ARTS & CULTURE
The project has been so popular, in fact, that Stephanie now plans on launching a magazine to run alongside the project. “The vision we’ve got at the moment is of an A5 magazine,” says Stephanie. “It will hopefully be something we can put out in local coffee shops and community centres and have available at events as well. Mostly it will be featured profiles on our members specifically, so that we can incorporate them as much as possible – and a directory in the back with a list of all the members.” #CambsCreativeScene magazine will be a collaborative effort with local illustrator, graphic designer and printmaker Dario Fisher, who Stephanie has been brainstorming ideas with ever since the idea came about. “Dario got in touch last year and said he had an idea to put together a magazine featuring creatives to help promote their work in Cambridge. So when I decided to launch The Trove as a business, I got back in touch with him and we started coming up with ideas,” Stephanie explains. “We’re looking at having articles that aren’t necessarily time sensitive. We’re thinking of approaching local creative groups; Urban Sketchers Cambridge, Cambridge Open Studio, and – because I’m covering Cambridgeshire as a whole rather than just Cambridge – organisations out in Peterborough, St Ives, Ely and other areas of the county as well to get articles on what they’re doing. The idea being that the content in the magazine can hold up for more than a couple of months at a time, so that it’s something that people can keep referring to. And depending on how the first issue goes, I’m hoping that it’ll be something we can do more of over the next year!” Right now, Stephanie is working on facilitating an online/virtual exhibition and marketplace to support indie artists, makers and small businesses who have been affected by coronavirus and the cancellation of local events. Anyone who might be interested in taking part can get in touch by emailing hello@ thetrovecambridge.co.uk. Head to The Trove’s website for more information on how you can help support local artists, and to hear more about upcoming creative projects you can get involved with. thetrovecambridge.co.uk
creatives.” She set up a trial membership scheme, and had 70 members sign up in that trial period. “It was encouraging; there was obviously scope for me to do what I could through the website, blog and social media to support local artists and makers.” Many creatives that sign up stay for the long run: “a good proportion of members have been a part of The Trove for about five years,” Stephanie says. “When I was first setting it up, I would attend events and tell people what I was doing – so I formed relationships that have continued over those years.” The Trove offers continual support for creatives and creative organisations in the area, and is always looking to spark curiosity and encourage people to explore Cambridge’s creative scene. “There is a stream of people finding out about what I’m doing and discovering the website,” Stephanie adds. “They might find out about it from a leaflet they’ve picked up at an open studio, through a friend or online. I get lots of feedback saying this is a great thing I’m doing.” The Trove is now well established on social media, boasting a sizeable following and its very own hashtag. “I started to use the hashtag #CambsCreativeTreasures on Instagram on posts where I’d discovered local artwork, or to share something from a local artist, and then all of a sudden I had lots of people joining in,” Stephanie explains. “Over the last few years there’s been hundreds of artists and creative organisations using the hashtag, and we have just got to 10,000 shares on there. It’s become a really popular way for me to discover new people and for creatives to support like-minded individuals.”
IMAGES Stephanie’s initiative to support local creatives, The Trove Cambridge, has gone from strength to strength in recent years
“I get lots of feedback saying this is a great thing I’m doing”
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