The Auld Toyshop – Peoples Art School programme
Investment project code: 229
Estimated Cost
£10,000
In relation to the identified priorities in the Guidance & Essential criteria what will your idea achieve and who will benefit from your project?
Reviving Ayr’s former Auld Toy Shop into a creative community hub offering local employment, skills development, cultural activity and town centre regeneration.Please describe what you plan to do and what the money will be used for? (i.e., purchase equipment/resources)
The Auld Toy Shop – People’s Art School Programme
The Auld Toy Shop is a community-led cultural regeneration project based in a former toy shop in Ayr town centre which operated for over 35 years before becoming vacant in 2014. The building holds strong collective memories for local people and remains an iconic part of the town centre.
In 2023, Narture CIC undertook an architectural feasibility study exploring how the building could become a People’s Art School and long-term creative community hub. Although early development work and agreements were in place, the building was sold to someone else before the project could move forward.
The building is now under new ownership and we are working closely with the new owner to revive the original vision. We currently have support through Creative Scotland’s Culture Collective programme to deliver a year-long programme of cultural activity, creative engagement and community consultation within the building. This programme will explore what local people want from the future of the space and how it can best serve the community long term. We have programme funding secured for creative activity and engagement, however this does not cover the essential capital building activation works required to make the space warm, welcoming and functional for public use. We are therefore seeking £10,000 through the Coastal Communities Fund to support initial fit-out and activation works.
Funding will support:
- Basic internal renovation and decoration – £1,000
- Bakery space enabling works – £1,000
- Electrical works and safety upgrades – £1,000
- Plumbing repairs and improvements – £1,000
- Heating and ventilation improvements – £1,000
- Toilet and accessibility upgrades – £1,000
- Workshop furniture and flexible seating – £1,000
- Flexible workshop and event infrastructure – £1,000
- Creative and bakery equipment – £1,000
- Initial fit-out materials and activation costs – £1,000
These improvements will allow the building to reopen as an accessible community venue for workshops, exhibitions, creative learning, community meals, events and public conversations. The project will include open community consultations to ensure the space is co-developed and co-curated alongside local people.
The project directly responds to challenges facing Ayr including high street vacancy, economic decline, social isolation and a lack of accessible creative infrastructure. Through community surveys carried out by Narture CIC, 95.7% of 94 respondents said they did not feel there were enough nearby spaces to freely express themselves or develop creative skills.
Community feedback identified demand for affordable and accessible creative facilities including printmaking, woodworking, practical making skills, studio space and opportunities to connect socially through creativity, food and learning.
The People’s Art School aims to create meaningful opportunities for local creatives to share skills and develop their practice while providing local people with access to learning, participation and creative pathways within Ayr itself. The project is grounded in the belief that creativity, play and collective imagination are essential to healthy and resilient communities.
By bringing a long-derelict and well-loved building back into community use, the project will create a visible and hopeful space within Ayr town centre while supporting regeneration, local employment, wellbeing and community connection.
We have identified several key risks and built sustainability measures into the project from the outset.
A key challenge is long-term financial sustainability. Narture operates a hybrid model where food and hospitality help support arts and community programming. The proposed site will allow us to expand bakery production, increase earned income and strengthen long-term sustainability through a circular model where food and cultural activity support one another.
Community engagement is another key consideration. The project has therefore been designed around ongoing co-design, consultation and partnerships with local organisations to ensure the programme remains responsive to local needs.
To manage organisational capacity, delivery will involve diverse wider partnerships, paid opportunities for local creatives and shared operational systems to reduce pressure on the core team.
The building itself will be developed through a phased approach to full refurbishment, prioritising adaptable and energy-efficient improvements where possible. Alongside this, we will continue developing wider funding partnerships and long-term support.
Overall, the project aims to create a sustainable civic and cultural space that supports creativity, community connection, local enterprise and the wider regeneration of Ayr town centre.
Location: 21-25 newmarket st
Proposed on behalf of: Narture CIC
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