New creative hub is happy 'Storey'

12:56pm Wednesday 30th April 2008

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Two Lancaster-based creative companies, Rehab and Folly, were successful in winning an exciting piece of work that is right at the heart of economic development within the city.

The Storey Creative Industries Project (SCIC) is a £3 million development that will bring a grade II listed Victorian building back to use as a hub for the creative industries. It will become a venue for arts activities as well as a home for creative businesses, arts organisations and Lancaster's Tourist Information Centre.

Central to this vibrant new initiative will be a new website, launched last week www.thestorey.co.uk, to promote SCIC, its programme, facilities and its available workspace.

Competing against a number of other local creative and web services, Rehab and Folly came together with a joint pitch and won out with a visual and strategic proposal that managed to encapsulate the breadth, significance and importance of the project.

"We're thrilled to be helping to launch and publicise the SCIC project," commented Rehab Director Janie Ash. "It's a great addition to the city and will promote both the arts and creative industries, helping to reinforce Lancaster's credentials as the cultural capital' of Lancashire. Our cutting-edge approach to the look and feel of the website is indicative of the stimulating nature of the development."

The SCIC project will renovate and convert the famous Storey building to fit the needs of the 21st century community and is being led by Lancaster City Council's Economic Development & Tourism Service and will contribute to the revitalisation of Lancaster's conservation and castle area, as well as being a source of new employment opportunities.

Launched last week www.thestorey.co.uk; is the website that Rehab and Folly have developed, which will communicate the building excitement of the SCIC project with an ongoing blog. There will be a What's On' section as well as full details of all the exciting workspace opportunities open to creative businesses.

Rehab handled all the creative elements of the new website, whilst Folly built the site and will be maintaining the site content.

Rehab is a full service design and marketing agency specialising in branding based at in the modern CityLab building in Lancaster's Dalton Square. They combine doing work for both local and national consumer and business-to-business brands. Folly is a leading digital arts organisation committed to enabling new audiences to explore art through technology.