There is a lack of accessible recording studios according to a music producer whose seven-year-old studio was destroyed in a fire near Redruth.
An investigation is underway to find out how the fire started in Krowji – Cornwall’s largest arts and community center.
Stuart Blackmore says that now his studio is gone, he realized how precious the facilities were.
“What was great was that there was disabled access, there was also a cafe. Some of the people I see might not see anyone for a week, so have a cafe with a toilet for you. disabled that was really special. Then after the fire it was the real realization that I had lost was really pretty scary. “
Stuart could not be relocated to the rest of the Krowji complex, and has a lot of clients who require wheelchair access, so started a crowdfunding to find a suitable new home.
One of them is Oliver Goulding, who was halfway through recording his debut album with Stuart when the studio was damaged.
“The music is so powerful and so complete, it really helped me a lot, and it also made me feel more confident as a person,” he said.
“There must be a lot of space and room because I have a wheelchair and even with a wheelchair you need space.”
Around £ 23,000 was raised by the community immediately after the blaze, which was then matched by business sponsors. However, this money had to be distributed among the 16 artists involved and will largely be spent on replacing the equipment.
The Saint Gluvias Community Hall in Penryn was used as a rehearsal space, but Stuart says that can only be a temporary fix.
“They let us use the room for free, which is amazing, but we have to bring all our stuff here, and it’s great for training, but for recording you have to soundproof it and invest in it,” did he declare.
Cornwall aims to become the UK’s cultural city in 2025 – a distinction that would spotlight the county’s creative industries. Stuart says this should be a platform to encourage more studio spaces to accommodate all abilities.
