Long Sutton Barns

Community based arts and crafts centre. We help and encourage artists and crafters to sell their wares and collaborate on work and installations. We facilitate connections between the centre and businesses that have or want a corporate entity that encompasses helping others. We also push the boundaries on the use of waste as a material and help local companies reduce their carbon footprint wherever possible. We have a 33000 square foot ex warehouse that we use as a sales floor, with an area among it, 'the red square', that can be and has been used for large displays, plays, exhibitions and a teaching space. We have 8 permanent shop units that range in diversity from a glass studio and a ceramics studio to a cafe. Two further out buildings with earmarked projects, huge outside parking areas, 7.5 acre show field and it's very own caravan park and camping areas. The whole project is run by volunteers and led by a management team of five... these people are equally diverse, several from heritage craft backgrounds and one from a HR and big business background giving both sides of the coin as it were. Initially the project started out as an artist facility for the lead artist and manager Duncan Barker-Magowan. However, both he and his wife, Ruth, soon decided it would be better to provide services to complement their art. And 'The Barns' was born. With over 50 artists plying their trade the lessons provision has grown and grown. Without outside interference and red tape, in a mere two years, the project has gained a huge following, both internet based but with artists all around the country. There are now in the region of two dozen different lessons provided by the artists. However, through the tenacity of the management, the artists and crafters are provided lessons themselves. From business management through to health and safety the barns has provided. We work with all groups. Not only in house but visiting as tutors or artists in residence.