The Creative Space at Arlington 2013 – 14

The Creative Space is a programme set up by SPACE in one of our twelve artist studios at Arlington, the homeless people’s hostel in Camden. It provides a dedicated studio space for the residents to use and offers a varied programme of creative workshops.

Fiona Sant ran workshops with the residents, under the title “Build Your Own Universe”, that encouraged participants to explore their own ideas and try out a variety of techniques using a rich range of materials. Model-making, poetry, drawing, clay, 3D design and making, painting, collage, photography – all provided the means for individual self-expression.

Kevin Griffiths ran film making workshops with the residents. As a professional animator he teaches creative approaches that provide people with the skills to make short films. The participants made their own short films using stop frame animation. He is resident at Arlington.

Sophie Charalambous ran a series of workshops, commissioned by The Mary Ward Centre in partnership with SPACE and The British Museum, making boats for the Viking exhibition at The British Museum in March 2014. The residents attended the exhibition opening.

Benjamin John Hall is an experimental, innovative, ideas based shoemaker/ designer/ engineer. He worked with residents making shoes using their own ideas and designs.

“What does The Creative Space mean to me? I’ll tell you what it means: without it, we’d all be completely lost. It gives us a reason to get up and out of our rooms, it’s something to focus on. Fiona (Sant – artist) understands us and sees our strengths and encourages us. While I’m here in the studio, I can’t take drugs, as Fiona knows when I’m high and won’t let me in the room. So I have to stay off drugs to come to art.”

– Regular Creative Space participant

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The Creative Space Summer Exhibition 2014
Private View: Friday 26 June, 6pm to 8pm
Exhibition continues:
Saturday 27 June 11am to 4pm, with Open Studio tours.