Artist opens vibrant pop-up shop in old store

A creative has given local artists and female-led businesses space in an empty shop.

Lily Hammond, an Ipswich-based artist, will host a two-week pop-up event in the Suffolk town's former Superdry store.

The 27-year-old's work had been showcased at Christchurch Mansion, which encouraged her to create a space for local artists.

She said: "I decided to bring together female business owners, especially people from the diaspora, to connect and share that space."

Ms Hammond said she combines art, storytelling, and social impact, curating vibrant, inclusive spaces uplifting female, black and African diasporic creatives.

She had visited family in Lagos, Nigeria, for 35 days to connect with her heritage and work on pieces of art ahead of the event.

She said: "It is really amazing to be a young woman of colour exhibiting in a place like this.

"I think historically art venues, galleries, museums have not been massively inclusive, and it is really important and shows change in the industry," she said.

Following the exhibition, Ms Hammond, who runs Uwu Studios, decided to create a pop-up shop.

She said it was "a space that was welcoming and inclusive" for artists, stating that not a lot of people "have access to a space like that".

The event was expected to start on Saturday and run until 8 November, coinciding with the fifth anniversary of her business.

She said: "I wanted to highlight a little bit that everyone supports black businesses through Black History Month, but we are here 365 days a year, and we deserve to have space all year round."

Free community workshops, live art sessions, and family-friendly activities will be held at the shop, she added.

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