In recent years there has been a push towards making our town’s art scene more unified and Amanartis is the latest development in that direction.

“It’s a creative centre,“ explains the woman behind the venture, jewellery and accessory designer Amma Gyan.

“We’re in the Old Free School on George Street and there are two shared studios, with the potential for more, a break-out area and lounge, a hot desk for short-term projects, and a great school hall for events, exhibitions and workshops.

“When I saw the building, I just fell in love with the place – the location’s fantastic, right in the town centre, and the building’s great.“

Designers and artists will be able to use the space to develop their creative business or craft enterprise.

“As well as offering a great space, the idea is also to provide an advisory service for art and design graduates, offering help and knowledge to turn their creative endeavours into a commercially viable business.“

The spaces would suit a jewellery designer, dressmaker, animator, illustrator, painter, screen printer or textile artist. Outdoor space is also available for drying as well as showcasing work.

Amma had been looking for somewhere to work for herself and was shown the Old Free School by former arts development officer Sophie Cadyat Watford Borough Council.

“It wasn’t quite right for me but as soon as I saw it I knew it would be brilliant for other people,“ says Amma. “So I made some enquiries and got such a good response that I decided to take a leap and set the space up as studios.“

Amma got a small amount of initial funding from the council to launch the space and the rest of the money she is raising from renting out the studio space, attracting membership from local artists and up and coming art businesses, and holding exhibitions, fairs and markets, and workshops in the school’s former hall.

As well as providing creative people with a base to work from, Amanartis is also intended to be a place for networking and collaborating with other artists.

There has been such a positive response since Amma opened the space in September that she is now considering renting more space in the building, of which she is occupying the top floor at the moment.

“People are really pleased that something like this is happening,“ she says. “Watford’s got a really great creative and artistic scene but it’s all spread out, there are little pockets of people and there’s nowhere that everyone can come together and work. What we’re trying to do is provide a creative hub that brings artists and their work together.“