Project Cooke's
Our Capital Project to Transform Cooke's Studios
A new transformation of Cooke’s Studios has officially begun thanks to funding from the Ministry for Housing, Communities & Local Government through the Community Ownership Fund. With further funding secured from Art Council England, we are working hard to build an accessible community hub for Barrow within our beautiful, listed building in the heart of the town centre. We’re proud to be working with Bauman Lyons Architects, Howe Construction and Kunstruct. Working with our new partners, we’re thrilled to be using some new innovative, recycled materials as we work towards transforming and reorganising the ground floor to create a more welcoming experience for our visitors.
The vision for Cooke’s Studios is: A cultural community, where talent is nurtured and people thrive.
As Project Cooke’s progresses we’re excited to share the journey so that you can watch the creative space transform.
Why?
Inclusivity & relevance are the driving forces behind our building development. This work will transform the public cultural offer in Barrow-in-Furness, opening up new, inclusive, public cultural spaces, enabling more representative enjoyment of creativity and culture.
Access to the arts and cultural experiences is proven to improve health and well-being and, therefore, is vital to a thriving community. This project will do just that!
We will transform the two Victorian warehouse buildings that home Cooke’s Studios, into a vibrant, public cultural centre. The project will not only transform Cooke’s Studios by dramatically improving the accessibility and visibility of the building but also significantly progress the accessibility of Barrow’s cultural offer, offering world-class creative inspiration and year-round cultural engagement for all ages across a range of exciting and accessible art forms.
What will we do?
Project Cooke’s will create Barrow’s first public, participatory cultural centre: A creative space for everyone to feel proud of, that’s impressive enough to attract & retain talent & nurture our fledgling cultural ecology. This capital investment will enable us to reach more creative people with better quality support.
We will transform Cooke’s Studios by creating a new accessible front entrance, reception, cafe and improved exhibition and event spaces to show off the fantastic Sankey Archive, host more activities and give even more people the opportunity to experience, and gain skills, in the arts!
What have we done already?
Cooke’s Studios opened in 2011 following a £2 million refurbishment instigated by Signal Film and Media, in partnership with Barrow Borough Council, and funded by the Community Assets Fund, Heritage Lottery Fund and Working Neighbourhoods Fund. The building is managed by lead tenant and arts charity Signal Film and Media.
In 2021 Cooke’s Studios expanded into the partially-refurbished building next door at 102 Abbey Road and officially launched the new ground floor exhibition space, first floor workshop and new studio spaces that November for the launch of Signal Film & Media’s Arts Council England-funded project West Coast Photo Festival.
A £490,000 grant from Arts Council England in 2022 began the journey of Cooke’s Studios into a flagship accessible public centre for participatory arts. This project is generously supported through the Arts Council England Capital Development Fund and Sir John Fisher Foundation.
In March 2024 Signal Film and Media raised £910,000 through the Government through the Community Ownership Fund. This set in motion the plans to transform Cooke’s Studios.
We’re thrilled to have secured such a substantial investment to our project in Barrow, to fund this exciting and long-hoped-for transformation of our community building. Having a whole new ground floor entrance, reception and cafe alongside new and improved exhibition, training and workshop spaces will make Cooke’s Studios accessible to so many more people as well as making an even bigger difference to the thousands of residents who already use Cooke’s Studios each year.
The new facilities will make our business model sustainable long-term and support the growth of an even stronger creative and heritage offer that we hope Barrow can be proud of. We’re very grateful to the Department of Levelling Up for their funding and can’t wait to get started!
The History of Cooke’s Studios:
The Cooke’s building was built in 1875. A striking example of Victorian gothic revival, it is located on one of the most central roads in Barrow, Abbey Road, which provides a scenic gateway into the town. Before Cooke’s Studios became a media and arts centre, the Grade II listed Victorian building had a varied existence – as a school, a furniture store, organ seller, and a nightclub. During the 20th century, it was dominated by Cooke and Sons furnishers, hence it became known as ‘Cooke’s Buildings’.
