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se2 partnership - social enterprise south east

The Lightbox, Woking - a shining example of social enterprise

The Lightbox, Woking.....lightbox_logo

  • From voluntary beginnings to thriving cultural and commercial success.
  • Celebrating the diversity of Woking and contributing to community cohesion.
  • Café, gift shop and membership revenue all enhance local authority funding.

The story of The Lightbox in Woking is one that shows how patience, persistence and passion the_lightbox_wokingproduce results in the end. Back in the Nineties, 70 visionary Woking residents got together on a voluntary basis to try to create a gallery and museum for the area. After 15 long years, their tireless efforts and unflagging enthusiasm finally led to the grand opening of The Lightbox in September 2007.

The innovative venue has two of the region’s most exciting gallery spaces. An eclectic range of exhibitions, which change monthly, includes contemporary art from local and national artists, as well as loans from major museums and galleries both here and abroad. Themes range from art and history to science and the natural world, with schools and families being especially well catered for.

As well as offering the exhibition spaces, The Lightbox has an award-winning education and outreach service. A purpose-built education studio runs art/history projects and workshops, bringing together community groups, schools and professional artists. The Lightbox is used as a resource by art college students from as far afield as Farnham and Wimbledon and, of course, art appreciation contributes to informal lifelong learning for people of all ages.

The Lightbox also contributes to the overall social cohesion of the area. With no fewer than 16 lightbox_woking_stairwaydifferent ethnic groups in the region, the 'Woking's Story' exhibit reflects such a culturally diverse history and contributes to an overall 'sense of place'. In addition, the Lightbox team put a lot of effort into making sure the local community feel included and a part of proceedings. By the time it opened, over 10,000 members of the public had given something to The Lightbox, be it their hand-print for a public art project, treasured family possessions for the museum collection or financial contributions totalling over £150,000.

The venue attracts people to Woking who wouldn't necessarily have otherwise visited, so the knock-on effect is economically beneficial for other local businesses. There is also evidence to suggest that when companies are thinking of relocating or establishing themselves in a new location, quality of life is a deciding factor and places such as The Lightbox can only be a plus point. There is also no doubt that a dose of culture is good for the mental well-being of all - young and old.

Today, The Lightbox operates as a Charitable Trust and a Company Limited by Guarantee, but the fact that the organisation was a long time in development meant it was able to take the opportunity to initially ensure a certain level of long-term financial security. The original voluntary directors managed to secure the support of Woking Borough Council, who donated the site and provided development funding. The Council also entered into a Service Level Agreement, spread over 15 years, which means that The Lightbox enjoys much-needed financial stability now it is actually up and running. Although there is no entrance fee (ensuring access for all) the venue's attractive canal-side cafe and well-stocked gift shop make valuable contributions to the overall trading revenue.

Another source of income is a corporate membership scheme, through which companies pay a fixed membership fee in return for various privileges such as invitations to private views and the chance to hold business breakfasts in stylish, contemporary surroundings. Membership fees are then ploughed back into the various educational and community-based projects.

Marilyn Scott, The Lightbox's Director for the last seven years, has this advice for anyone the_lightbox_teamthinking of setting themselves up as a social enterprise. “Sustainable funding is the key. Looking for sources of such funding right at the beginning is very important. Without that it is very difficult to plan ahead. Financial security offers a firm base which is necessary for any social enterprise to build upon, sustain itself and achieve success.”

www.thelightbox.org.uk/