This is the day we went up to Exeter to visit the space so that we could see it in person and start to plan our artwork display in our heads.
This is the transcript from meeting Brendan at the space, and all the questions we asked him:
Exhibition Space Visit Transcript
Students & Brendan@PLP
So, basically, what we have, we’ve got these four walls. Now these two walls ideally need to stay here. Now we have boards with light on one side and colour on the other. You wanted a clean white space first? So, what we can do, this area here we can clear out and shove all of the stuff not wanted behind there.
So, I've got a curtain that goes across there. So that can be, but one caveat being, if you want to open up this space, and the only real advice to that is if you wanted another one of these walls in the main space, because obviously it's not giving you a huge amount of room here, but it does give you an extra wall.
And these work really nice, like in this, because it's quite a big space.
And they work quite well like, in the middle. Sort of spread it around, to kind of break up the space that you would have said, cavernous, but obviously that'd be up to you.
So, well, this would be useful if anyone's projecting. Yeah, so you've got one projector already as well. So, we've got a projector here. Now, this wall, when it is in this position, is that projector set up to fill this wall.
Okay, so we need that wall for that projector.
Well, but you could put something else there, you could refocus on the back wall, but it feels this really nice.
Is it quite easy to connect?
Yeah, that cable there, it's connected to a laptop.
So simple. But like I said, so if you wanted that wall so you could utilize it in the main space, we could pull that out, but then we probably wouldn't be able to stash all of those tables behind there.
So, we need to keep the tables, essentially.
If you're happy to just lose say half of them they can squeeze in behind there and then this walking from there and you've got that space behind there.
We are going to need a couple for drinks and stuff anyway, aren't we?
Yeah. So that's less to hide.
It is a bit darker down there. These ceiling lights, you notice these ones aren't on. That's just because we turned, so all of these, we just turned them off basically. Just we turned these ones off to make this area a bit darker for the projector but if you wanted to turn more or more on.
I think we'll need at least one projector anyway, so definitely keeping that space next to hand.
So, I think you could probably refocus that on the back wall there, but then it's going to be huge. But then of course that projector needs to stay where it is, obviously if you have your own.
Move this way. So yeah, so basically, so yeah, so I'm explaining those to, they either both say they are one of the moves, these two, this one and that one, move where you want them to go, and like I said they kind of look quite nice like separating the space up a little bit.
We've got one, two, three, and I think there's another one.
Four plinths, which you're welcome to use. Okay, so four plinths and bunch of tables. No tables, you can run them. What else is important? Pretty much everything else that you see can be moved?
We have the sort of reception area at the front there that we don't like to sort of shove that full of junk.
But if you wanted to say lose some of these chairs, they could go in there and that could just be like that.
Could we potentially use that as a space to exhibit? In there (kids play space). Do we need it? If we do need it. Yeah, I doubt we will then. Yeah, I doubt we will. There's only eight of us really. It's a nice thought in case someone did really want to, but...
Yeah, to be honest, it's not really that conducive to space because there's...
Like, there's like, hit-miss-the-kitchen basically.
So, I doubt you probably would want it. And my gut is, because we have studio holders and stuff that come through that way and use in there.
So, if you were like desperate for it, we could have a conversation.
My gut is, because what we tend to do with large bookings when the small spaces book out... Seek those two rooms free, so we do get bookings for people that we think use that space.
We've got stereo speakers around and that's over there.
So, if you wanted to, obviously when you're putting up your show, you'll need music. If you want it to, that's up to you. Does that fit for the phone? That's fine, that's what's going on then. And there's toilets and sinks down the back there.
But you know, figure out stuff out there. But in terms of what you might need or use for your showing, I think that's pretty much it.
Yeah, so questions.
Fixtures and fittings, do you have anything available that we can use to hang things or tools or anything? Short answer, no. No. So, we'll need to buy everything. You'll need to bring things in tools.
Do you have the details of the dimensions of the space that we use so we can map out?
Yeah, I do have a floor plan down here.
I think we had one already, it was sent in the group.
Theres a safety image, there's a document that's just displaced with measurements of all the walls and stuff like that. I think we've got a generalised floor plan, but I don't think it's got measurements on how we might need it then.
Are there any restrictions or guidelines regarding the type of work being exhibited?
I mean, obviously anything that's offensive or overtly... anything that's deemed... offensive, no, we're not too fussy. Obviously, there are children that come in and use the space.
We have quite a number of people that use the space and visit the space with a range of learning difficulties and different Abilities mobility that kind of thing so if as long as it's not kind of over the offensive.
Nudes are fine. Graphic nudity is probably not. I mean, I can't imagine there's going to be anything that's that, you know, disturbing or graphic. I think the way to approach it is like, if those of you that have kids would you be happy with your kids seeing it? I mean I've got three young kids and they come and see all sorts of stuff in here but there's been nothing that I've been wanting to not show them.
I can't find the dimensions anywhere. Would it be easy for you to get them?
It's on my laptop in a folder. I can ping it off to you, no problem. Absolutely I’ll send you my email address, because I'm the communication between us.
I'll give you an email with that one.
Are there any suggestions regarding promotional or anyone that would be interested in coming to visit the exhibition or like some sort of mailing list that you could recommend for us to contact.
Yes, so if you send us any posters, pictures of you doing the install or some of the artwork or anything. We've got some of those on social media. We don't really use Facebook a little bit of things. We don't really use Twitter. Our Instagram, we've got quite a bit of engagement on that. So, we're more than happy to share things through our social media.
In terms of mailing lists, I mean there's certainly, so where are you guys based? South Devon. So, people you could get in touch with that sort of are like local arts organisations, but arts organisations that are like the more like sharing stuff, producing, commissioning rather than people doing their own stuff, if you know what I mean.
So, there's Exeter Culture, which is just a kind of like an art organisation. They do a monthly newsletter, if you email them, they'll put it in. There are emails on the website. Exeter University Arts and Culture. So, it's an arts and culture kind of department, if you like, within Exeter University again, they have a mailing list. I would definitely get in early with those kind of things just because obviously if you do it the month before but you've missed there.
Yeah so, we've aced that really. Yeah, I don't know. Both of those organisations are really well organised and so they're the sort of people that will, I'm the sort of person someone who sent that to me and then I'll like put it down somewhere and then forget where they are, they'll be dedicated administrators who will like put that on a list of things. Those are the two main ones I'd say next to if I think of anything else.
What are the terms and conditions that are exhibiting in the space?
We're pretty easy going here, we don't have a specific terms and conditions for all or anything like that.
One of the questions is about fixing things.
Brilliant, there we go. And again, we're pretty relaxed. The only thing we would ask is, I mean, I think what we'll probably do, because we've got a few exhibitions, so I think I've got some volunteers in before you guys are here.
Basically, here's what'll happen; we will either have all these walls looking fresh, and if that is the case, and you drill holes, drill holes, machine walls and stuff, I mean don't break anything, but like tacks, pins, blue tacks, whatever you need to put stuff up with, what you like to do.
If the walls are fresh when you get here, then we would just ask you to put them back afterwards so we would leave the paint and you just touch them up.
If we haven't got around to that, if you're happy, we would give you the paint and let you freshen everything up and then you'd could leave it afterwards.
Okay so I kind of let you guys like you're hiring the space so it's only fair that it's in a decent condition. What I will say is we will have everything freshened up and then you can, I think it's probably better that way because then you've got a clean canvas to work from and it's done and then the responsibility is on us to have it right and you to leave it right?
So, then we would leave the right coloured paints and filler so you could just patch it up afterwards.
That's probably the most professional way of doing it.
If we send you the poster, could you print it out and put it in the window?
Or do you not do that really?
We could put it up. We don't really have a printer. I mean we've got like an A4 desktop printer. Yeah, so you would have to provide big posters if you want to.
We'd be more than happy to put posters up for sure. There’s two ways to do that. There's a sort of notice board in there and then we can start, if you send us a load, we can stick it in the window or whatever. But if you wanted to do like a decent size one, depends on what your budget is obviously, but you can get a decent Big A0 poster.
We've got a printing services at college.
So, if you want to do like a Big A0 poster and roll it up in a tube and send it to us, we can put it up in the window.
Can you give us the address? You can send it to us. Oh yeah, thanks. So, we'll drop it in. Katie could drop it in as she lives in Exeter.
Can you provide any information about the audience, demographic and foot traffic typically seen around the space?
Yeah, good question so I mean you can kind of see it for yourself.
There's a lot of people. You know it's a busy street, lots of people coming into that town, it's a really multi-cultural, it's the most multi-cultural part of Exeter which is really lovely.
One thing I would say is, and this is something to think about, there will be people walking past here all day, weekends obviously, the instant they're busy, Sundays tend to be a bit quieter for the other students, but different to the high street where people are kind of milling and shopping and stuff, it is people are tending to be on their way somewhere. I mean obviously there's shops and stuff around here that people are popping into, but different to like where you go to the high street.
People are like, yeah, milling. A bit more milling, go to the high street, go to Sydwell Street today necessarily.
But of course, that means there is an audience there, but maybe there's a little bit of blinkers on.
So, one thing I would really strongly advise is having something outside that directs people in.
Like a board? Yeah, so we have, I'll show you the moment, but just one I'm not trying to thought, because we've had stuff here before where people have not made any effort to direct people in.
No one's expecting you to stand out on the street and go, hey, you should come, you know, it's a sort of bit like, I don't know, tends to get off things.
But when people just like, I mean, you're lucky because it's May, it's going to be warm, you can leave the door open. Door opens obviously in February and it's cold and whatever, understandable if people are in here all day, invigilating you and necessarily when the doors wide open. But yeah, sometimes people don't even make enough effort to put an A-frame out or anything and there's no one comes in, you know?
So, what we do have, and it is worth, probably if you want to take some pictures, so you can have the first one. So, we've got this thing, which we've just been given actually, and we've not used, but this is, this we put, it's got locks on the wheels.
So, we can put that outside?
I mean actually, we do have some A-frames but they're like it's an old like apparel drink one I'm not going to fix that because it's not a good idea.
There are two A frames there, one is there, don't use that, the other one is like a chalkboard.
What size is this? I don't know. I've got a tape measure here. But if you've got a cheap way of printing, Yeah, let's do this. So, you can measure the actual size of the space, and we just drop it down to the size of the paper there.
46 inches. I'll do it in millimetres. That is 1170. How many inches? 23. 23 inches. Thank you. Perfect, thank you so much. And that's two sides. Perfect, thank you. That's got a lock on it so it won't go and wheel off. Perfect. So, we'll just, I think, make it clear that free exhibition, walk on in. Yeah. People like free. The whole free part, yeah. That's why I put it on the poster saying free.
Oh, I can tell you the size of the walls, they are.... The moveable walls are eight foot high; they are 8-foot high 244cm and just short of 12 foot. Just short. Because I had to trim a bit of the ends off but only a few centimetres short.
Perfect. Thank you.
So that basically, you can see where the three panels are, they're eight by four feet, sheet supply, MDF. Yeah, by three and then trims like the end. And then the width of them is half aboard, so 600mm basically.
What safety measures are in place during the installation?
The installation. So, I mean, to be honest, that... It is one of those, you guys. There's a couple of things around the wheel to encourage safe use.
I've got this and this ladder which will be here which will welcome to use.
You've got your own screen as well. There are safety measures in place. I mean We have a health and safety risk assessment for the building.
Could I have a copy of that? I can send you a copy of that for sure.
After that, so I'm going to send you four pan, health and safety document, fire evacuation policy.
Perfect. Do you need any other policies? I don't know. What policies do you have?
Our goal is also to provide a safe, learning policy, working with our adult policy, to allow for diversity and inclusion policy. It's health and safety advice.
Marie, you had a question? Is there a loading bay at the back or anything like that where we can bring the family to...
This is our clothing area. So, this is, so this is about a bunch of bits and hours.
So, during install, and you're more than welcome to load through here, if you've got a van and you're bringing it to load all that stuff, that's fine to leave it here while you're out.
Basically, these parking spaces are used by the studio holders, so if you need, but they are, as you can see, there's a couple of them.
So, we would say, you can use it for loading, and if you need to leave the van for a while, you're in here, we're not going to kick you out. But, for loading and stuff, that's absolutely fine.
What we can't do is offer a parking for the whole thing. And it is a bit of a first come, first serve. However, I'm usually first in and I usually park here so if you were coming and you needed to unload yeah and I'm in a way I can always move it for a bit.
I assume once we've unloaded Sam, we'll take... Yeah, she'll take the minibus back.
Do you provide any assistance or equipment to ensure safe handling of the part, like drawing installation and de-installation?
I've just seen you've got a trolley then.
Yes, let's head back through. So, yeah, the question is, so that trolley is useful?
There's a couple of them around? Although one's used, you've got stuff on there. Yeah, there'll be one of them at least. I think that's my best. And as I said, this... This loading bay will be clear.
Are there any potential hazards in the exhibition?
We should feel that. Sorry, we just have to look at the back. So, no kind of fixed hazards. The floor, when wet, can be quite slippery. I've got a couple of those wire covers, like, there's one over there, So, you have the safety cable things that sit over here?
That'll be what we probably have to do. Yeah, I don't know. I mean, we tend to just use tape, gaffer tape. Yeah. You've got some of those plastic casing things even better.
What about the fix that comes when you see them come down?
That will have to provide all the help. That's all part of our bringing in our toolbox.
Do you have size of these seats? Sorry. If not. Marie, can we borrow the tape measure? What question is that? Are there any potential hazards in the exhibition space?
I've asked you about five. Are there any restrictions in the space?. Any materials?
Exposed cables, paint and flames, flammable materials, obviously.
No, I mean, just the obvious ones, if you've got like a kinetic sculpture that's a load of daggers moving in and out of each other we probably could have a bigger image. An active guillotine. That's not a good idea. That was so bad.
Is there a designated space of storage and materials and equipment during the setup and take-down?
Yes, as I said, behind that wall, basically, if you are wanting to open up that space there, and as I said before, I'm going to talk to you, I would suggest that the main motivation for that, because you're probably not going to need a short space, because you're wanting to move that wall into the main space but it is quite you know that is a clear canvas that sidewall and back wall so the short answer question is behind there is stuff can be stored but we'll have all referred to but if you've got other bits and bobs, stuff that you're bringing into install that you'll need to keep when you take down ladders and whatever, packaging for frames if you're wrapping stuff or whatever, they're obviously trying to sort of store stuff in there.
In terms of sort of like a specific story, I mean we've got lots of space.
We also have upstairs and there's a storeroom up there.
So, there won't necessarily be like a dedicated, let me see, dedicated kind of storage space allocated, but if you need to store stuff we've got loads of stuff.
Are there any emergency procedures in place, if there’s an injury?
Yes, short answer is yes. There's a first aid kit. There's obviously a vacancy procedure. Do you have it mapped out where fire sinks are in the fire?
No, because they do tend to sort of... They're not specifically mapped out, but you should always be able to see one.
There's one there, there's one by the loose. Yeah. Are we expected to provide any documentation regarding health and safety?
No. I mean, the expectation obviously is that you will operate in a safe way.
But there's not anything specifically that we, we probably should do that in a couple of hours, but as long as no one sues us, if you fall over and so forth.
Make us sign a document. We need to know, oh sorry, he's ready for one. Do we need someone at the bullseye every day of the evening whilst I was fishing and speeding?
Yes, you'll need to invigilate. And there will, there needs to be two people. Two people, and what's the time in the meeting? What are the hours? And then there's what are the hours? I'm not sure what you've arranged with George.
We haven't spoken to George. We haven't really had much communication with George.
Let me just check dates.
We're setting up on the 13th until the 17th.
So, it's kind of up to you guys a little bit in terms of when you want to be here.
What we will often do with a longer booking is, George will do a like a security procedure and give one of you a key.
Katie is being our key holder.
Perfect. So she is that. Great. So, in terms of then once you have the key then you can kind of come and go. Although, let me check that with George, actually.
I mean, you know, the space is accessible. I would, to be honest with you, my advice would be that you would be better off kind of focusing the time, no point opening from 9a.m to 9p.m, because you might have one, two, three people. So, I would suggest sort of like yeah 10 till 4 or 10 till 5 maybe, but you know really working on getting people in during that time while you're spreading it to the thinnest space of time.
And then you'll presumably have an opening.
Yeah, we plan to do that on the Tuesday night.
And again, again, the advice with that would be rather than sort of opening from six till ten and people milling out, you're always better off to do like an hour or two hours tops until you get it busy.
We're sort of treating that as an exclusive invite event and then we're having it open on Wednesday first.
Does George have an invoice that he can send us?
I think George will probably have organised that with your tutor anyway, so maybe I'm going to defer to Georgian and tutor.
Do you have a list of cost and fees like this to actually hire this space?
We haven't got that information even though we know that it's been sorted out for our tutor and jury.
Yeah, it might be worth talking to your tutor about that, because basically, so we operate here on a bit of a changeable basis.
We have a bit of a Robin Hood approach so we are we're a non-profit but we don't have any funding so we rely on the hire of this space however we want this space used and active So what we tend to do is where people approach us and they have limited budgets, we'll kind of do what we can to make things work within that.
So, I know for a fact that you're getting this massive discount because your budget is limited.
I believe George's wife has used to be a tutor when you guys studied.
I think so, yeah, years ago. I don't know. Do you know Molly Rook? I don't know. I might have been in a wrong one. I think he knows your tutor. There's some kind of... Something like that. Yeah, so, you know, so obviously there's mainstay races going on there as well.
So, I'm not... And again, George deals with the bookings. In and out of the bookings. So, I've talked to you two about that, but yeah, when people say how much does it cost us higher, basically the answer is like how much can you afford it.
So like when it's the university for instance, hire the space, which I've done loads, and I'm really transparent about it, because they've got loads of money. But then for community organisation or the less well funded arts organisation, education institution come and say like we really want to use the space, this is all we've got.
Then we'll do everything we can to make it work.
Well, we're lucky to have this bit. I mean, it took a lot of work to get it, but we want to see it used. You know, there's nothing more depressing than having the biggest space in the world going on there.
I mean we had scratch works up on theatre performance development thing here this morning and it's really cool because you come whenever I pass through or I've got a studio upstairs and sometimes we're in the opposite and I come in every day and there's like different weird things.
There's like a theatre group and then a drumming workshop and then a really diverse demographic of people and audiences that use the space, it's really nice to see stuff happening.
So, we're doing an opening, is there a space that we could use to get changed in between that?
Yeah, that meeting room, that room in there, which looks like dark room.
So, once we're over here on the Tuesday, we're going to probably stay here.
One question I always get asked with exhibitions, so I'm pre-empting this so it's covered, but no one has asked it yet; Does anyone want to hang stuff from the ceiling? You can hook. So that's fine. Obviously, we don't have a specific weight, but obviously not stone. Material, prints and stuff like that.
What I do have, can you come over to the bench here? What I've got is this section here, covering in there, and that small section if you were to move that wall, I've got some black blackout so I've got a portable backdrop studio stand thing and loads of blackout here with clamps it's not like its sort of like material to stand so it's not like perfect but it's because it's tucked away there. Anyway, I've probably got enough material to cover things that’s you don’t want seen.
So, you want to think about what's relevant. Are we certain we still need food? Just nibbles.
Health and Safety Documents for Positive Light Projects:
Kommentare