Colchester Chronicle

And so we’ve had the ACE news that our friends from Colchester Borough Council are going to try and kick start the Cultural Quarter with the conversion of the old Queen Street Police Station.

The planning application is in, but hey! – who the chuffers is going to pay for the substantial renovation work that needs to be carried out?

Art for arts sake?

Here comes the good news that the Arts Council has stepped in with a whopping £500k grant to work in collaboration with firstsite on the project.

Actually the exact figure is £499,000.

A Grand Don’t Come for Free, etc.

Wayne Warner, Commercial Director at firstsite said:

“The Colchester Creative Business Centre [catchy] will regenerate a mostly derelict building within Colchester into a vibrant hub of creativity and support the increasing creative sector within the area.

The funding announcement will not only bring new employment opportunities to the area through the development of the building, but also develop the right environment for the emergence and expansion of new creative businesses. These businesses can then work together and develop an even bigger economic contribution to Colchester and the East of England.”

You say Colchester Creative Business Centre, others call it the Colchester Creative Hub. That was certainly the language used when The Chronic took a call earlier in the week.

We’ll stick to 37 Queen Street, thanks.

Or even @37QueenStreet.

You in, Comrades?

Someone has to be – assuming that CBC approves the planning app submitted by… CBC, then the studio space will soon need to be filled as part of the small capital funding award.

This is perhaps more pertinent than the planning app itself.

A half-decent question was put to The Chronic after we first published our 37 Queen Street story: Who curates the curators?

It’s not a beauty contest – and thank the chuffers for that – but filling the space with a suitable mix of businesses that will enable creative collaboration for Colchester will be crucial.

St Botolph’s needs a BUZZ [Oooh] right now. If you can’t use this space to play and experiment in the creative sector then you may as well go and rent out an industrial unit for your start up just off the A12.

This seems to be the message coming out of the CBC Cabinet.

Cllr Lyn Barton, the Portfolio Holder for Renaissance [WOW] said:

“We are pleased to be working in partnership on this project that will build on this already valuable employment sector within Colchester and more specifically the St Botolph’s Quarter- already home to firstsite, 15 Queen Street, creative study at the Minories and public spaces for civic and cultural events.”

And so it seems that firstsite is being seen very much here as the facilitator. Fantastic work in pricking up the ears of the Arts Council.

Hopefully more of the cultural regeneration to come.

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