New home for Wirral creatives opened in Birkenhead

Make CIC's transformation of Riverside Housing's one-time offices on Argyle Street in Birkenhead was made possible from funding via Town Deal, which will see up to £25m invested in the area's regeneration.

The building will become the centrepiece of the ‘Argyle Street Creative Hub'.

In April 2017, the Festival of Ideas in Birkenhead inspired a vision that led to the creation of Make Hamilton.

Make CIC's transformation of Riverside Housing's former offices on Argyle Street in Birkenhead was made possible from funding via Town Deal, which will see up to £25m invested in the area's regeneration (Image: Make CIC) During the event, Make CIC recognised what it saw as the community's need for affordable and accessible space for creatives, makers, and like-minded individuals to work, collaborate, and socialise.

In partnership with Wirral Council, Make CIC launched a “living viability study” by repurposing the recently vacated Treasury Annexe Building in Hamilton Square.

Supported by funders, partners and the community, Make CIC has bought and refurbished a new space, cementing its long-term commitment to fostering creativity and collaboration in Birkenhead.

The building underwent a complete strip-out before being fitted out by local contractors, Kimpton.

The fit-out included renovating and creating new rooms to provide studio spaces with updated electrics, painting, and partitions.

The first two floors now feature open-plan workspaces for artists, makers, and creatives, along with private studio spaces.

Inside Make CIC's 'Argyle Street Creative Hub' in Birkenhead (Image: Make CIC) A new reception area with a café space and bar has also been built, alongside a room that can be used for workshops, meetings and events that is available for hire.

Many of Make's current residents, including artists, jewellery makers, fashion designers, and fellow social enterprises, have now moved into the new building.

This relocation has doubled the available space, providing even more opportunities for Wirral-based creatives to join this dynamic community.

Liam Kelly, chief executive of Make CIC said: "Make has always been about fostering creativity and providing a space where artists and makers can thrive.

"Our new permanent home on Argyle Street not only expands our capacity but also strengthens our commitment to the creative community.

"This move ensures that we can continue to support and nurture talent for years to come."

The Make CIC team outside Make Hamilton's ‘Argyle Street Creative Hub’ in Birkenhead (Image: Make CIC) One of Make's residents, Hannah Gerrard from Rexy Studio, said: "As a resident of Make Hamilton, the new space on Argyle Street feels like a game-changer for local creatives.

"I now have the space to grow my craft away from home and really focus on expanding my work.

"Being part of a community of fellow makers and creatives is incredibly inspiring - it's a place where we can all share ideas and collaborate.

"The expanded facilities and permanent home mean we can thrive without the uncertainty of temporary spaces, and it’s exciting to be part of a supportive environment."

The new building has cutting-edge gigabit connectivity too, installed by local supplier Britannia IT.

The connection has been supplied for free, as part of the social value programme of LCR Connect - the half-publicly owned ultrafast network available to businesses across the Liverpool City Region.

Dave Ferry, chief commercial officer at LCR Connect, said: "Make CIC is such a great example of a local organisation making a difference in their community.

"This hotbed of creativity needs cutting-edge connectivity - we're really pleased that LCR Connect has been able to help by providing a free connection."

For more details, visit www.makecic.org.