A lack of space is limiting the growth of Dundee’s creative sector.
Let's change that.
We are developing a network of creative spaces which creates new opportunities for the creative sector in Dundee to thrive.
Our goal is to secure long term space driven by the needs of the creative community which facilitates collaboration, makes the sector visible and valued and demonstrates its potential.
Hapworks_00 is a pilot creative coworking and event space occupying and animating a vacant unit at 7 Castle Street in Dundee City Centre.
Working in partnership with Dundee City Council, the first pilot phase ran from 22 February to 2 May 2024. Across 10 weeks there were over 200 visits to the space for coworking, including 67 unique passholders and 13 events brought an additional 400 people into the space.
Although daily coworking has finished to allow time to work on next steps, this summer we will continue to offer creative event space, further coworking opportunities, and a place to be involved in the development of the wider Hapworks project.
Coworking Days
Wednesday 12 June
Wednesday 10 July
Wednesday 14 August
9am – 5pm
While daily coworking takes a pause for the summer, come along to Hapworks_00 on our monthly coworking days to work alongside others and make new connections. These more structured coworking days will offer opportunities to meet others, share what you do and find out more about Hapworks.
Want to use the space?
Event space hire
The space is available to hire for events,workshops and short pop-ups. Drop us an email to discuss availability and hire costs. We know there are limited spaces for individuals to make things happen in the city. Therefore reduced rates are available for freelancers, self employed creatives, students and informal groups.
Events
Why are we
doing this?
The need
Creative practitioners and businesses need access to long term space to establish, sustain and grow their practice or business in Dundee.
Unless stated otherwise, the following data is the result of a survey run by Hapworks between 31st October and 10th December 2023. It was completed by 106 respondents who identified as a creative practitioner, business or organisation.
96%
of respondents said they have previously struggled to find the space they needed for their creative practice, business or projects.
59%
said they have previously considered leaving Dundee due to a lack of creative spaces and 50% cited having to leave Dundee as a potential outcome if they were unable to access adequate creative space.
62%
of respondents said their current space was not fit for purpose and 17% stated they currently had nowhere to do their creative work.
The opportunity
86%
of respondents said they need an alternative space to work in.
17%
of Dundee’s city centre units are vacant.
Higher than the Scottish average of 15.2%.
62%
of UK adults agree that cultural experiences on the high street give them a sense of pride about their local area and 50% would like to see more.
The scale
“Scotland’s creative industries employeed 90,000 people in 2019 contributing £4.2 billion to the economy that year.”
Over 500 students graduate each year from creative industries courses at Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art and Design, Abertay University and Dundee & Angus College.
The potential
73%
of survey respondents said access to a suitable creative space could allow them to dedicate more time to their creative work, 63% said it could allow new collaborations and 54% said it could allow them to stay in Dundee.
“Jobs in the creative industries are growing at 4 times the rate of the UK average.”
CREATIVE INDUSTRIES FEDERATION
“For every £1 of GVA generated by the arts and culture industry, an additional £1.14 of GVA is supported in the wider UK economy and for every 1 job in the arts and culture industry, an additional 1.65 jobs are supported in the wider UK economy.”
Other ways
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.
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.
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.
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.
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