In this episode of Business Innovators, we profile Bow Arts, speaking to its founder and CEO Marcel Baettig. The organisation was started in the 1990s to provide affordable studio space for artists. It has grown to become one of the UK's largest providers of creative workspaces.
Bow Arts is noteworthy for reinventing the business model for providing studio space. Marcel says when he was a sculptor looking for a studio, he couldn't find options that worked. Business models for renting studio space at that point were designed around "property, not artists."
Bow Arts set about turning the traditional model inside out. It pioneered what it called the "holistic model" (though Marcel disliked this description for being too hippyish!). The idea was to put artists, rather than property, at the centre of the business model for providing studio space. The 'holistic model' looked at the needs artists have (for income to provide food and shelter, space to produce work, development of skills, etc.) and works to meet them.
Pursuing the 'holistic model', Bow Arts expanded from providing affordable studio space to offering a whole range of support services for artists. It now provides everything from affordable accommodation to skills and training development to support for artists in marketing their work.
In the interview, Marcel Baettig identifies two essential elements of Bow Arts' approach that have brought it success:
1) Forming partnerships
2) Reinvesting
3) Being a service provider, not seeking to be the centre.
A detailed breakdown of what's covered in the show is provided below.
1:07 - About Bow Arts Today
- Supporting 1,100+ artists with affordable workspace
- Partnership with 100 schools across London
- Reaching 15,000 young people annually
2:10 - Origin Story
- Searching for artist-centered support models
4:41 - Finding the Space
- 3-4 years searching for suitable property
- Discovering abandoned 35,000 sq ft building during recession
- Working with the landlord
6:33 - Rapid Growth
- Filled entire building in 3 months (expected 1 year)
- Incorporated and registered as charity within months
- Partnership model: artists built their own spaces
8:08 - Innovative Studio Design
- Semi-open plan model instead of isolated boxes
- Creating a "friendly studio" reputation
- Building collegiate artist community
8:47 - "Inside-Out" Model
- Reaching out to schools and businesses
- Creating work opportunities for artists
- Flipping traditional arts organization approach
10:02 - Charity vs. Business Model
- Why they chose charity status
- Rejecting "funder-facing" charity culture
12:11 - Social Enterprise Approach
- Removing capitalist profit extraction
- Reinvesting surplus back into services
- Pioneering circular economy model
13:52 - Gallery, Café & Learning Programs
- Original holistic vision for artist support
- Gallery as promotion space
- Café as community landing zone
- Educational outreach to local schools
15:42 - Artist Career Acceleration
- Traditional 15-year path to financial independence
- Accelerating timeline through professional skills
- Reducing reliance on low-paid supplementary work
16:49 - Housing Partnerships Begin
- 1995: London property market explosion
- Studio and talent crisis emerging
- Seeking long-term partnership models
18:35 - Creative Guardians Scheme
- Partnership with Poplar HARCA housing association
- Taking over residential spaces
- 120 live-work spaces for artists
21:33 - Community Impact
- Artists as active community members
- Working in local schools
- Community Arts Chest funding model
22:24 - Lessons Learned
- Poplar HARCA project: 8-9 years (planned 3-4)
- 2013: Artist exodus from London due to rising costs
- Adapting model based on experience
23:37 - Path to Property Ownership
- Started savings scheme
- Living on short-term leases for decades
- Need for permanence and stability
25:00 - First Purchase
- Nearly 30-year wait for first building
- Partnership with Mount Anvil and Peabody
- 26,000 sq ft space filled in 3 months
27:19 - Growing Property Portfolio
- Three properties purchased
28:00 - Financial Legacy
- Reinvesting into communities perpetually
- New funding model built for artists
28:55 - Key Success Principles
- Partnership
- Reinvestment over profit extraction
- Being a service provider, not the centre
Company links
Show support:
- Ease of Mind Productions – making audiobook recording easy (easeofmind.co)
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