Eden Artisans

Eden Artisans starts trading

The informal group moved into the Unit in Farfield Mills in October 2004, and formed formally as the co-operative Eden Artisans on Christmas Eve 2004. They occupy the Unit on a monthly renewable rent of £77 plus business rates of £110 per year plus electricity. This is a total sum in the region of £100 a month. The rent is paid through a commission levied on sales of all products sold through the studio. Sales in the first fifteen months from within the studio totalled £17,500. In addition, sales within the Mill’s own gallery spaces totalled a further £15,000 for the same period. Here the Mill takes the commission – at 20% of sale price. Commission for resident artists with studios is half that of non-residents.

Evidence suggests that overall sales through both the Mill’s own galleries and through the co-operative’s own Studio, are rising. Certainly visitor numbers to the Mill itself are increasing year on year – although the highly seasonal nature of the sales makes it difficult to be certain that this is a genuine rising trend. That said, there is certainly evidence that the collective marketing of the co-operative and the cross-over marketing between the Mill and the co-op has benefits for both organisations. Eden is a real place and the title of the co-operative now acts to promote this location as a centre for creative production. As such, a brand is developing through the co-operative, very much linked to the image of a local product, and in keeping with the aspirations of the public agencies seeking to develop distinctive local identities.