A new report reveals just how important the creative community is to the economy of Brighton and Hove. Business is booming but big concerns are being raised over a lack of accommodation. Sam Thomson examines the issues and meets some of the artists whose decisions over where to work have been almost as creative as they are.

It used to be that British cities could be defined by a single industry.

Glasgow had its shipbuilding, Dundee its jute, Sheffield’s steel was on dinner tables throughout the world and no one would ever carry coals to Newcastle.

Perhaps only London could still claim to be defined as such, with the financial services sector based in the City, which is famous, or maybe even infamous, around the world.

As for Brighton and Hove, there has always been an assumption that it’s a fairly arty place, with many creatively-minded people choosing to set up home on the South Coast.

Until now, it has been hard to take this sector seriously as an industry, as it involves so many different types and size of businesses dotted across the city like a Jackson Pollock painting.

But all that is set to change with the publication of a report detailing the economic benefits of the arts on Brighton and Hove.

According to the report, 16,000 people work in the sector – nearly 11% of the workforce – and it is expected to grow by up to 5% a year, creating an extra 800 jobs annually.

Creative occupations include everything from digital media to film, video and TV to fashion, art and advertising.

The centrepiece of all this is the Brighton Festival and Festival Fringe, which earns about £20 million for the economy.

Then there’s Pride, estimated to contribute about £7 million each year.

This is great news for anyone who likes the idea of living a city with such a strong creative reputation. But it has posed one big problem – where to put everyone.

In a city already squeezed between the sea and the South Downs, the report estimates that as much as 130,000 extra square feet of space is need. That’s the equivalent of somewhere such as Debenhams in Churchill Square, Brighton.

City councillor David Smith, cabinet member for culture, said: “This sector has real potential to create jobs and start small businesses in the city.

“We need to develop a range of types of accommodation for different types of creative businesses.

“It’s crucial these are affordable, appropriate and available. So the council and other property owners need to be creative about finding them homes.”

Obviously this will require a lot of people working together, but if one person has more responsibly than most it is Dany Louise, creative industries manager at the council.

She is not surprised the city has become a haven for artists.

She said: “I think it’s because of what you would call a virtuous circle. Brighton is a very pleasant place to live in and you have two universities both with great reputations for their arts courses.

“Students enjoy themselves here and decide to stay on when they graduate and the more Brighton’s reputation grows, the more creative people it attracts.

“It’s also close to London, which works from a business point of view.

“And it’s compact, a walking city, where people can have a stroll and bump into each other, go for a coffee and end up sharing ideas and working with each other.”

Ms Louise was the driving force behind having the report commissioned.

She said: “For years I have been getting near-constant phone calls, not just from artists but others in the creative sector such as musicians and performance artists, asking if we had any space because they were desperate to start their business.

“We knew there was a shortage of workspace but it was all anecdotal evidence and we did not have any hard data.

“If you are looking for people to spend hundreds of thousands of pounds, if not millions, you can’t just say I had a phone call, you have to prove the need exists.”

The council hired a consultant who spent 30 days collecting evidence late last year. It cost £15,000 to produce, which was paid for by the South East England Development Agency.

Ms Louise said: “We were really pleased to see that the creative sector now accounts for about 11% of the workforce. It confirmed what we thought.

“But we were quite surprised by the amount of space that might be required in the future. This has to be a whole range of space, not just high-spec offices but basic artists’ studios as well.

“Quite a number of companies in the city have fantastic reputations and work across the country and nationally. They can find themselves rehearsing in fields or parks or hiring out a barn for three weeks in the summer.

“There is also a real shortage of space for sculptors, who often need somewhere on the ground floor which has big doors and easy access.

“Other cities such as Liverpool have huge former industrial sites that have since been colonised by artists. There are not many places like that in Brighton.”

One of the most unusual places artists have set up home in Brighton is in former bin stores on the Bristol Estate.

Emma Troy, who works with various media and at the moment is creating collages with recycled material, moved in to her studio just a few weeks ago.

She said: “I had been looking in the area for months and months so when I saw the advert it was exactly where I needed to be.

“I was quite open to the idea as I lived in a similar estate in London and thought there was lots of wasted space which someone could make use of.

“It was a fantastic idea by the residents’ association. The estate has got a great community with lots of people using the community centre and they seem really interested to have us here.”

Under the terms of the lease, she and the other artists volunteer to teach residents for five days a year.

Ms Troy added: “It’s a really nice way to meet people. At the moment, artists can only stay for two and a half years maximum because the estate wants to encourage as many different people to get involved as possible.

“But if they let me, I would love to stay.”

Children’s illustrator Penny Dann works at Annex Studios, near Brighton train station, as does fellow illustrator David O’Connor, who has been based there for the past ten years but fears for the future.

He said: “We have been here quite a long time because originally it was thought this building could be in the way of a road and might have been pulled down.

“So we were able to stay here while the future was unclear. But now the decision has been made to develop more of the site nearby. We are hoping to stay but that is entirely in the hands of the council.”

Mr O’Connor believes any new development in the city should include space for artistic businesses.

He added: “I have been to meetings about the various developments and made that point that if the only considerations are economic ones then this part of the city could end up like East Croydon.”

Anyone looking for a template to demonstrate just how successful a large space dedicated to artists can be should head to the Phoenix Gallery, in Waterloo Place, Brighton. There, up to 150 different creative businesses run happily side by side under one roof, including that of artist Monica Ross and painter Anne Magill, who has been based there for almost a year after being on the waiting list for five years.

She said: “I worked from home for about five or six years before I moved to a studio in Kemp Town. But I had to move out because the use of the building was being changed.

“Trying to find somewhere else was very hard. I’m quite successful as an artist so cost wasn’t an issue but a lot of places were simply unsuitable.”

Ms Magill could not be happier with her current set-up in the Phoenix Gallery.

She added: “You have a lot of other people doing the same thing so it’s nice to feel part of a community.”

The report recommends a creative industries champion within the planning department; a review of sites which might be suitable for creative work; more creative workspace in mixed use developments and extending opportunities for shared ownership of work premises.

Ms Louise added: “One of the first things will be to make sure there is someone in the planning department with a brief to acknowledge the creative industries.

“There is no point in having great plans put forward for new space only for planning to turn them down. It is unsexy but it is absolutely crucial.

“There is no quick fix though and capital projects take a long time to come to fruition. But for the first time we can make the argument – and provide the evidence – that the creative sector is vitally important for the city’s economy and should be given support.”

The full report can be viewed at www.creativebrighton.co.uk.