A recent visit by Damien Moore

As part of our development planning SCA has been talking to local people have a stake in the future of Southport. SCA wants to be part of this future and involve as many from the community as possible. A few weeks ago Damien Moore visited us for a chat and to see what SCA does.

Damien Moore MP visits Southport Contemporary Arts to

celebrate their 10-year anniversary

Damien Moore during a recent meeting with SCA directors

Southport’s most established artists network, Southport Contemporary Arts (SCA), were pleased to welcome Damien Moore MP to their studios this week. This year SCA celebrates its 10th anniversary; In 2009 they started from a small stall in Southport Market, but after implementing their vision, they now work from two large properties on Eastbank Street. Damien had a tour of SCA’s Town Centre Gallery, Art House and their Artists’ studios. On the premises at Eastbank Street SCA have the ArtHouse gallery that provides a platform for local talented artists to showcase and sell their work. To date SCA have sold £42,000.00 on behalf of the local artists. Damien then had an opportunity to see the teaching side of SCA, by visiting their ClayWorks and ArtsLoft teaching studios on 111B Eastbank Street. SCA run a wide range of classes in painting, drawing, textiles and ceramics; currently they teach 90 students a week. Over the years the directors of SCA have stressed the importance of giving back to the community, they now have a rolling charity programme where they make bags for cancer patients needing breast drains and fiddle muffs for Dementia patients. Commenting, Norrie Beswick-Calvert, Joint Director said: “We were very pleased to be able to show Damien Moore MP the scope of our organisations work and the impact that it has on our local community. It was encouraging to see our local MP take a keen interest in helping our organisation. At a critical point in our forward planning, we discussed the potential growth of SCA and the variety of benefits that creativity can bring to the ever-changing nature of our town centre and Southport’s offer to both residents and visitors alike. Damien Moore MP said: “I was encouraged by how SCA have been able to grow over the last 10 years by supporting local people in Southport and in turn helping the local economy. Their rolling charity work for cancer and dementia patients is a credit to the way they always put the community at the heart of their projects. I would encourage any aspiring artists to visit their open studios, which is on until the 16th June”