Camilla Cole on reimagining retail space through art and community – Small Business Retail Sessions (S1E9)

Welcome to the Small Business Retail Sessions podcast, brought to you by Enterprise Nation's Powering the High Street programme, in collaboration with EDF.

This series explores the major challenges that today's retailers are facing – from declining footfall and vacant shop-fronts to the post-pandemic recovery and increasing demand for sustainability.

Episode nine: Camilla Cole, founder of Hypha Studios

Camilla Cole is the founder of Hypha Studios, a charity that connects artists with vacant high street spaces in exchange for community-focused events.

Launched during lockdown in 2021, Hypha has since provided over £2.7 million worth of free space to creatives across more than 60 locations.

Through temporary galleries, workshops and pop-ups, Camilla’s model brings culture, community and innovation to the high street – while also supporting landlords, councils and the wider local economy.

In this episode, Camilla shares how Hypha Studios helps regenerate town centres by putting creative energy at the heart of local places, and why flexibility, collaboration and rethinking retail are key to building high streets that work for everyone.

Topics discussed in the episode

• The lockdown walks that sparked the idea for Hypha Studios

• How the model works – free space for artists, community benefit for towns

• Why creativity plays a vital role in high street regeneration

• How landlords benefit – from reduced costs to better long-term tenants

• What makes a great space – and why it depends on location and use

• The importance of local context and hyper-specific programming

• How Hypha builds trust with landlords, councils and communities

• Supporting emerging artists with space, skills and visibility

• Turning vacant shops, offices and supermarkets into cultural hubs

• Why collaboration across sectors is key to creating thriving high streets

   

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