South Wales Evening Post column, November 01, 2024

 THEY say every day is a school day. Just when you get to the age when you think you know it all, something new comes along to broaden your horizons.

A week ago, I didn’t know a thing about community benefit societies. Today, I well on the way to picking the topic as a Mastermind subject.

This bit of ‘fast-track’ education is all down to a random meeting with Dan Staveley, co-founder of Swansea’s Elysium gallery and artists’ studios.

We met to discuss a totally separate project in west Wales (more on that in a future column). At the end of the meeting, I was staggered at the progress made on the ‘Elysium project’.

The Elysium brand has already made its mark on the Swansea landscape, helping to breathe new life into High Street, in particular.

Now, Elysium has become a Community Benefit Society (a type of social enterprise), with big plans for a new city centre location, combining studios, a gallery, cafe, education centre and function rooms.

The plans centre on a building which holds a special place in the heart of many Swansea shoppers – the old JT Morgan store on Belle Vue Way, Swansea.

The store closed in 2008, but the building is now set for a new lease of life.

For those who don’t know the history of the arts project, Elysium was founded in 2007, by Dan Staveley and Jonathan Powell.

Elysium was created to support and promote the arts in Swansea and beyond with an emphasis on collaboration and community.

The Elysium mission statement is to provide a welcoming space where artists, art enthusiasts, and the wider community can connect, inspire, and engage with the transformative power of the arts.

Elysium is now Wales’s largest provider of artist studios.

Artist-led, Elysium lists its main objectives as –

‘Supporting Artists: We champion both emerging and established artists, providing them with the platform and resources to showcase their work and reach broader audiences.

‘Inclusive Community Engagement: We are committed to creating an inclusive environment that reflects and celebrates the diverse backgrounds, perspectives, and experiences of our community.

‘Education and Outreach: Through a variety of programmes, workshops, and events, we aim to educate and inspire individuals of all ages and backgrounds. We strive to make art accessible and meaningful to everyone.

‘Cultural Enrichment: We believe in the power of art to enrich lives and strengthen communities. By curating diverse and thought-provoking exhibitions and events, we encourage dialogue, reflection, and appreciation for the arts.

‘Sustainability and Innovation: We are committed to sustainable practices and innovative approaches that ensure the longevity and relevance of our gallery and studio artists.’

The next step in the Elysium story is a bold one – the organisation has become a Community Benefit Society, a move which has enabled it to launch a community share offer.

Elysium supporters are now being encouraged to buy shares and become a part of the Elysium success story.

Elysium co-founder Dan explained: “The community share offer is a way for the public to invest into their community.

“Elysium needs to move due to the state of some of our buildings and leases coming to an end. We need to secure the creative community to make sure those people that have studios with us can still carry on and produce work and have an income.”

The JT Morgan has been identified as the best building for Elysium.

The project has already secured £1.5m in funding. The community shares will provide the additional capital needed to help with the renovation of the building.

The plan is for Elysium to be operational (in part, at least) at the JT Morgan site by April 2025.

The community shares plan isn’t just about the feelgood factor of ‘donating’ money to the project.

Investors will get a 3% return on their money, their name on a wall in the foyer of the new premises and become members of the Elysium community benefit society. That means they can vote on key decisions in future annual meetings.

The initial phase of the development will focus on artist studios, with elements such as the gallery, education centre and coffee shop planned to open in April 2026.

The share offer pitch explains why the project is needed in Swansea – 

‘Currently there is more demand for suitable creative workspace in Swansea than can be met. At present we are constrained by our current buildings, unable to provide enough suitable spaces that we see the demand and need for.

‘Elysium runs over 80 creative studio spaces, three gallery spaces, an education centre, coffee shop, bar and venue over four buildings around Swansea.

‘Over the last few years, it has become obvious that our spaces are becoming tired and will soon not be fit for purpose, with little room for investment due to the nature of the short-term leases our landlords provide.

‘A move to the old JT Morgan building would include a 30-year lease, giving us security we have not had before.

‘Crucially, we are facing the loss of two of our existing leased premises, with the leases for Orchard Street, 210 and 211 High Street soon running out. The buildings will be razed to make way for new development on Swansea High Street by our landlords. This will leave a massive hole in the creative sector of Swansea and leave many artists and businesses without premises and support.

‘The last few years have been challenging for small businesses in Swansea and across all of the UK. The pandemic, government decisions and the cut in funding for the arts have hit hard, however, despite this Elysium has become a successful, established, well-respected, inclusive and sustainable organisation.’

The list of sponsors and partners for the Elysium project is impressive. It includes the UK Government, Swansea City Council, the Architectural Heritage Fund, Arts Council of Wales, Welsh Government, the National Lottery, iCreate, Social Business Wales, Cwmpas and 4theregion.

To find out more about the Elysium share offer, go to the website at https://www.elysiumcommunityshareoffer.co.uk

 

Twitter: @rlloydpr