@archesfests
About The Arches – ParticipateThe Arches – Participate project offers support and advice for creative start-ups and entrepreneurs in Worcester. It works to strengthen local leadership in the city's culture and the creative industries, deepen workforce diversity, and enhance artist development and creative skills in order to stimulate growth in Worcester's economy. This is delivered through a mix of public and private sector training and support.
www.thearchesworcester.co.uk/participate
www.facebook.com/Arches-participate-101720764793208
@ParticipateWorc
