Eden Artisans

Other social benefits

Quantifiable benefits include an increase in the sale of products, and an increase in the profile of the Eden Valley as a place of creative and craft production. But Jan Hicks on behalf of the group identified others. Two are particularly noteworthy.

First the capacity of individuals within the group to do more things has been increased. This arrangement really has created strength amongst its members through their own collective action. The second, and perhaps more subtle change has been in the nature and volume of the artistic and craft products produced. Jan is quite clear in her view ‘that sales space stimulates demand and makes you produce things to sell’ – in effect it unites the primary producer with their market place. This is an important lesson but a difficult one to learn when dealing with small and single batch products. For many sole traders’ success in the market place and capacity to produce pull against each other – you either end up selling rather than making or you pay someone to sell on your behalf and so make no more income for yourself! The co-operative structure associated with the Mill and Studio provides a solution to this impasse.  And it is a solution that is both replicable and scale-able. If the co-operative chose, then it could expand its membership, and open more outlets – subject of course to the details of where they were, how much they cost and so forth.

Howard quantifies the social and economic benefits resulting from the project in the following three ways.  Firstly, ‘The ‘artisans’ involved have benefited economically by pooling their resources and gaining the benefits of a new ‘critical mass’; this has allowed them to take on premises as a co-op, collaborate more formally in putting on exhibitions and at craft fairs share the burden of marketing, make the best use of trading opportunities, etc.’

Secondly, ‘They benefit socially through increased opportunities for collaboration and social interaction.’

Thirdly their activities benefit other social and commercial enterprises locally. For instance ‘The group also mention the benefits they bring to the Trust that runs the mill in which their shop is situated. Their use of locally sourced materials (e.g. sheep’s wool) helps other people, farmers etc, in their community. They provide an educational experience for local people and tourists visiting their shop and state that one of their main aims is to keep traditional craft skills alive. They are also in a position to demonstrate the advantages and opportunities brought by this form of collaboration to sole traders; they have created an effective model which can be replicated. Eden Artisans is a co-operative consortium with a common ownership clause; this means that, should the business ever be wound up, assets left over pass to other co-operatives or community enterprises with similar aims, rather than to the members themselves. As a co-operative, democratic management principles are fundamental to its operation.’

On this last point, Howard is strongly of the view that artisans and sole-traders need to consider the advantages of treating their peers and colleagues as collaborators rather than competitors. He identifies Eden Artisans as a social enterprise that demonstrates the value of this approach in action, observing that ‘It confirmed for me the benefits of groups forming naturally/organically over a period of time; groups of people with shared values can create effective organizations for their mutual benefit. During the development process, this familiarity can lead to assumptions being made about group members’ opinions and needs, but these can be ‘checked’ quite effectively through the group development/workshop approach which we used. Simple business forms can be the most effective and sole traders can benefit significantly from collaborating with other sole traders through the co-operative consortium model, rather than just seeing them as ‘the competition’.’