Major new They Eat Culture artistic space set to open in Preston

The People’s Production Lab will be based on Preston’s Guildhall Street and will be opening in the new year.

It is the latest project from the city-based arts innovators They Eat Culture.

Founder Ruth Heritage, creative director of They Eat Culture, said: “We want to ensure we do something innovative and increase the amount of people who have access to high quality cultural activity. “

PPL has just moved in and is in the process of adapting the building at 55 Guildhall Street, which has been “donated” for a year by Conlon Construction.

Formerly home to the Eden Boys School, conversion work to create a bespoke space for events and activities will be ongoing.

Skills will be learned on site including woodwork manufacturing, metal fabrication, digital and virtual reality technologies and more.

There will be storytelling and a performance space and interactive sound spaces.

Helios Design Labs, New Writing North and the Paine’s Plough theatre company are all involved in the new initiative.

Ruth, who is on the board of Digital Lancashire, pledged The PPL will also provide “new ways of volunteering”.

Those learning new construction skills will help build the infrastructure of the building. A series of events will start in January. The PPL will also tour round Preston and South Ribble to get people involved. Residencies and research projects are planned and anyone interested as a maker, sponsor, partner or punter is invited to get in touch.