Braddon Snape knew the idea of creating a communal working space for artists had potential, but seven years later he's proven it to be a successful formula.
Snape, a former university lecturer and practising sculptor with works in collections from China to the US and Australia, had a yearning to create an environment where artists could share their energy.
While preparing works for a major installation of his work in Maitland around 2016, he was renting space in an industrial shed at 50 Clyde Street, Broadmeadow, from David Saddington.
"It was just perfect for then, because at the same time NAS [Newcastle Art Space] was looking for a home. Renew Newcastle people were looking for spaces. It was like, 'oh well, this is where people can go'. That's when the idea started ticking over," he says.
"I approached David [Saddington] with the idea, he was kind of, 'yeah, yeah, we'll give it to you, you can have a go', not realising what he was getting into ...
"I've said it to him since, I'm sure he thought it would last six months."
"When it all started I was lecturing, doing a PhD, making a major public artwork and making for exhibitions," Snape says. "Oh, and my kids were going through their teens and I was soccer coach. I look back and wonder how I did all that at the same time."
On May 4, The Creator Incubator celebrates seven years at 50 Clyde Street. It is home to 36 practising artists.
Artists with studios at The Creator Incubator include Alessia Sakoff, Andrew Luck, Arts in Recovery, Bridie Watt, Bronte Naylor, Doug Heslop, Ellie Hannon, Gillian Adamson, Giselle Penn, Graham Wilson, Gwynne Jones, Holly Macdonald, Jacquie Garcia, Jamie Bastoli, Janita Ayton, John Turier, Jon Pryer, Kara Wood, Laura Bishop, Leslie Duffin, Lexi Worboy, Liss Finney, Louise Fischer, Lyndal Campbell, Mark Buslem, Marlene Houston, Meg Walters, Michelle Guerin, Nathan Keogh, Peter Tilley, Phil McGrath, Rob Cleworth, Spike Tickner, Stuart Marlin, Tom Ireland and Wendy Gunthorpe.
There are artists in other individual sheds at 50 Clyde Street, which is home to almost 70 businesses, most with a creative connection or community-minded business, like Oz Harvest, Upcycle, Feather Edge, Art Thinking and Stories in Motion.
Collectively known as Clyde Street Arts, or The Clyde Street Precinct, it's been in the making for seven years and is closer than ever to becoming a nationally-known arts hub.
The Creator Incubator (TCI), which houses the most artists in the precinct, is a success by any measure. The individual artists are frequent exhibitors in public and private galleries in not only the Hunter region, but much wider.
Snape registered the TCI name in 2016 and took on his first tenants in January 2017.
"I've been trying to keep up since then," Snape says.
"It was my idea ... it was going to be independent."
Snape had learned plenty of lessons along the way from his experiences in communal art spaces or studios. He was determined the interests of artists would come first, and the spirit would always be to share the experience.
"I was going to be this benevolent dictator," he says. "Live or die by the sword.
"I would try to do it my way. If if works, it works. If not, well ..."
The look and feel of openness, transparency, was an uncompromising principle for Snape.
"It was important to have that open studio kind of feel, because I wanted to get that kind of sense," he says. "The best part of art school was that open communication with all the students, particularly at uni - two big tin sheds, with all the sculptors in one shed. You are sharing a laugh, sharing resources, sharing information, knowledge, helping each other out. The painting shed was the same, quite wide open.
"With that idea was inviting the community in, breaking down those myths and barriers of an artist locked away in a garret somewhere. That was important.
"All of the decisions along the way, it always comes back to the primary thing - the function of the artist studios, and the community of those artists."
During its seven years The Creator Incubator has evolved, now featuring two galleries and more support services.
"When we began, it was almost completely artist-run," Snape says. "As they've become more professional, it is still artist run, but they get so much more. They get design service, staff for two days, sponsored drinks for their opening, admin support - they are getting much more. The whole place, it's a unique model."
There's also a TCI residency scholarship, open to a new artist annually.
"One of the hardest things is keeping the younger generation," Snape says. "So it's good to have a residency award. Young ones don't have the resources. That's the biggest challenge, trying to keep a good mix of younger artists in here as well, that invigoration of the young aritsts. It's really important for the mix, too."
