West Kilbride Craft & Design Town
The West Kilbride area has suffered from a range of economic problems in recent years, with the loss of large-scale manufacturing jobs leading to above average unemployment. The town itself lost many traditional retail outlets, in part due to the change in consumer buying behaviour and the rise of retail parks and giant supermarkets. With 21 empty and unkempt shops and a lack of passing trade, West Kilbride was suffering from a poor image, a lack of services and a low level of civic pride. Enthusiasm for the future was at an all time low - something indicative of the wider economic problems hitting Ayrshire as a whole.
In 1996, a public meeting was called by the town's local Councillor to address the empty shops, decline and poverty in the town. As the return of traditional retailing was unlikely, it was agreed that the town needed a specialised theme to help it revitalise itself. The area's assets were explored and, as the tourism is a key industry in the area, it was agreed that the town would add to this. Inspiration came from what the Wigton Book Town had done for its community and this encouraged the creation of the West Kilbride Craft & Design Town. One group decided to take this idea further, and the West Kilbride Community Initiative Ltd was born.
The concept underpinning the Craft & Design Town project is the provision of affordable studio accommodation for designer makers, creating a focus for craft & design in West Kilbride - whilst also regenerating the town. The project envisaged the transformation of twelve redundant retail outlets into studio, display and sale space for independent craft workers, and the refurbishment of the disused Barony church as a centre for exhibitions of art and craft products. The aim was to revitalise the town centre as a focus for niche retailing, conserve and enhance the local architecture and attract visitors into the town.
However, funding such an ambitious and high-risk project was always going to be a struggle. With this in mind, support was sought from public agencies to undertake a feasibility study and thereafter a business strategy and plan for the Craft & Design Town. The project's aim to gain recognition as "Scotland's Craft & Design Town" as was endorsed by the Scottish Parliament in 2000, which was also a great boost.
With a business plan in place, the Craft & Design Town set about finding funds to purchase empty retail units in the town to transform in to craft studios. This was a slow process and once purchased the units needed refurbishing and crafters identified to take up residency. As a result, the Craft & Design Town has been developed in a largely organic manner. With no large "pot" of money to set up the whole concept, it has taken vision, drive and the personal time of those involved to fund the development of the project. Although a grant of £95,000 was received initially from the Moffat Trust to purchase and refurbish the first two studios, at times it has also been necessary to raise funds in more innovative ways - such as second-hand furniture sales and sponsorship.
Although there was initially some concern that it would be difficult to attract quality crafters to the town, this has not been the case and demand for units and retail space far outweighs the available supply. The West Kilbride Initiative Centre has been refurbished to become not only a point of community news and information but also a dynamic retail space for craft products from the studio and the wider craft community.
An additional space was identified for a gallery and, with a rental subsidy and part-financing from Air Tricity and the British Nuclear Group, the space is now used to showcase key crafter and artist's works, including travelling and invited exhibitions. The space created as a gallery was also able to generate funds through rentals for alternative uses, and the Initiative shop continues to build on its commission for goods and services sold.
To date the project has created six studios, one shop, one gallery, and attracted 14 new businesses to the town. This has led to 22 new direct jobs for West Kilbride, with other jobs created indirectly in tourism services in the surrounding area.
The impact of the project is not only of a very high quality but due to the way the project has evolved, highly sustainable, raising community and civic pride, providing an attractive and environmentally sustainable townscape and preserving local built heritage.
What's more, the project has been instrumental in the creation of additional spin-off initiatives. These include the Green Centre, a recycling and vermiculture centre, the public hall user group, where dance and drama is available, the Scarecrow Festival and, for the last six years, the town has been a finalist in Scotland in Bloom. These activities have in turn motivated further enterprise and enhanced the entrepreneurial spirit of the area. In addition, as West Kilbride is the first Craft & Design Town in Scotland, there are many opportunities for the Craft & Design Town to be a central focus for Scottish quality arts and crafts and the project intends to build on its role as Scotland's craft & design ambassador.
To achieve these successes, the Craft & Design Town has needed to be a multi-partner project and to date has included local community and volunteer workers, schools and colleges, North Ayrshire Council and Scottish Enterprise Ayrshire, the Scottish Arts Council, CraftScotland, the Moffat Trust, Visit Scotland, local businesses and other tourist providers, and commercial sponsors. However, the wider community of Ayrshire and Scotland have also been key stakeholders in the project's success, as the Craft & Design Town will add to Scotland's overall tourism assets.
The decision to turn West Kilbride into a Craft & Design Town was an innovative and high-risk solution to the town's problems. The business strategy and plan was not traditional in its focus as this was to be a "slow-burning" long-term organic project reliant on incremental funding and volunteer resources. However, this reflected perfectly the craft and design concepts of individuality, skilled workmanship, aesthetic beauty and quality. Products now produced by the Craft & Design Town range from lower priced gift objects such as cards, beads, and pottery to unique commissioned pieces from highly renowned designers - one prestigious silversmith has works held in private and public collections such as the Burrell Collection and the Royal Scottish Museum.
The Craft & Design Town intends to have a future that spans generations and sees its vision on completion through the renovation of the Old Barony Church into a multi-purpose arts and conference centre. Additional studio units will be bought and further spin-off projects such as Insect World will all add to the total destination package - keeping visitors for longer, providing them with more opportunities to spend in the area and offer reasons to return.
It is hoped that the entrepreneurial ambition of West Kilbride will leave a legacy of innovation and risk taking through adversity in this small rural community for generations to come.