Founded in 1955 by a passionate group led by Edward Baly, MAKE Southwest supports over 300 makers, offering them opportunities for professional development, exposure, and sales through its retail gallery. As well as showcasing artist and makers’ work, the charity has a strong focus on education, with inclusive workshops and outreach programmes for young people and community groups.
CEO Laura Wasley is concentrating on a broader and more integrated commercial strategy within the MAKE Southwest vision. Given the challenging funding environment facing the arts, her approach aligns funding with revenue growth by developing retail opportunities for crafts and optimising building use. Additionally, a strategy for audience engagement is being crafted to identify key audiences, boost awareness, enhance participation, and attract broader support from patrons, volunteers, and partners to sustain the charity.
The organisation has outlined a comprehensive six-year strategic direction to guide its future focus. Central to this plan is the development of an income-generating strategy that includes launching a new online retail platform while increasing regional membership. Alongside this, there are plans to introduce a new wholesale charity card range by 2025 and develop three new studios by 2027.
“Arts organisations have faced tough times with funding—it’s a fiercely competitive landscape, and resilience is essential. Collaborating with Creative UK has encouraged us to think more ambitiously about how to fund our exciting plans and support our membership on this journey. We are proud to be uniquely rooted in the Southwest.” Laura Wasley, CEO