News

Norwich arts studio to shut

Unit 5 Project Space at Beckham Place, set up to provide graduates and artists space to develop their ideas and host exhibitions

A studio unit is to close in June after three years of providing low-rent space for city bands and artists.

At the heart of Norwich, near Anglia Square, Unit 5 Studios provides affordable workshops for art graduates and others to develop their ideas and work on projects, and includes a 1,000 sq ft exhibition space.

It was set up in Beckham Place, Edward Street, in 2007 with a lottery grant of £5,000 to cover legal costs and buy equipment, and was originally designed as a three-month experimental arts space.

Run by The Alpha Principle (TAP), it soon grew beyond its original aims to provide a platform for local artists, students, non-profit groups and social innovators.

But after going from strength to strength with a host of gifted tenants from glassblowers to grunge bands, the studios are to close on June 19.

Project manager Tuba Gursoy said it was “with teary eyes but a content heart” that the closure was announced.

She said: “Unit 5 has proven far more successful than I could have hoped or planned for, yet the overall purpose of TAP is to continuously develop and improve, which would not be possible for Unit 5 in its current location.

“The future of TAP is to learn from each project, train and develop skills of individuals who are involved and apply these to new and more successful ventures which support the arts.

“The unit is closing because it has fulfilled and exceeded the original plans; it was only going to be a three-month project and has ended up going for three years.

“It is now time to move on for TAP and, while there are plans to start up a new music-focused project in London, the immediate thought is to gain further skills and recruit more people to the team to allow for this expansion.”

She added that artists currently based at Unit 5 would go their own ways after the closure, saying: “I am aware that some are considering relocation to another site and some have other options in mind.

“Whatever their decision, we endeavour to assist them in whatever way we can.”

Unit 5 will remain open to tenants until June 13 and, on June 19, a farewell event titled Bucket 4 will be hosted by previous tenants Mooncalf Curios.

The future of the building is unclear, though it may be affected by regeneration work planned for Anglia Square as part of the Northern City Centre Area Action Plan.

Are you affected by the closure of Unit 5 Studios? Call reporter Mary Hamilton on 01603 772418 or email mary.hamilton@archant.co.uk.