Krowji is Cornwall’s biggest creative sector cluster, providing studios, workspaces, offices, the Melting Pot Cafe, meeting rooms and other facilities for a wide range of creative businesses at the Old Grammar School buildings in Redruth.
It’s home to a vibrant creative community which currently includes painters, jewellers, furniture makers, ceramicists, textile artists, web designers, theatre companies and musicians as well as several of Cornwall’s key sector agencies such as Creative Skills, FEAST, Cornwall Music Forum, C Fylm, Cornwall 365, What’s on Cornwall and Carn to Cove. Miracle Theatre are based on site along with. Although the building is not open to the public, the Melting Pot Café is open during the week and hosts a wealth of gigs, gatherings and meetings.
Since 2002 Krowji has turned Redruth Grammar School into offices and managed workspaces.
With the help of the European Regional Development Fund and a mortgage from Triodos Bank as well as other local investors, Krowji has completed Phase 1 of their major capital redevelopment of the site. This has more than double their capacity, forming a flagship scheme which will promote the best of the Creative Industries in Cornwall.
The dilapidated post-war canteen and gym have gone and have been replaced by airy new work-space with views across five miles of countryside to the north Cornish coast but they have kept the two fine original 1907 granite buildings which will be refurbished at a later phase.
Around half of Krowji’s 50 unique new studios and flexible workspaces with their panoramic views to the North Cornish coast and Carn Brea have been snapped up already. Tenants including historic textile conservator Deborah Mecklenburgh and award winning graphic design agency THStudio are now moving into their new spaces, following the official hand-over of the building by RM Developments in June.
“We’ve been working on this project for so long it hardly seems possible that our dreams for Krowji are about to become reality. The vibrant atmosphere that’s evolved here over the last ten years is extremely precious and any change has to enhance that. We’ve been very patient in devising a truly sustainable scheme where the new will perfectly complement the old. To see it actually happening at last is a very proud moment for us all.” Ross Williams – Director
The Krowji team are passionate about forging and nurturing strong links with our wider communities. Althought the studios themselves are not open to the public, Krowji tenants run regular artist run workshops. You can learn how to throw a pot, make jewellery and work with stained glass to name but a few activities on offer throughout the year. Through the years Krowji have worked closely with Cornwall Council, Camborne Pool Redruth Regeneration and a wide variety of people and organisations to create a vibrant centre where people can come and go freely for coffee, meetings, live music nights and the hugely popular biannual Open Studio events.
Krowji will be glittering and shimmering with Festive delights as its artists and jewellers, ceramicists and craft workers throw wide their doors for the famous Christmas Open Studios, running from Friday 4th to Sunday 6th December 2015. The rich diversity of practitioners opening their studios this December sees many new tenants including painters, textile and leather craft-workers, ceramicists, jewellers and illustrators. Come and visit us for this rare chance to see behind the scenes.
To find out more about the redevelopment of Krowji and how you can apply for a studio, please contact info@krowji.org.uk or go to the website www.krowjinewbuild.org.uk.