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Perth Creative Exchange Opens Its Doors £4.5m Partnership Project Welcomes Artists And Businesses In The Creative Industries
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ollowing years of careful planning, the doors of Perth Creative Exchange are now open, offering Perth’s creative businesses and artistic community an innovative, collective working space for the first time while also providing a central hub for the creative sector to become a core part of the city’s economy. The £4.5m partnership project between Perth and Kinross Council and Wasps, an award-winning, social enterprise charity which provides affordable spaces to support artists and creative businesses, the Creative Exchange is housed in the converted former St John’s Primary School, in Perth city centre. With over 85% of artist studios rented before the facility opened in November 2019, there is still some availability among the series of vibrant and connected spaces laid out over three floors made up of 26 studios for designers, artists and makers, 13 workspaces for creative industries and
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cultural social enterprises and a creative business incubation space. Additional facilities include a modern café, meeting rooms and hot desking space, plus kitchen and shower facilities. Wasps are
further enhanced by the additional establishment of The Famous Grouse Ideas Centre (FGIC), situated at the heart of the building. The FGIC aims to make a positive economic, social and cultural impact not just in Perth but across the Tay Cities Region.
This marks Perth’s move to recognise the significance and value of the creative economy.
Key stakeholders include Perth College UHI, the social enterprise Elevator – which supports entrepreneurship and business start-ups – and Perth Contemporary Arts Trust (PCAT) providing a creative hub to support business incubation and acceleration for businesses in the creative industries including those in digital technologies and computer software.
currently taking enquiries and arranging viewings for creative industry office space.
Furthermore, in May 2020, students from Perth College UHI, Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art and Design and the University of Dundee will be exhibiting coursework underlining the guiding principles of the project to bring artistic groups with varying levels of experience together to engage,
An all-purpose facility targeted at retaining Perth and the wider region’s creative people and the key skills they offer, the Creative Exchange is
