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Access to space remains a key barrier for creative practitioners  and businesses to establish, sustain, and develop their practice or businesses in Dundee.

Hapworks is made up of creative practitioners, businesses and organisations based in the city who are working collaboratively to advocate and negotiate for better access to space for creativity. Since February 2023 Creative Dundee has actively engaged over 390 people through a programme of public events and workshops to better understand their needs and develop this collective vision.


We want to develop a  network of spaces managed by the creative community which facilitates collaborations across disciplines and sectors, creates new opportunities and makes creativity  visible and valued. Providing the security of long term space, will allow the creative sector to grow, take risks and reach its potential. 


These spaces will enhance and maintain Dundee’s reputation as a vibrant and creative city, encouraging people to stay as well as attracting new talent. They will provide new opportunities for local people, beyond those working in the creative sector; creating places for anyone to experience creativity and access the space and tools they need to make creative projects happen, demonstrating community wealth building in action.

"We currently work in a studio space that is hidden away, inaccessible to the public and at times unsafe, but it feels like we don’t have many options. I believe Dundee has so much potential but without better access to long term space creative businesses will not survive.”

Dreamland

This is not a new problem

Whilst there are vital creative spaces in the city, over the last decade we have seen a significant loss of others, many of which were catalysts for innovation and Dundee’s current cultural identity.

In Dundee’s Creative Industries Strategy 2017 - 2021, lack of creative space was identified as a key challenge and with fewer spaces now available, creative practitioners are leaving the city to find opportunities elsewhere. In order to maintain our reputation as a vibrant and creative city we must make space for creative practitioners, collaborations and experimentation to happen.

Testimonials

Dundee Ceramics Workshop
“Dundee Ceramics Workshop is a community ceramic making and learning space in Dundee. We are split across two spaces in the same building and due to space limitations have to juggle members' access with classes.
 
We have faced significant rent increases well over inflation in the last year, and are facing a lot of uncertainty about what future rent increases will be, creating a very challenging environment for staff to operate in. We would love to have a space that's not only affordable but stable so that we can grow as a workshop and diversify our income streams.”
Tialt
“Tialt is a social research organisation working across the cultural sector to design creative methods exploring the impact of cultural experiences. Based in Dundee but working across the UK and Europe, we would like a space where we can bring together researchers, designers, artists, and publics, to co-design research methods and tools.
 
In 2024 we are planning an early-career internship programme and social impact residencies for researchers and artists. For this we need a welcoming space embedded in a creative and dynamic place. Collaboration is core to our work, and Dundee is not currently making the most of its opportunities for great minds to work together for maximum impact.”
Team Terrible
“Team Terrible is an independent studio located in Dundee, best known for creating the global hit 'The Baby in Yellow'. Originally a duo of developers, we expanded to a team of 8 within our first two years and our game has amassed over 180 million downloads!

Our studio has always operated on a work-from-home basis and we have struggled to find a space of our own. We need to regularly book temporary meeting spaces to facilitate larger face-to-face gatherings and brainstorming sessions. Securing a dedicated space would not only add legitimacy to our studio, but also help us build an environment to aid creative discussions. Communication and collaboration are pivotal in a creative setting and there are limits to what can be accomplished online.“
Collective Architecture
“Collective Architecture deliver socially responsible and sustainable buildings, energy strategies and strategic plans across Scotland. We are employee owned and have 45 colleagues at 3 locations in Glasgow, Edinburgh and Dundee.
 
Our young Dundee base has a staff of 4 and will likely expand. Although we love our small, serviced workspace within a coworking hub in the city centre, we have outgrown our space and are sorely needing some additional areas to draw, research, make models and have meetings, which will make us more productive and creative.
 
We are currently keeping an eye out for spaces to let but finding that within the city centre (we need convenient access to the train station) only expensive street level shop units or upper floor, individual commercial units, which are too large for our budget, are being offered on the market. We would be very interested in partnering with other creatives to share facilities within a dynamic, creative, inspiring workplace.“
Dreamland
"Dreamland is a fashion label inspired by the energy and creativity of the 80s based in Dundee. We currently work in a studio space that is hidden away, inaccessible to the public and at times unsafe, but it feels like we don’t have many options. I believe Dundee has so much potential but without better access to long term space creative businesses will not survive.”

Our Priorities

Provide long term space for the creative sector
By taking properties into community ownership and negotiating long term tenancies with landlords who are invested in the city we want to offer the conditions for the sector to grow and invest in the future.
Make creativity visible and demonstrate its value
Occupying prominent spaces with a presence at street level, will make visible the creative workforce, the work they do and the vital role creativity plays in the reimagining of our city as a fair, healthy and sustainable place to be. 
Create space for new ideas and collaborations
Bringing people together in a shared space will create new opportunities for exchange between a diverse range of creative practitioners, encouraging people to work across disciplines, expanding networks  and sharing skills.
Build a community
Creating a network of spaces that are accessible, inclusive and support our growing community, providing channels for feedback on how we can continually do better.

Strategic Outcomes

Boost local economies
By providing accessible and affordable workspaces for creatives to work and collaborate we want to demonstrate a new model for city centre regeneration, creating economic, cultural, environmental and social value.
Create a distinctive sense of place
We aim to visibly demonstrate the power of creativity as the UK’s only UNESCO City of Design and the role the creative sector can play in reimagining the city as part of a Just Transition.
Improve opportunities for local people
We want local residents to have the space and resources to make creative projects happen. By growing a community which generates opportunities, we will demonstrate Community Wealth Building in action.
Enhance quality of life
The network of spaces will animate the city through an events and public engagement programme which will engage and inspire both local people and visitors alike.

"We are employee owned and have 45 colleagues at 3 locations in Glasgow, Edinburgh and Dundee. Our young Dundee base has a staff of 4 and will likely expand.

Although we love our small, serviced workspace within a coworking hub in the city centre, we have outgrown our space and are sorely needing some additional areas to draw, research, make models and have meetings, which will make us more productive and creative. ”

Collective Architecture

How to
get involved

Tell us what you need

Creative practitioners & businesses

We actively want to involve creative communities and existing spaces in the development of this vision. Working together we have a more impactful voice and are better able to share knowledge, experiences, resources and networks.

If you are a creative practitioner, organisation or business, help us advocate for more creative spaces and inform our future work by telling us what creative space you need through events and workshops or get in touch.

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Advisers

Support us with skills

We are looking for people or organisations that can support us as part of an advisory group with expertise in:

  • Fundraising
  • Property acquisition
  • Planning
  • Law

If you can offer your skills please get in touch.

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Landlords, funders & investors

Work with us

Financial investment and property is required to develop and realise our vision. Do you want to:

  • Help create new economic opportunities for the creative sector?
  • Demonstrate new and innovative models for vacant spaces?
  • Invest in the future of Dundee?

We would love to work with you, please get in touch.

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Hapworks aims to create welcoming and sociable creative spaces which create the conditions for new connections to be made and as a result  new collaborations and new work.

hap - chance, luck and fortune. 

works - references Dundee’s industrial heritage, physical spaces for process and production. 

The Haparanda - “The Hap” opened in 1957 and was located on Arbroath Rd, Dundee. A confectionary shop and cafe by day, transforming into a trendy, happening hang out in the evenings with music and performances.

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Hapworks has been enabled by Creative Dundee with support from Creative Scotland’s Recovery Fund for Cultural Organisations and Dundee City Council’s Vacant to Vibrant initiative.

© Hapworks 2024
Identity & Website by Agency of None