Eden Artisans

Conclusions

The geographic proximity and the personal networks amongst the individuals involved are a key component in the success of this co-operative venture. The individuals knew each other – and were aware both of their individual strengths and weaknesses.

Previous experience of having participated in the setting up and running of a co-operative has strongly influenced the decision to repeat the process to establish a collective enterprise, and assisted in the  speed with which the Eden Artisan’s co-operative was established.

The approach to setting up the co-operative venture taken by the Development Worker from Enterprising Communities mirrored the internal culture of the group. It allowed the group to match and accommodate both their needs and their knowledge of each other. Perhaps critically, it enabled them to explore and adopt an enterprise model that would accommodate the individual aspirations and personal and professional changes of direction and circumstances. A small grant capable of purchasing the assets of the studio on behalf of the co-operative also assisted in this process and clearly avoided the possibility of future disputes amongst the group. 

Similarly business rehearsal helped as well – and a further key moment came when the unit at Farfield Mills became available. This forced a decision to be made – made easier in a very great part, by the rental arrangements available at the Mill. These meant that the risks were perceived to be minimal and the potential benefits large. Similarly, the Mill offered considerable other attractions – the arrangements around the gallery spaces, the on-site sales arrangements, and the variable commissions charged for in-studio and in-gallery sales.

The benefits felt by the group are tangible. They see collective strength through co-operation, and a whole enterprise far greater than the sum of its parts. Most critically they see one another as individuals, valuing their ability to do more than one thing at one time.

Sales appear to be rising –in part because of their efforts and confidence as a group, and also because of the growing reputation of the Farfield Mills as a destination for the purchase of arts and crafts. Eden Artisans are unusual at Farfield in that they are the only collective enterprise occupying a studio within the Mill complex – all the remaining fifteen studio spaces are occupied by artists working as individuals.

Why this should be in unclear. Many of the individual artists housed in the studios work in media similar to those used within the Eden Artisans collective, and the prices charged for the works on sale are also comparable. It could perhaps be because artists by their nature are individualistic, and often choose to work alone. But this cannot be the only reason.

In terms of Eden Artisan’s own aspirations and future as a group, two issues appear important. The first is an aspiration to grow the group as an ‘Upper Eden Valley cluster’ – or more simply, to expand it to include other artists and craftspeople from the  locality where the current membership is based. The second, although independent of the first, would be to consider establishing a second selling outlet. This latter option would be highly dependent on location, footfall, rent and commission arrangements etc.

Overall the establishment of a collective enterprise – a co-operative in this instance – offers the group of individuals involved a mechanism whereby they can support each other in the production and sale of their work. It provides a highly cost-effective vehicle for the group, which in this instance is also structured in a way that shares the costs of the core studio through collective arrangements relating to sales commission and stewardship of the studio space and its contents. The model has the potential to be expanded should there be the demand to do so, and offers an innovative arrangement both to bring individual’s products into the market place but also to promote the artists and crafts people of a particular place or locality. It is no accident that the co-operative references the valley where the members live and work, and no reason why, over time, that the operation should not be expanded to brand and sell work by other creative individuals resident in the Eden Valley.