Jim Cork – One Year On

Tell us about your business and what you can offer?

Graphic design, illustration, printmaking and audio production.  

How have you developed over the last 12 months since moving into Banks Mill? 

Having a space in Banks Mill has been a real game changer for me. The community in the building is fantastic and it’s been lovely building connections with other creatives. I feel a much more confident creative business owner than I did 12 months ago! 

Have you engaged in any support/groups/networks in the last 12 months? 

The building is constantly buzzing with creative ideas and we all try to support each other where we can – whether that’s with practical skills or even just emotional support! Freelancing can feel a bit isolating at times so having fellow creatives to vent with has been a huge positive! 

Have you received any funding/grants/awards in the last 12 months? 

Having a dedicated space, alongside support from the university’s Create Growth programme allowed me the confidence, time and space to put together a funding bid for Arts Council England’s Develop Your Creative Practice programme. I was fortunate enough to have been awarded the grant, which has enabled me to focus roughly a third of my time exploring traditional printmaking techniques such as screen printing, linocut & cyanotype – some of which is already being utilised in my client work. Green Door Studios, also based in Banks Mill, have been instrumental in this process. Their skills, experience and equipment have constantly blown me away. I highly encourage anyone remotely creative to get involved via their open-access membership and workshops. 

Have you invested in any new equipment or employed any staff over the last 12 months? 

Since moving in a year ago, my small studio has become bursting with inspirational objects and practical equipment alongside stacks of my own experimental work. I recently invested in a graphic pen display, which allows me to bring more hand texture and detail into my work. I’ve also had to invest in a fair bit of storage! The printmaking side of things has given me reams of printed output and it got to a point where the studio was getting overwhelmed with paper! I’m now the proud owner of a big set of A2 archival drawers, which doesn’t sound like much, but has made a big difference in running a tidy ship. 

What have you been working on recently? 

I’m currently working on a number of varied and interesting projects – vinyl record artwork & packaging for a band based around experimental cyanotype prints, illustrated stickers of vintage audio equipment for a renowned pro-audio retailer, packaging design for a tech start-up, audio production for a local band’s debut album, podcast production for a Nottingham based life coach and a number of website projects – all alongside some personal musical and design related projects ,which I hope to share later in the year. 

How has being based at Banks Mill helped your business? 

My studio at banks mill has given me a place where I can really focus on work and exploration of new techniques without distraction, meaning that I am far more productive. Without this space I’m almost certain that I wouldn’t have had the time or creative headspace to take on so many interesting projects this year, leading to the busiest schedule I’ve had since taking the leap to become a full-time creative 2 years ago. 

What are your plans for your business for the next 12 months? 

In the next 12 months I will complete my printmaking exploration project and aim to spend a good chunk of time on non-commercial printmaking projects, leading to a range of prints which I’ll be selling online and at Banks Mill Open Studios in November. I intend for the printmaking side of things to become a larger portion of my overall creative output. 

Is there anything else from your first year that you’d like to mention? 

Thank you to all the other creatives and staff at Banks Mill alongside the wider community for all your support this year. You are all unsung heroes, and I really appreciate everything you’ve contributed towards my progress this year!