We are really pleased to announce that Hot Bed Press has been successful in our bid to Arts Council Grants for The Arts towards purchasing and developing The Casket Works as our permanent home and creating a major centre for printmaking.
It has just been announced that we are to receive £169,000 towards a £256,000 investment in the building and expansion over the next 12 months.
We are working with Salford City Council on the final details of purchasing the building, which we hope to sign off in the next few weeks. This is a massive step and a huge boost. It will be the catalyst towards further developments and continued growth.
Following the purchase we will be undertaking works on the roof and windows on the first floor to expand in 2017 taking over the old Cow Lane Studios area. We will be creating 8 new artists’ studios, including 4 starter studios for graduates and emerging artists, plus 3 exclusive professional print studios equipped as an etching studio, screenprint studio and new to Hot Bed Press a stone lithography studio. These 3 studios will be available for hire on a daily, weekly or monthly basis and give a different opportunity for artists to work independently in their own space alongside the busier open access print facilities. We will also be expanding the screenprint area, creating a bigger and better etching studio and building a new photo-etching dark room. There will be lots of exciting changes on the way for 2017.
We will of course be announcing more details in coming weeks and months.
It is fantastic to have the support of The Arts Council and the backing of Salford City Council to establish Hot Bed Press as one of the major centres for printmaking in the UK.
On Friday 2nd & Saturday 3rd December we will be having our largest print sale to date as a huge fundraiser towards more new equipment for the workshop. Each year we raise around £3,000 that goes directly on new equipment. This year we want to raise even more to be able to add even more equipment. Watch this space!
