Today’s conversation features two Directors of arts-focused community interest companies (CICs) based in Norfolk Street, Sunderland.
Working in partnership, they offer studio spaces and residencies to artists and practitioners, at their redeveloped properties in Norfolk Street, Sunniside.
Talking to the Sunderland Echo, Mark Burns Cassell of MBC Arts Wellbeing CIC said that “Sunniside is an area which is under-utilised, underused and undervalued, and we are hoping to make real transformative change.”
It’s this ethos that underpins the plans of these two Directors. “We want to help culture flourish in our city, and there is so much talent here. If it could just be focused a little more, it’d yield dividends for the city and the creative economy.”
Working alongside MBC is Norfolk Street Arts CIC, a newly established CIC led by independent curator Vinnie Todd. Through support from Arts Council England, they are now in their second year of offering artist residencies, “aim to support creative practitioners over a sustained period of time”.
These artist residencies were initially developed as Vinnie’s final project on board the MA Curating at the University of Sunderland. They include grant funding, studio space and bid-writing mentorship.
We discussed the difficulties that emerging artists face in affording studio space, the benefits of a CIC company structure when compared to limited companies and charities, and plans for the organisations moving forward.
Recorded Live: 22nd July 2019
Guests: Vinnie Todd, Mark Burns Cassell
A Jay Sykes Media podcast
