PICTURES: Inverness Creative Academy opened the second half of its project with event last week
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THE second half of the development houses a community and café space as well as hot desking facilities and offices for creative industries.
A £6 million transformation saw the site of the old Inverness Royal Academy building at Midmills transform into the largest creative facility of its kind in the Highlands.
Phase one was finished in 2018 which created 30 studio spaces for artists.
Marking the opening is a new exhibition, Home & Away, which will be on display until the end of May.
Wasps chief executive officer, Audrey Carlin, was delighted to open the building officially.
“There’s been so many people who have helped us and provided us with advice guidance and support and are now involved in the creative academy here,” she said. “It’s been about welcoming our creative tenants to the building and already we’ve had over 10,000 visitors through the door.
“It’s a much needed creative facility for the Highlands.
“Im sure you’d agree that we have exceeded expectation’s in a design context and it no longer feels like an assembly hall. Delivery of this during a pandemic was not something anyone could have anticipated. We’re proud of what’s been achieved.
“Thank you to all of our artists and creative tenants. This is really all about you now. But today is not just about celebrating the conversion of these buildings but it also caters to the creative talent that is here in the Highlands.
“On a local level, Inverness Creative Academy is here to support an already vibrant creative community and ready to play its part in attracting people to the City Centre, providing a destination to engage with art and creativity as well as to enjoy good coffee at our wonderful new café.
“On a national level, this facility is already attracting talent and exciting new creative businesses to come to, stay and grow in the Highlands, contributing to the unique identity of the region. And on a UK wide level, this facility is already inspiring and nurturing the next generation of artists and creative entrepreneurs into the creative economy, one the fastest growing economic sectors in the UK.”
Heritage remains a key part to the project, and a time capsule created by pupils of Crown Primary School is buried out the front of the buildings.
Drew Hendry MP added: “This is a place of enormous social importance in terms of its heritage and place in Inverness. It really is a living testament to what can be done if people with a vision get together take it forward and make it happen.
“It’s been absolutely vital for the community to support this project. It’s an important meeting space where people can come together again and share a coffee chat about their day meet friends and what a great time for this to be opening.
“This is an asset for the whole of the Highlands and art space which was really required.”
