In Conversation: Arnet and Kieran from The Talk Shop
The day before a new exhibition at The Talk Shop, Plymouth Culture Community reporter Jessica Warby met with Arnet Donkin, one of the directors of Cliik, and Kieran Walsh, their Arts Program Coordinator. As the space was being prepared for an exhibition by a local artist named Red, they discussed the impact that Cliik and The Talk Shop are having on North Stonehouse.
At first, The Talk Shop may appear to only be a quaint gallery space, but it is an important branch of a community benefit organisation named Cliik. Arnet points out that they aim to “help lift the community and make people feel good about living here, about working here in North Stonehouse.”
So where did it begin? Cliik was established in 2020 on the back of Friends of Wyndham Square when they realised the community’s needs were greater than a friend’s group could provide. In the early days, The Talk Shop was a place for consultation work alongside arts and crafts workshops, which established that the community had a need for connection, often on a one-on-one basis. Art became an important part of Cliik, potentially as many of the directors have a relation to the arts and recognise that it is a good tool for community engagement.
As a lot of artists live around Stonehouse and often don’t continue after experiencing the need for more regularly paid jobs, The Talk Shop became a space for them to show their work, which was a natural development on from the workshops and the murals that Cliik supported. Eventually, they hired Kieran, who is also a Plymouth-based artist, to support the exhibition process. 3 years and over 70 artists later, The Talk Shop has established itself as a much-loved space for local up-and-coming artists.
Arnet is very passionate about how Cliik can grow to support the local community. He highlights their long-term plan to invest in housing. Besides providing safer housing for those living in North Stonehouse, it would also allow for the reinvestment of profits into Cliik’s community projects, such as The Talk Shop.
Kieran and Arnet are proud of the diversity in the people who benefit from The Talk Shop, from the ‘artsy types’ who come and support their friends on opening nights to the ‘salt-of-the-earth’ regulars who are unlikely to visit conventional art spaces otherwise. Arnet remarks that the murals and the art that line the walls of The Talk Shop “lift people's spirits, and make spaces brighter.” The previously dark alleyways with offensive graffiti feel far brighter and safer with the addition of Cliik’s murals.
Kieran mentions how it wasn’t long ago that he was in the shoes of an art graduate who wasn’t sure what to do next and he is now trying to give people the help that would have been useful to him. For people trying to make their way in the art world this chance to exhibit work “gives a sense of validity. There is a lot of uncertainty if you are a first year, second year, or just graduated whether you can do it or how you’re going to do it.” Getting the correct amount of support no matter how confident or unsure they are, and seeing the result on the walls is incredibly rewarding. “If I can, in any small way, get them to continue doing it, then that’s great.”
Trying to change the narrative around North Stonehouse away from crime, litter, and anti-social behaviour is a big task. Cliik receives no funding from Plymouth Council and is endlessly chasing grants that are often difficult to get on such a long-term basis. So they currently exist on a knife-edge trying to continue their mission. There is going to be a crowdfunder in the near future to find the money that they need to continue. The Talk Shop is currently open 4 days a week, which ideally would be more if they had enough volunteers with a good ear to spend a few hours for a chat, making tea and coffee with a friendly smile.
It’s not just The Talk Shop hosts either; they recently hosted a Patna Park Spring Fayre event, which proved extremely popular with local families. However, there are questions about whether it can continue with regards to the amount of work and people needed for organising and publicising the events that they currently don’t have. There are many ways that people can help them, depending on their skill set, and they are looking for more directors too. Ultimately, Cliik needs people who are willing to help.
As many people are struggling, and access to support is difficult, spaces like The Talk Shop are extremely important. Arnet emphasises that it is not just “a nice space with art” as they are a part of people’s lives, some of whom may talk to very few other people throughout the week. Kieran points out that as the open call for artists was so popular, they are excited for the summer of exhibitions that they have lined up. However, they can’t continue without people giving “a small gift of their time, ideas, and energy” so that Cliik can continue to support its community.
