The Ampersand: An Update

Back in January, we thought we would be in the Ampersand* by the end of the summer term. On course pages, we wrote that we would start at BHASVIC** but expected to run end-of-term showcases in our new space. How foolish we were is hard to say, but as you can see, we did not, and we are not.

We have been quiet on updates because, honestly, there has not been much to say, or at least not much exciting. After the giddy thrill of hitting our fundraising target and dreaming up what the space could be, it felt harder to share that document X had been submitted and document Y was expected soon. It also felt, irrationally, like we had done something wrong. Like the lack of visible progress was avoidable, somehow our fault. 

Because we wanted it now! We wanted to move in, do things, smash and build walls, metaphorically and literally. Give me my keys! Improvisers often work at burnout-inviting speed. It reminds me of the song (not the band) ‘Right Said Fred’, about a hapless builder who does irreparable damage with his immediate, reactive plans. Sometimes you’ve got to slow down. 

The truth is, as anyone who has bought a house will tell you, buildings are exhausting. Legal minutiae move at unpredictable speeds, unexpected complications pop up, and in our case, we are navigating not one, but three landlords, each with different motivations, pace, and ways of doing business. On top of that, opening an arts space means explaining everything, over and over, to everyone you deal with. It is never quite what they expect; it is this other thing. We will not be doing that, but this.

We have agreed the terms of the lease, supplied a scope of works for how we will use the place. We have talked to the right people for licensing and change of use, found a builder (also called Joolz), created the business plan, and a financial model. And, of course, we have crowdfunded. We have also done some research into the closest Banh Mi place. Things have happened, they are just not always the sort of thing that makes for a satisfying social media post. And very often, what is happening is waiting. Waiting for someone to talk to someone else, or for 12-14 Church Street to reach the top of a list. 

As we grow, our updates can start to be lists. Lists of what we have done, what we are doing next, what your support is helping us build. Clear, guiding purpose unravels into forms in triplacate, timelines, and Gantt charts. Narrative collapses into details. 

In case you were wondering, this is not a slow build-up to “we are not doing it anymore.” I would not bury the lead like that. We have just had to shift from thinking it is just around the corner to allowing it to happen when it happens. We are not waiting for the next response, but ready for when it comes. It’s a subtle shift, but an important one. Because with the way our community is growing in Brighton, a space is a necessary part of the plan. It’s just part of the how, not part of the what. We are building slowly, but we are building something real. A community that needs and deserves a building, not the other way round. 

*The Ampersand is our new workshop space and studio theatre, a home for improv in Brighton. Have a read about it here if you don’t know what I am talking about. 

**BHASVIC is Brighton and Hove and Sussex Sixth Form College, where we currently run our classes.