IT has been announced that contractors have been appointed to build the specialist arts studio that will form part of Liskeard’s former cattle market site development.

Following an open tendering process, a meeting of Liskeard Town Council on Tuesday (March 29) approved the appointment of Brady Construction Limited as the contractors who will be responsible for the construction of a new specialist studio facility, known as the Liskeard Makerspace.

This will form a key part of the redevelopment of the town centre’s historic Cattle Market site. It will stand alongside the ‘Workshed’ professional digital and design spaces currently being built by Brady for Cornwall Council. Completion of the construction work is scheduled for early autumn.

The new facility will include eight incubator studio spaces designed to be tenanted at competitive rents by small and start-up creative enterprises.

‘We’re so excited to be working with Brady on this brilliant initiative,’ said project manager Alec Charles. ‘There’s already been a lot of interest in these facilities. They should offer great opportunities for Liskeard’s arts entrepreneurs and for the town’s economy.’

The new facility will also include fully equipped workshop spaces which will be available for hire to local craftspeople and artists.

The Market Makers project promotes, supports and develops the creative industries and arts communities of Liskeard. The project offers free training in arts and crafts skills for Liskeard residents not currently in work. It has recently completed a series of classes on watercolour painting, and at the end of March started running classes in printmaking, led by local artist Sian Bush. The project has also started to deliver free after-school-club activities in arts and crafts for both children and their parents or carers at Hillfort Primary School in Liskeard.

It also helps people establish, develop and grow creative enterprises. This process is supported by a network of more than 25 local craftspeople and artists, who meet regularly to hold workshops on business ideas.

“We’re hoping that some of the people who bring their kids to our after-school-clubs will go on to take part in our creative skills courses, and that some of those will join our scheme to help start their own arts enterprises, and may then progress onto our mentoring programme to build up their businesses – and might even move into our new Makerspace facilities in the old Cattle Market,” added Alec Charles.

The project is run by Liskeard Town Council and supported by European Structural and Investment Funds (via Community Led Local Development) and Cornwall Council.

More information about the project can be found at www.marketmakers.org.uk