Ruth Heritage is the creative director of They Eat Culture and the founder of the People’s Production Lab, which supports artist and creatives in Lancashire with shared resources. It has been linked to The Preston Model, a growing movement of co-operatives addressing poverty in Preston.
What is the point of the project?
The People’s Production Lab came around because we had run out of production space. Michael Conlon (of Preston building firm Conlon Construction) said do you want to move into this building at 55 Guildhall Street, and we negotiated a peppercorn lease ready to move in November 2017.
The Lab is turning into a co-operative of businesses developing production facilities that are accessible to communities. Things like digital and tech, 3D printers, filming and audio-visual kit.
There are already artists studios and shared spaces in Preston. We’re trying to evolve a way of creating shared facilities that people can use rather than individual spaces.
We have a time bank approach for people who want to come into the building but don’t have a lot of money.
How film clubs, empty flats and job clubs can be part of community-led development in Lancashire with @ppl_preston @theyeatculture @ribbletonia #socialaction pic.twitter.com/kQjXiCSTBH
— Far Nearer (@far_nearer) January 19, 2019
When was the moment you decided to do this?
It was some time after Michael had offered us the building. My perspective is that a lot of development is happening and there needs to be accessible space in the centre of town, to make sure that that reality is still at the heart of Preston.
I started They Eat Culture 10 years ago. So in terms of the structure and governance, my ambition for it, I thought we could do it.
I don’t think it would have worked 10 years ago. With the emerging Preston Model, it’s timely activity – now’s the right time.
What’s been your proudest moment so far?
In the whole story of They Eat Culture we’ve had lots of proud moments and it tends to be people who don’t usually consume culture coming back time and time again.
What’s been hardest?
It’s all quite hard, because we’re trying to raise a large amount of money to buy the building and to reach capacity and sustainability.
The hardest thing in all of They Culture has been convincing Preston itself and the council and key stakeholders that edgy stuff can happen in Preston. It’s bringing the authorities on board.
A People’s Production Lab is reimagining Preston using art – and cooperatives https://t.co/wQtlqGMP09
— The Independent (@Independent) March 14, 2019
What drives you when it gets hard?
We’re being asked to do it by the communities we work in and by stakeholders locally and that’s a big driver.
What’s the next step?
This year it’s They Culture’s 10th birthday so we have an outreach called Decade. The next step for the Lab is to solidify the proposal and the co-op so it exists as a governance structure and to apply for funding.
How did you vote in the EU referendum and why?
I voted remain. Because I think it’s hugely important to work alongside our neighbours.
How will the result affect what you do?
It won’t affect the fact that we’re working towards shared community production and a shared approach. It may affect our ability to bring in our European colleagues who we would like to be working more closely, but the Lab will go on.
What would you say to someone looking to do something similar?
A lot depends on the relationships you build within the community. We’ve been gifted a lease, our community wants a space to make things, and we have partners who want to sustain that and that’s been developed over a really long period of time.
Without They Culture’s ten years of activity it’s unlikely we could have turned the People’s Production Lab into a breathing idea. It’s got to be long time.
The thing I say about socially engaged practice is that to work here you have to be committed, you have to be a bit mental, because it’s a long way from the centre of the art or business world.
You’ve got to be in it for the long haul.
What does community mean to you?
We’re all engaged with communities that we come from and communities that we make. We are all from somewhere, whether it’s work or areas of interest.
