Akin's Genesis

Having run a contemporary art gallery in Arundel for 15 years, as well as having been on the Town Council, the Chamber of Commerce and committees for Arundel Festival and Gallery Trail, I have seen that there are many innovative, creative people and businesses in town working on national and international projects.

Some are already working together or know of each other, while others are not and do not. I had felt for some time that we needed a meeting of all these people, a ‘symposium', to see what the appetite was to firstly work together and secondly to promote Arundel as a centre of creative excellence.

Then first meeting, organised with Sian Lewis and Jane Mote, in April 2018 was attended by 30 people and straight away the response exceeded expectations. From that first meeting collaborations were formed and work commissioned -Akinwas up and running. The next steps were to establish a common understanding of whatAkinis to both members and the outside world.

Arundel is a creative hub and Akin provides a platform for further collaboration and a place where those commissioning work can see the full range of talent here.

James Stewart - Founder and Vice Chair