Through Broadway's Near Now Fellowship, we have supported Nottingham's new creative hub Future Makers to build a waste plastic repurposing studio. Together, we have been creating new ways for artists, crafters, makers and innovators to engage with recycled plastic in their projects.

Throughout October–December 2023, we have collaborated with Sustainable Design Studio's Rory Dickens to guide a group of talented Nottingham creatives through a design-led process of exploring waste plastic as a sustainable material for product design and artistic fabrication. Inspired by our Know How programmes that have aimed to build digital capacity for the cultural sector, our pilot Waste Plastic Studio: Product Design Accelerator course has launched with support from Innovate UK and Broadway's Near Now, using public funding by Arts Council England.

• Get insights into the development of Future Makers' Waste Plastic Studio and the Product Design Accelerator
• Hear about new artist-led projects emerging through the studio and a wider look at other contemporary visual artists/designers who are approaching working with plastic
• Learn about the challenges and opportunities of working with recycled plastic
• Find out how you can get involved in current & future opportunities, including a new commission for a public artwork supported using public funding by Arts Council England, and a public campaign to collect donated waste plastic.

• Tristan Hessing, Director/Founder, Future Makers
• Katharina Fitz, artist, sculptor, biomaterials specialist and Near Now Fellow
• Rory Dickens, Director/Founder, Sustainable Design Studio

Join us after the talk to meet and talk to our guest speakers and the creative cohort taking part in the Waste Plastic Studio: Product Design Accelerator programme.

Find out more about Future Makers and the Waste Plastic Studio project here: