Supporting the development of bid documents and integrating innovation in presenting

CafeWerks - One Year on

The CafeWerks (innovation cafe) project has allowed the Werks Group to develop a multifunctional space that is a cafe with coworking, meeting spaces and can be an event space.

With the support of the Local Economic Partnership (LEP) we have been able to fund this project. Since opening we have hosted the start of the Brighton Digital Festival and have hosted events for the  Brighton Fringe Festival. We have also hosted numerous cafe talks and have even set up a space so that out clients were able to watch World Cup football matches.

With a full team working the cafe we are excited to see what great events CefeWerks will support next year.

Talking about creative hubs at the Annual Creativity, Knowledge, Cities conference in Bristol

Ian and Martin had the pleasure of speaking at the Creativity, Knowledge, Cities conference organised by the University of the West of England on the 5th July.

It was useful to see other great projects being discussed including the Watershed in Bristol.

We discussed how we have encountered the relationship between creativity, support and business growth in the context of the Werks Group in Brighton.  We emphasised the importance of building 'creative practice ecologies' where knowledge and experiences can be discussed and shared and the how creative hubs with different sized businesses are able to build stronger support networks.

EBP supports creative businesses in Tunbridge Wells

AT EBP we have just completed a year long support programme in Tunbridge Wells which was targeted at creative businesses. 'HouseWerks' took place at 'The House' in Tunbridge Wells which is a great new creative hub which is has office space for more than 30 creative companies. 'HouseWerks' was able to happen because of the funding from both Tunbridge Wells Borough Council and Kent County Council.

Over the 12 months of the project we organised 78 events with a total of 457 attendees. 17 of these benefited from 1-2-1 mentoring which saw 85% of  these participants achieving increased revenues (equivalent to £150k per year). This means a return of £50 into the local economy for every £1 of funding received.

What Makes Great Co-Werking?

We believe that community is at the heart of great co-werking, but the environment comes a close second. At the Werks in Hove we have been helping relook at co-werking spaces with the intention of building better community based working. If you are looking for a great co-werking space why not contact info@werksgroup.org.uk and ask about co-werking at the Werks in Hove

Watch out for Werkshed!

We have been helping design a whole new type of makers space and we are calling it 'Werkshed'. We have helped the Werks Group find an amazing factory building just minutes away from Hove station and are inviting artists and makers to come and be part of this new maker community.

If you are a maker looking for cheap space to work in contact info@werksgroup.org.uk and ask about joining Werkshed.

We are helping the Werks Group to develop an 'Innovation Cafe'

At EBP we are delighted to have been able to help the Werks Group secure funding to design and build a new 'Innovation Cafe' concept which combines great coffee with workspace, meeting rooms and regular events to support the Werks Group community. Work started in December 2016 and it is anticipated that it will open in April 2017