BRENTWOOD Council is asking the community to help identify a suitable space for a new artist studio in the borough.

The Council is working with Essex County Council and ACAVA (Association for Cultural Advancement through Visual Art) to develop affordable artists' studio space and creative hubs in disused buildings or retail units.

The creative space would be occupied for a minimum of two years and ideally three years. It would contain about six or eight studios with a small flexible community and exhibition space at the front, and it would need to be a minimum of 2500sq feet. Once it is set up, the project would be self-sustaining and would be run by artists and volunteers.

A number of interested artists and community organisations are keen to support the studio project. We held a consultation event at the beginning of February, where local creatives met with the artistic Director of ACAVA and representatives from the two Councils to identify how the project should be developed.

Councillor David Kendall said: "We are very keen to help our local artists and really start developing the arts and cultural scene in the town. The ideal location for the Artist Studio would be somewhere in Brentwood Town Centre but we would also consider other suitable venues across the Borough.

“So we are asking the community to help us identify a suitable premises for this project. You may own a building that might be suitable or walk past an empty building everyday and wonder why it isn’t being used. It could be a disused building or retail premises that has been standing empty for some time and is in a good condition. All ideas and suggestions would be welcomed.”

Please email your suggestions to lucy.gill@brentwood.gov.uk or tweet @bwoodevents.