Playing in Jasmine Street at the Granary Barking: Blog 138

Good morning - 

Mostly photos for today - as I spent all day yesterday lugging tables and chairs up several flights of stairs and setting up the 'Canteen' at the Terrace Cafe in the Granary building. It was such a sunny day it was easy to imagine the terrace full of tables, umbrellas, relaxing people and a gentle breeze coming up from the river. I was also kitting out my new Jasmine Street studio with lots of kitsch fifties furniture and bits and bobs. I had a field day on E-bay!

Birds eye view of the Terrace and spiral staircase

The Granary - Barking

Jasmine Street - 1st Floor Studio on right!

Jasmine Street will launch properly in September and I will be holding a secret cinema style event - well if its a good idea - why not borrow it? with due respect and attribution of course! 

Recently people have started to ask me what exactly is Jasmine Street  - so here goes. Its actually a very simple idea.......

Jasmine Street is a Creative Laboratory, (some people like to call this an Ideas Factory - but I prefer lab). Its a virtual, literal and strategic space into which I will invite other artists from across disciplines, and collaborators from other sectors to come in for a cuppa and a conversation. In this space we will share ideas for projects, commissions and other initiatives. In this space ideas will gestate and be nurtured, tested and possibly taken forward. I will actively seek commissions, funding and partnerships to realise ideas that I believe have real potential. 

Currently Jasmine Street is taking its first steps - just a small amount in the bank to invest in making her real! But with two commissions already in planning and discussion in Poland and a couple of other interesting projects in the pipeline JS is ready to get going fully in the autumn. 

As part of the strategic direction of Jasmine Street I am working closely with Rooff, the owners of the Granary and Malthouse and the Council Regeneration Department to further develop the vision for the new Ice House Cultural Quarter in Abbey Road, which is seeing rapid building development with 113 new home coming on stream next year. This will offer great opportunities for new creative businesses to move into both buildings and draw artistic and creative events to its heart.

More work on it today - and the lovely Gemma coming to help me! 

Have a great day!