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4 Mar 2024

The British Book Awards has announced its shortlist for Independent Bookshop of the Year. 

4 Mar 2024

The ACT is happy to confirm the date for Local Bike Shop Day 2024 as Saturday 4 May, the weekend of the early May Bank Holiday.

4 Mar 2024

Research by global fintech company SumUp has revealed the best cities in the UK for independent businesses.

21 Feb 2024

The latest quarterly State of the Industry survey from the National Hair & Beauty Federation (NHBF) shows that the recovery of the sector was slow and steady through 2023 and into January...

21 Feb 2024

The UK has voted for its favourite pun-based shop name, and 'Sew It Seams' - a clothing alteration store in Belfast - has been awarded the top spot. 

21 Feb 2024

Businesses in the Devon town of Ottery St Mary have praised their local council for initiatives designed to help support them and boost trade.

19 Feb 2024

A new ranking of the most popular independent coffee shops in the world has put three UK cafes in the top 10.

19 Feb 2024

Older people could be the financial shot in the arm needed for Britain’s high street, according to research commissioned by the University of Stirling. 

8 Feb 2024

The ACS (the Association of Convenience Stores) has celebrated the crucial role that rural shops play in thousands of communities across the UK in its 2024 Rural Shop Report.

8 Feb 2024

New research reveals that Apple Pay and contactless payments have overtaken cash payments by a landslide as our favourite ways to pay in-store.

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National survey identifies cities creative tendencies

Posted on in Creative News

A creative map of the UK reveals its artistic hotspots, with Plymouth apparently the knitting capital, Bristol emerging as the drawing capital, London the place for sculpture, Leeds for street art and Sheffield for colouring.

Mark Cass, of Cass Art, an art materials retailer, commissioned a national survey to identify which creative activities made the strongest showing in particular cities.

"Creativity is something that is very much in all of us - and it has changed. For example, with mobile phones we can all walk around taking pictures," Cass said.

"There are some really interesting findings as you move out of London."

Cass does not claim to understand why some areas favour particular hobbies. Sheffield for colouring? "Absolutely no idea why that is," he said. "Plymouth may be historic because of ships going out on long voyages and women staying behind, hence the knitting."

Becky Dodman, who teaches textile practices at Plymouth College of Art, identifies another contributory factor: sheep. "We are close to Dartmoor and the availability of wool from whiteface Dartmoor sheep," she said.

Judy Milner, a London-based sculptor, is not surprised that the capital emerges as a hotspot for her art. Sculptors such as Anthony Caro, Damien Hirst and David Mach have exhibited large, eye-catching public pieces in the city.

"In London it's easy to make sculpture when you are a broke student: the city provides plenty of material for installations," said Milner. "Just walk down the road and you'll see a skip."

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