*UPDATE*  9th April

Unfortunately we’re not going to be able to run the Homegrown pop up shop project at this time. We’ve had a great response with 30 applications sent out but haven’t been able to fill all 18 places.

We’re confident there’s enough interest in the project, but that the project itself is not right for enough makers at this time to be able to run it.

With this in mind we’re going to re-look at how the project would run and hope to bring more news later in the year. We’re looking forward to putting the information we’ve gained so far into the future project.

We’re pleased to share that with support from the IW Council we’ll soon be piloting a three month creative Pop Up Shop in Newport.

Called ‘Homegrown’, the shop will be documented and culminate in a how-we-did-it guide with the hope to encourage more pop-up’s to happen Island wide.

Applications are open to makers living and making on the Island by emailing :  homegrown@isleofwightmakers.co.uk

Closing date for sending back your completed application form is Monday 8th April

Thank you to everyone who got involved with the Pop Up Shop Survey – please watch this space for latest developments!

For Pop Up Shops on the Isle of Wight, pop over to www.iowpopupshops.co.uk, on Facebookand Twitter @iowpopupshops

Are you interested in running, taking part, or just want more information on pop-up shops?

We are incredibly excited to announce that on July 7th 2012 at 7pm Dan Thompson is coming to the Isle of Wight to give a talk with questions and answers, at the Quay Arts Theatre, about the Creative Use of Empty Shops. Brought to you by The Empty Shops Network, Quay Arts, Red Funnel, Rapanui and organised by the Isle of Wight Makers Network.

For anyone interested in the Pop-up concept and regeneration this is a must see event.

Dan Thompson is the founder of the Empty Shops Network and an expert in the creative use of empty shops. He has pioneered the use of shops as high street community hubs. The ways he has used Twitter, Facebook and Flickr to create and manage projects has seen him recognised as a social media innovator.

Dan has spoken at many meetings, conferences and seminars to share ideas about the Empty Shops Network. These include the Leeds Platespinners (2011), Harrow Museum (2011), University of the Arts Alumni at the ICA, London (2010); at RIBA’s Guerilla Tactics (2009); at Chain Reaction at Canary Wharf (2009); Gloo in Portsmouth (2010); at AIRTime events in London, Brighton and Belfast (2009-11); at the E17 Art Trail (2009); at Central St Martins Graduate Week (2009) and at the launch of Spacemakers and their Brixton Village project (2009). In June 2010, he flew to Belfast to speak alongside Northern Ireland Assembly minister Sammy Wilson MP at the launch of the city centre’s first empty shops project, organised by architecture centre PLACE and Arts & Business. He has written the Empty Shops Toolkit in 2010 (For the MLA, as part of Living Places), a follow on from the Empty Shops Workbook in 2009 (For the Development Trusts Association, commissioned by the Department of Communities & Local Government). He has also written a Void Space Strategy for Coventry City Council and an Empty Shops Strategy for Worthing Arts Council.

He has penned articles for magazines and journals including New Start, Mailout and a-n the Artist’s Newsletter. He has been a passionate advocate in the media, being interviewed by Hugh Pym for BBC News, appearing with Tracey Emin in Margate for Meridian, taking about the future of popupshops in a G2 special, taking part in a viral ad campaign for Yell and being featured in LucySiegle’s The Innovator column in The Observer Magazine. In 2009, he hosted the first national Empty Shops Conference; and in 2010 organised the first national Empty Shops Tour which took projects, workshops and networking events toLondon, Shoreham by Sea, Carlisle and Coventry with the support of the Development Trusts Association.

In July 2010, he ran a project in Seven Dials for the Culture Quarter Programme, creating a temporary exhibition with thirty participants from Create KX,TheDesign Council, ENO, Exhibition Road Group, Hospital Club, National Portrait Gallery, Somerset House, the Royal Opera House and the V&A. From December 2010-March 2011 he ran two parallel projects, exploring the idea of creating high street community hubs under the ‘Workshop’ name – Workshop 1A in Shoreham by Sea supported by the trustees of St Mary De Haura church, and Workshop24 in South Kilburn supported by South Kilburn Neighbourhood Trust. In August 2011, Dan’s work with empty shops, high streets and independent shops inspired him to launch the #riotcleanup, a practical response to the London riots.

Most recently Dan has written for the Independent and he is also currently writing a book called ‘Pop Up Shops For Dummies’ – part of the www.dummies.com series.

For more information about the event please contact us.

Shops become empty, it’s a natural cycle of the high street, but in the current climate we’re seeing more and more vacant shops on the high street. These are being used by people up and down the country for ‘meanwhile’ community projects, using the space for a while, before the next long term tenant is found.

Empty Shops are being used for a whole variety of ideas, from galleries to coffee shops. They are being used by the community who are breathing new life and reconnecting with their high street space. Filling a space with an idea from the community for their use, feels like ownership, for a while at least they have the say in their own towns evolution.

The community benefits and so does the landlord, who get their space shown working each day, filled and busy, a great advert to potential long term contracts.

Currently the Isle of Wight Makers is working on an empty shops project. To register your interest please use the contact us page.