POP! is an open, welcoming, free-to-access community arts space based in Paisley’s Piazza shopping centre.

I established POP in the former Post Office in the Piazza Shopping Centre, Paisley as a totally accessible, open and welcoming community arts and events venue. POP created a framework to galvanise community around a space. I was completely open to what POP was used for – as long as the activity was creative, community-based or had a focus on wellbeing.

Being absolutely open in terms of what took place in POP created a completely democratic platform for hosting events, exhibitions, talks and workshops with a huge variety of local and national partners, including: RMHAF Mindspace, GCC NHS Arts, Foxbar Men’s Shed, Creative Scotland, UWS, Paisley Artists, Disability Resource Centre, Mental Health Foundation Scotland, CREATE Paisley, ReMode, Shelter Scotland, Recovery Cafe Art Group, Cirque Bijou, Kairos Women’s Group, Paisley Book Festival, Glasgow Women’s Library, Scotland & Venice 2020 and artists; Jess Ramm, Toby Messenger, Morwenna Kearsley, Melissa Mitchell, Pester & Rossi, Eleanor Stewart (Clubhouse Animations), Lindsey Wells, Jenny Olley and Issey Illustrates amongst many others.

POP’s open, friendly and welcoming ethos ensured that it quickly became a much-loved valuable civic space for building, connecting and sustaining both local and national creative collaborative partnerships.

Pre-lockdown POP had become a vital hub for creative community activity, engagement and connection in the town. Between May 2019 – March 2020 POP attracted 5600 visitors.

Client

Future Paisley / Renfrewshire Council