Monday 22nd February
Its been a manic weekend. Phone calls, emails have kept coming in. A press release has been written and put out to the media. We wanted people to know how the studio group has been affected because initial reports weren’t mentioning us or the impact of the fire on us.
It’s so strange how one minute you can be so down and anxious and then something changes and spirits and energy levels soar again. A local councillor and Imelda, the Arts and Events Officer, have worked magic somehow and following promises of trying to help with practical support have already found a temporary building free of charge within Kendal College for the studio group plus a start up fund for materials to get people working again and even some furniture to put in the empty building. By the end of the day it’s as good as signed off that these offers are secure.
The speed of the decision making just blows us away. Its also the best feedback for us as a group as to how we are so positively perceived.
My jaw becomes even slacker as later that day another offer of temporary free premises for a short period just outside Kendal in Stavely Old Mill Yard comes in.
Farfield Mill also say they have studio spaces available free of charge in Sedbergh for six months and offer fund raising support.
Other calls identify other possible sources of temporary space. Its just amazing. From having apparently lost everything we now have real offers on the table.
For the short term we know we are more secure and from there we can see what the longer term will bring.
