Kollektiv pops up in Brighton

Kollektiv is made up of 15 keen and active DIY, hardworking artists, crafty designers and incredible illustrators. Their aims are to inspire and encourage other artists to make more, exhibit more and sell more.

After successfully reaching their Kickstarter goal, Kollktiv Gallery launched their first pop up on 25th November in Brighton.

We caught up with Sophie Giblin, curator and creator of the wonderful Kollektiv Gallery to find out more about what inspired her to pop up:

“About 3 months ago I finished my Art Degree, I saw peers decide that they couldn’t carry on being artists, believing that the money was poor and the profession wouldn’t pay the bills. As a reaction, I spent the Summer learning about entrepreneurship and business in order to open a gallery for myself, my friends and all emerging artists everywhere.”

Why put so much energy into a pop up?

Pop up is a wonderful thing. Popping up in empty high street shops has given me the opportunity to prototype Kollektiv Gallery. This is my first pop up gallery, and due to its temporary nature has allowed me to learn in a super manageable way. At the same time we’re bringing new footfall to local businesses and brightening up a piece of Brighton that hasn’t yet seen an art gallery.


How did you prepare to pop up?

This is my very first pop up gallery. I left university a couple of months ago after studying art for 8 years. After my I received my degree, I wanted to put on an exhibition. However I found a lot of my friends couldn’t fully commit, thinking that art wouldn’t earn them enough money. So I spent the summer learning about entrepreneurship and pop up culture in order to open Kollektiv Gallery for emerging artists.


Was there anything unexpected or particularly challenging about getting this off the ground?

For us, finding the empty high street shop was the hardest part of the project! Even though they were everywhere, it appeared that the landlords were always looking for longer tenancies. Luckily in the end, through word of mouth, we found an incredible little spot on St James’s Street Brighton. An old butchers! We’ll be exhibiting here until Christmas.


Whats the nicest thing a customer has said so far?

“You are an inspiration”.. I almost burst into tears when she said it.


Any thoughts about what happens after this pop up?

Well we’ve just won the funding for the next pop up gallery! I’m planning to open 4 pop up galleries a year, with a different set of emerging artists in every time. The next one will be for the University of Brighton art students. Im already planning the summer Pop up galleries, I won’t say anything more than …bicycles.

Anything else you would like to say about popping up?

Popping up has been one of the most fun experiences of my life. I’m so proud of my gallery, the artists and the team I’m working with. I hope to fill lots more empty high street shops in the future.