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THE HOME OF CREATIVITY Cambridge’s new artist-first hub, Sol Creative Foundry, is reshaping what creative life in the region can look like
J ust outside Cambridge, in Dry Drayton, a new kind of creative space is taking shape. Sol Creative Foundry, which opened in March 2026, is an artist-first, community- led art and wellbeing space. That ethos runs through everything it does: from flexible artist desks and studio space to hands-on workshops, exhibitions and family-friendly creative sessions. The idea grew from a gap in the industry that had become impossible to ignore. After struggling to find the right studio space for her own jewellery and art practice, founder Sneh Zaveri recognised that Cambridgeshire’s creative community was rich in talent but severely lacking in dedicated infrastructure. Determined to save others the time she had spent searching, Sneh built the Foundry: a place designed for artists and makers to work, exhibit, teach and connect – not just with one another, but with the wider public too. Practical, welcoming and open to everyone, it offers a sought- after middle ground between working in isolation at home and committing to a full private studio. That openness is reflected in the programme. Adult workshops here span ceramics, printmaking, copper foiling, wood working, kintsugi, Indian block printing, book binding and calligraphy, usually in small groups and in formats that fit around everyday life. There are creative team experiences for businesses too, giving companies across the Cambridge area the chance to swap the standard away day for something more imaginative and hands-on. Meanwhile, Sol Creative Foundry’s summer and autumn 2026 calendar opens in August with a free public day for Hands & Heritage, a South Asian textiles, arts and crafts programme. September brings Wild
STROKE OF GENIUS Sol Creative Foundry is launching a range of longer-form courses, such as letter carving with Tim Brookes (above), to help adults engage with art and inspire creative development
World, a children’s conservation weekend of talks, workshops, exhibitions and a drawing competition. In October, Hands & Heritage returns as a three-day festival. Longer-form adult courses are also launching, including art history with Lisa Fretwell and letter carving with Tim Brookes – signalling a move beyond one- off tasters towards deeper learning and sustained creative development. Perhaps most importantly, the Foundry is making creativity feel truly accessible. Its Little Hands programme welcomes children from the age of two, with thoughtfully designed sessions that support curiosity, experimentation and confidence. Parents are looked after too, with accessible facilities, manageable session lengths and all materials included. Sol Creative Foundry exists to make a creative life more possible in this region – whether that’s much-needed studio and exhibition space, a community of peers
for a practising artist, a life-changing opportunity for someone who’s always wanted to learn a creative skill, or even some imagination-kindling sessions for budding young artists.
Sol Creative Foundry is located at Unit 5, Irwin Centre, Dry Drayton, Cambridge CB23 8AR . Visit solcreativefoundry.com or follow @solcreativefoundry
CAMBSEDITION.CO.UK JULY 2026 27
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