mint is a reason to leave the house and make something.

Mint is failed experiments that somehow lead somewhere better.

Mint is 11pm, writing down project ideas you’re convinced you’ll never actually start.

Mint is meeting people who make your ideas feel possible.

mint is a reason to leave the house and make something. Mint is failed experiments that somehow lead somewhere better. Mint is 11pm, writing down project ideas you’re convinced you’ll never actually start. Mint is meeting people who make your ideas feel possible.

Our Space

We are located inside Paisley Shopping Centre. We are slowly turning an unit into a shared creative studio.

We are building the shared studio bit by bit using donated furniture, borrowed tools, plenty of paint and help, from the local community.

The space is not polished. The space is not finished. But that is the point. Mint is a space being built by the people who use Mint.

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OUR GOALS

Although we are just starting Mint Creative hopes to become a place that nurtures creativity, collaboration and community.

As the studio grows we hope to provide:

Community exhibitions

Creative meet ups

Zine making workshops and independent publishing

Artist talks and portfolio evenings

Learning opportunities for emerging creatives

Affordable shared studio space

A supportive creative community

What’s Happening Now

At Mint something is always happening, even if half of the activity involves painting, moving furniture or figuring things out as we go.

We are currently building the studio creating zines applying for funding and planning our first exhibitions and events. We will keep sharing what is happening as the space grows.

Community Support

Mint Creative would not be what it is today without the encouragement and support of people who believed in the vision from the beginning.

Glasgow Kelvin College helped us build confidence, skills and a network that led us to establish Mint Creative. Exploring our passion for photography and working in an environment inspired Mint Creative to offer opportunities for others through collaboration and to encourage others to share their skills.

As Mint Creative moves forward on this exciting journey we are overwhelmed by the support we have already received from local organisations.

We would like to extend our appreciation to:

EP-Spaces for giving us this opportunity to transform an empty unit into a community creative space

Glasgow Kelvin College for supporting us and inspiring us to follow our dreams and make it happen

and all those who have donated their time, furniture, equipment and knowledge to help us make it happen.

It is through the help of many people that Mint Creative has become a reality and Mint Creative would like to express deepest gratitude to them all.

As Mint Creative approaches the 29th of July and the keys to the premises are handed over Mint Creative looks forward to meeting new people and building new relationships. Mint Creative is determined to make this project a success and hopes you will join us on this journey.

Join the Journey

Mint Creative is only just beginning and Mint Creative would love for you to be part of what comes

Whether you are an artist, photographer, designer, student, volunteer, local organisation or someone who loves creativity Mint Creative has a place for you

Together Mint Creative is building a community where people can connect, learn and inspire each other.

Exhibit or Collaborate

Mint Creative is always looking to work with artists, photographers, community groups and organisations on ideas and projects.

Ways to Get Involved

Say Hello

If you have a question, an idea or simply want to visit Mint Creative Mint Creative would love to hear from you.

Use the form below to get in touch. we will get back to you as soon, as possible.

What is mint

Mint Creative began with a handful of chats between photographers. Has slowly turned into more than that.

We are now building a shared studio in Paisley Shopping Centre. A place where photographers and other creatives can meet make work share ideas and help each other. If you have been creating for years or if you are just starting or if you are trying to get to making things again we want Mint to feel very open and welcoming.

We are volunteer‑run, community‑focused and still figuring things out as we go. There is no masterplan and no fully finished studio. At the moment there are mismatched chairs, walls, donated furniture and many ideas.

As Mint grows we hope the space can become a home for exhibitions, zines, workshops, artist talks, creative meet‑ups and collaborative projects. More than anything we want to create people can meet others try something new share what they know and feel part of a creative community.

Mint is still much a work, in progress. And that is part of what makes Mint exciting. We want the people who get involved to help shape what Mint becomes.

Help us build Mint

Mint is volunteer-run and still very much a work in progress. If you’d like to support what we’re building, any contribution helps us put more back into the space, exhibitions, workshops, zines and future creative projects.

You can support us directly through a donation below, or by visiting our shop, where you’ll find Mint merch, zines, prints and other work created by members and collaborators. Every purchase helps us keep the space moving forward.

Even a few pound genuinely helps.

 
3% Cover the Fee

Donations help support the running and development of Mint Creative, including materials, exhibitions, workshops, zines and improvements to our shared creative space. Mint Creative is a volunteer-led community collective. Donations are voluntary and do not provide goods or services in return.

We have a lil Zine holder at the front of our space! Feel free to grab yourself some free zines if you're ever about in paisley :)
PROGRESS // 001 slowly starting to look slightly less like an abandoned shop and slightly more like somewhere people might actually want to spend time :) furniture is now mostly in, we’ve been cleaning approximately 400 million years worth of dust and whatever else and we’re finally beginning to figure out where everything is going. still loads to do, loads to move around and probably several questionable decorating decisions to make, but it’s nice seeing the space actually start to take shape
What is Mint? Mint is 11pm, writing down project ideas you’re convinced you’ll never actually start. Mint is sending a message that says, “this might be a stupid idea, but…” Mint is making something before you feel ready. Mint is borrowing equipment, sharing skills and figuring it out as you go. Mint is unfinished walls, mismatched chairs Mint is meeting people who make your ideas feel possible. Mint is failed experiments that somehow lead somewhere better. Mint is a reason to leave the house and make something. Mint is a space for ideas that need somewhere to exist. Mint is not having all the answers. Mint is doing it anyway. Mint Creative is a new community-led creative space in Paisley, built by photographers for people who want somewhere to make, share and develop ideas. We want it to be a welcoming place for photography, exhibitions, zines, workshops, portrait sessions and collaboration. More than anything, Mint is about giving local creatives somewhere to meet, experiment, support each other and feel part of something. come be apart of it
MINT BROADCAST // 001 Sleep deprived, horrible at putting my thoughts together, and this is probably the millionth time I’ve tried to speak on camera, so aye I’m a natural. Honestly, just a massive thank you to everyone who’s supported us so far. Whether you’ve shared a post, sent us advice, offered furniture, helped move things, or just sent us a lovely message, it’s all made such a difference. We’ve still got a lot to do and the space is definitely a work in progress, but it already feels really exciting seeing it slowly come together. We genuinely can't thank you all enough :) more videos and info to come so lets hope for everyone sake I get better in front of camera
Here's to the start of something really exciting.
ARTIST SPOTLIGHT // 03 Shaunee I have always had a love for photography from a young age. I would always beg to use to the point and shot cameras on holidays After graduating with a BA (Hons) Performing Arts degree in 2018 and auditioning for everything and anything the pandemic hit putting that side of my life on hold, I bought myself a camera after years of not touching one to find a way to fill my days when my partner and I would go out for drives to the local graveyards. I slowly fell back into love with everything to do with photography my work focuses on film photography, portraits, slice of life, the queer community that I am a proud member of and mental health. thank you to @rusikpix for the headshot
ARTIST SPOTLIGHT // 02 Hello, I’m Caitlin! I started my photography journey 6 years ago now, chasing butterflies in my garden with my phone camera during that amazing lockdown summer we had. I’ve since gone on to study photography at City of Glasgow College, and Glasgow Kelvin College, before taking a leap by moving to the Outer Hebrides back in January. I’m usually known to be working with a Polaroid camera, a format which has became my personal preference to work with in the last year or so. There’s just something about the way it makes me slow down, and how it can be so beautiful imperfect, that works for me. My practice mostly comprises of documentary photography, experimentation, and community work. I’m always open to trying new things, and seeing where they take me. I also volunteer with Stirling Photography Festival, and a mental health charity over in the Outer Hebrides. My studies have opened so many doors for me, so I’m doing what I can to keep that momentum going now that I’ve closed that chapter. I’m excited to be apart of Mint Creative, and to see where our wee venture takes us. Due to my distance, I’ll be involved more remotely, but I’ll definitely be making use of Mint’s studio space whenever I’m back visiting the mainland 🙌🏼
ARTIST SPOTLIGHT // 01 Hi, I'm Owen. Photography has completely changed my life. Three years ago, I took a chance on myself. with lil compact Sony camera, a few YouTube tutorials and a lot of doubt, I moved from Newcastle to Glasgow to study photography. At the time, I had no idea if I'd made the right decision. I remember wondering if I'd thrown myself in at the deep end or if I was even cut out for it. Looking back now, it was the best decisions I've ever made (so far) Photography has introduced me to incredible people, given me confidence and completely changed the way I see the world. I never expected to fall in love with photography as much as I have, but it's become my favourite way to connect with people and interact with the world. It's also helped me come out of my shell more than I ever imagined. my work mainly focuses on portraiture and documentary photography. I'm still super new to all of this and still learning every day One of the best parts of studying photography was being surrounded by other creative people who were always willing to share ideas, support each other and collaborate. I wanted to create a space that had that same feeling, a place where people can make work, learn from one another, collaborate and simply enjoy being creative together.
5 DAYS TO GO!! Over the next few days, we thought we'd introduce you to some of the creatives who'll be helping bring all this to life. Keep an eye out for our Artist Spotlights, where we'll be sharing a little about each artist, and their work We can't wait for you to meet everyone.
SIX DAYS TO GO!!! Thought we'd give you a bit of an idea of what we're hoping to build with Mint Creative and the space once we pick up the keys next week. Community exhibitions Creative meetups Zine making & independent publishing Artist talks & portfolio evenings Affordable shared studio space A welcoming creative community Also a little teaser of a project/zine that's currently in the works We've got loads of ideas and can't wait to start bringing them to life. If you fancy being part of it, or even helping out along the way, just drop us a DM or send us an email at mintcreative26@outlook.com. And yes I did have to stick down prints with old tester stickers because I forgot glue so if you do see some QR codes and prints flying about you know why
One week from today, we'll be collecting the keys to our new space!! It's a strange feeling knowing that something we've spent months talking about, planning and working towards is finally becoming real. today we've launched our website (link in bio btw), and over the past few months planned the space, reached out to local organisations, met some amazing people and been overwhelmed by the support we've received. In just seven days, we'll walk into an empty unit and begin transforming it into a place for photography, creativity and community. There's still a lot of work ahead, but we couldn't be more excited to get started :)

MINT IS STILL A WORK IN PROGRESS. COME HELP US SHAPE WHAT IT BECOMES.

MINT IS STILL A WORK IN PROGRESS. COME HELP US SHAPE WHAT IT BECOMES.