The Mother House studios model was founded in 2016 by Dyana Gravina as part of Procreate Project (PCP), a grassroots visionary arts organisation supporting the professional development of artists who are mothers and primary caregivers.
The Mother House Studios are a unique solution to a proven lack of viable provision that sufficiently supports professional artists during early parenthood. The model adapts existing venues to create inspiring, affordable art studios with integrated childcare.
There is an ethos of inclusion, welcoming children into the mother’s artistic space and process. This delivers mutual and multiple benefits.
Mother House’s approach was built on observations regarding childcare provision:
– Childcare remains under-funded and scarce
– Childcare models are invariably based on separating children from
mothers/parents; parents from care and child from the workplace
– Childcare is costly and not suited to families and women with
flexible work and/or low incomes
Community
The Mother House Studios create:
– A studio space for professional art practices in the form of an open-plan art studio. The space is organised in assigned sections that fit the needs of artists working in different mediums and forms
– A child-dedicated room interconnected with the working space. These space houses activities and resources for children, guided by a dedicated team.
The Mother House offerers a collaborative yet intimate space to curate the creative practice whilst ensuring a healthy journey into parenthood.
Crucially, children witness mothers and parents outside the domestic environment
After three pilot projects (2016-2018), the model has secured the first public funding from the Mayor of London, Lewisham Council, Esmee Fairbairn Foundation, Nat de Gerrers among other 200 backers via a Spacehive Campaign.
Do you need a Mother House?
While in the process of opening the first permanent venue in London, we are now working to secure expert support to create a Tool kit for the national and international replication and expansion of Mother House Studios.
The project enables us to foster wider cultural development and economic benefits in the area where the Mother House operates. In the long-term, the project demonstrates the potential to benefit the well-being of artists by enabling them to make work during pregnancy and motherhood, sustaining their artistic identity and confidence, and access a supportive peer community, in turn developing healthy families and young people.
Would like to contribute to this important initiative?
If you would like to be part of the future plans for Mother House studios without borders contact us at motherhouse@procreateproject.com
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