21.03.06
Website launch gives Cornish designer-makers a competitive edge

Hidden Art Cornwall is still less than a year old, but it is already making an impact upon the designer-maker community in Cornwall with the launch of its new website, www.hiddenartcornwall.co.uk.

The Hidden Art Cornwall website is fast becoming a valuable resource for anyone wanting to source designer-makers and design from Cornwall. Whether it is the public looking to buy or commission unique design or retailers and galleries seeking to identify designer-makers to supply and exhibit work, all will be impressed by the wealth of creative talent in Cornwall.

The designer-makers directory on www.hiddenartcornwall.co.uk is a growing collection of Cornish design, with each member having their own page under the eight categories of ceramics, glass, jewellery, furniture, textiles, fashion accessories, interior products and lighting.

James Maclachlan, a glass maker says: "The Hidden Art Cornwall website presents my work to a wider consumer market than would normally go to a gallery to see my work. It has also increased traffic to my own website."

Sixixis, a new furniture business based in Redruth, run by three graduates from the University College Falmouth's 3D Design degree course have been quick to benefit from www.hiddenartcornwall.co.uk with a feature on their business published in the April edition of Architects Journal, as a result of their presence on the Hidden Art Cornwall website: "Publicity wise, Hidden Art Cornwall gets your work out there, and creates opportunities which is great," says one of the company's founders, Chris Jarratt. "The website is already getting results for us," he adds.

Sixixis are also the first members of Hidden Art Cornwall to sell their work via the Hidden Art E-Shop, www.hiddenartshop.com, having utilised it to launch their collection of unique steam bent greenwood lighting.

Both the Hidden Art E-shop and the Hidden Art Cornwall website provide opportunities for designer-makers in Cornwall to connect to a wider market for their work: "It's good to be part of something in Cornwall that also links us to the rest of the country," says Tom Raffield of Sixixis.

Visit www.hiddenartcornwall.co.uk/directory to view the Hidden Art Cornwall designer-makers directory.

For further information please contact Jessie Higginson at Hidden Art Cornwall on 01326 253696 or email: jessie@hiddenartcornwall.co.uk.

The Objective One Programme for Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly has invested in CUC, both Phase 1 and Phase 2 through the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).

Editor's notes:

Hidden Art Cornwall is a not-for-profit membership organisation that supports and promotes designer-makers
who live or work in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, offering companies and members of the public access to
original design.

Our aim at Hidden Art Cornwall is to improve access to information, enable the exchange of ideas and expertise and offer a platform for designer-makers to exhibit and sell work, products and designs to key markets and the public.

Hidden Art Cornwall's growing membership is diverse and drawn from across Cornwall. Some members are more design led, working in product design outsourcing manufacturers, while others work with a more studio based, handmade approach.

Hidden Art Cornwall is the pilot franchise of Hidden Art in association with University College Falmouth.

Hidden Art is the trading name of Mazorca Projects, a not-for-profit organisation. Over the past 10 years, Hidden Art has driven the growth of the design sector in east London. The partners and funders of Mazorca Projects have recognised the benefit to designer-makers and the Department for Trade and Industry has awarded funding to help replicate the Hidden Art success story with its first franchise, Hidden Art Cornwall.

Hidden Art began in 1994 as a small open studios event showing the work of 43 Hackney-based designermakers. A decade on, it has developed into a unique network, supporting over 1,800 designer-makers and building links between the creative and manufacturing industries and their clients. Contact: Yasmine Chinwala, tel: +44 (0)20 7729 3800, email: yasmine@hiddenart.co.uk, www.hiddenart.com

University College Falmouth is internationally known for its undergraduate and postgraduate courses in art, design and media. In 2003 the College opened the Design Centre, part of a £130million development funded under the Combined Universities in Cornwall initiative. The Design Centre provides stunning new facilities for courses in Contemporary Crafts, 3D and Spatial Design, Textile Design and Garden Design. It also houses the new Research Cluster in 3D Digital Production.

University College Falmouth is a founding partner in the Combined Universities in Cornwall initiative, which is funded mainly by the European Union (Objective One), the South West Regional Development Agency, and the Higher Education Funding Council for England, with support from Cornwall County Council. Contact: Jilly Easterby, PR Officer, tel: +44 (0)1326 213792, email: jilly.easterby@falmouth.ac.uk, www.falmouth.ac.uk

The Business Room at University College Falmouth houses a 3D design bureau offering some of the most modern equipment in the country available for hire by local businesses. Based in the business room are 13 incubatee businesses. These are mainly graduates running a variety of design businesses including, spatial designs, textile designers and product designers. Incubatees can access expert mentoring, business space, computer, IT support and access, telephone, desk and storage at an affordable amount and are given a start up financial award. The Business Room also provides desk space for four designer-makers on The Crafts Council Next Move scheme. Contact: Vic Machon +44 (0)1326 370756, email: vic.machon@falmouth.ac.uk.

Clare Morgan
Media Relations Manager
Objective One Partnership Office
Castle House
Pydar Street
Truro TR1 2UD
Mobile: 07973 813647
Telephone: 01872 223439

cmorgan@cornwall.gov.uk

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