£1m studio development for Swindon's Carriage Works

Swindon’s Carriage Works will be home to a new £1 million film studio and teaching space thanks to £400,000 funding from Government.

The Government’s Towns Fund money will mean Unit 9 of the historic workshops which are being restored as business incubator units, will be used by long-standing social enterprise Create Studios on a 10-year lease.

Other occupiers include the Royal Agricultural University’s Cultural Heritage Institute and the University of Bath’s iCAST centre.

Richard Newland, chairman of the Swindon Towns Fund Board, said: “I’m really pleased that our strong business case has been approved by the government and that we can continue to regenerate the Carriage Works.

“The creative sector is growing at a rapid rate and this new facility will help us to retain and attract top talent to Swindon as well as give Create Studios the space to grow. It will provide opportunities for people looking to develop their careers in the digital industry and provide training opportunities for young people.

“There is still more work to be done at this historic site but it’s a very exciting time to be involved.”

Create Studios chief executive Shahina Johnson said: “The Create team have had a long-standing commitment to building digital skills and employment opportunities for young people in Swindon, whilst also growing civic pride through large-scale cultural projects.

“To base this work and our film and animation production activity in a new accessible home in the historic Carriage Works development very much builds on that heritage of innovation with community at the heart.

“We want Swindon to benefit from the incredible growth of the digital creative industries and having a first bespoke home to grow talent is a very exciting opportunity as we approach our 40th anniversary.”

Image shows the Create Studios team.

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