Green Capital / green capital
Artists cooperative is made for success
Since it was launched back in 2009 Made in Bristol has worked with some 2000 artists, encouraging and developing their small businesses to thrive under its unique support structure.
The organisation, started by Bryony Morgan, runs arts and crafts events, exhibitions and pop-up shops in venues across the city celebrating and promoting Bristol’s creative talent.
“I was meeting a lot of talented small business people,” says Morgan, “and I was surprised at the absence of any clear marketing for them.”
Morgan set up a pop-up event at Colston Hall to “celebrate things made in Bristol,” and Made in Bristol took off. Last Christmas it ran three pop-up shops and Morgan also runs The Lab Shop at Bristol 2015 HQ.
Working with a huge range of artists including illustrators, painters, jewellers, craft-makers, sculptors and photographers, the organisation offers dedicated marketing and retail support to micro-businesses.
“I feel our shops provide a unique combination of local talent and professional management,” says Morgan.
“Bristol is a hotbed of creative talent and that is our USP. By supporting all the fledgling micro businesses we are creating a wonderful resource for the city.
“We enable them to sell their work and grow a sustainable business which supports people. It’s a very complicated web of hundreds of tiny businesses and without supporting them you are diluting one of our major strengths as a city.”
“I have the easiest job in the world in some respects as Bristol has an incredible creative sector.”
www.madeinbristol.blogspot.co.uk