We took a very advanced approach to finding a suitable location, we walked around knocking on doors asking anybody who would talk to us if they knew of any cheap and suitable locations.
I then came across an ad in a window for studio space in the Trocadero Artspace. After getting in contact we learnt that the guy in charge, Michael Brennan, also works for Footscray Community Arts, who have just formed a partnership with Victoria University.
I met with Michael the following week and he showed us a space which he had planned to split into three seperate artist studios. The rent is $210 per week. My business(Oztron) will pay this until we are able to get some funding.
The space is around 6m X 8m, with nice natural light from windows looking out onto Leeds St, one of the main drags in Footscray. It's upstairs and located behind the art gallery.
We were initially looking for a shopfront, more in the style of 826 Valencia, however there are several benefits to this space.
- We don't have to make a shop or 'front' for the learning space.
- The gallery has a great atmosphere and is a nice way for the kids to be welcomed. The art in the gallery is quite different and I think it might help the kids feel more comfortable about whatever they are into.
- It's upstairs, and wont get any walk-ins, which we don't need, and would probably just be a bit of a pain for us when we are working during the day. All of our kids will come through agencies.
Below is a rough floor plan for the office.
A few key ideas in the design;
- Everybody has the same space and equipment to work with. There is no teachers chair or single focal point.
- LCD screens on the walls enable students to share their work with others.
- The parents have a small area to the side where they can sit and wait for their children. This will double as a meeting area for us.
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