Throughout the lifespan of STEAMhouse, we have always valued the role that the artist can play within an interdisciplinary and cross sectoral space.
Along with all other business sectors, arts and the creative industries are critical to the evolving ecosystems existent within our towns and cities.
As ecological, social, political, and economic challenges continue to disrupt every corner of our lives, what value can artists bring to contribute to a better future?
STEAMhouse and Artist Principles
Among our principles, we encourage all members to connect and collaborate. It can help layer new perspectives and thinking and bring new insights and possibilities for creative problem solving.
Although it may not apply to all, but creative people can bring a range of valuable attributes, some of which might be common knowledge such as an artist’s keenness to seek meaning or truth, applying criticism, establishing high expectations, and having a sensitivity to observing their environment.
We believe that the STEAMhouse principles of exploration, collaboration, conversation, openness and newness align with the many various ways in which artists can work across other sectors and disciplines.
Underpinning these principles is the value of equality, and particularly when working in an open innovation environment. Respecting that the artist, the creative, the scientist, the engineer, the academic, and whoever forms part of a circle has equal validity of input. In adopting this notion all parties can free contribute, challenge, experiment, and innovate on an equal footing.
How does STEAMhouse help artists?
Freedom of creation and security of location in our Artists Studio
Newly launching this month (October 2022) is our Artists’ Studio. Complete with 16 units for artists and creatives to locate themselves within the STEAMhouse community, as well as within the heart of Birmingham.
The Artists’ Studio has been designed to help those who are looking for a space to harness their creative outlets and create them within a secure environment, where they would have a base of operations.
Those who join us there can also access our Production Space, as well as enjoy other exclusive membership features.
We’re holding an Open Day event for the Artists’ Studio on Wednesday 16 November between 11am and 1pm. Join us and see what the space is like for yourself. You can sign up here. (This event is now closed)
Technical experimentation in our Production Space
At STEAMhouse we benefit from the provision of a well-resourced Production Space, a makerspace environment made up of some bleeding edge technologies and technical expertise to help people turn ideas into reality.
Over the years, we have been fortunate enough to receive public subsidies to increase the scale and range of our technical capacity to serve a wider range of interests. For example: alongside traditional wood and metal fabrication, we have the latest 3D printing equipment sitting alongside virtual and augmented reality tools (as we’re the national centre for Formlabs), and a lab to develop and strength test the development of new biomaterials.
Our research into these sector needs extends international boundaries, most notable is the Urban Manufacturing project, which explores the importance of collaborative maker spaces.
So what can STEAMhouse do to help artists in Birmingham?
Innovation is the act of coming up with new ideas and concepts. It’s the act of taking what already exists and using it in a way that was never thought possible before; or the act of taking something that already exists and making it even better than it was before.
Artists and innovators alike often find themselves at odds with their own creative impulses. In fact, many times, innovators are forced to fight against their own creativity. Artists are known for being able to create something out of nothing, while innovators are known for taking what already exists and making it better. Both types of people can produce great results, but each type of person has different ways of doing so.
The application of a creative approach can lead to the generation of ideas and concepts that are original and useful; taking existing ideas and combining them in unique ways to create something new. While some people may believe that creativity comes naturally, others believe that it takes practice and experience to develop this skill.
We believe that by bringing artists more decisively into the STEAMhouse family it allows for greater creative insights, humanistic connectivity, and increased potential for a creative alignment to innovation.
