Laura’s creative crowdfunder bid
Comrie earring designer hopes for business support
Creative Scotland and Crowdfunder have teamed- up to launch the Creative Scotland Crowdmatch competition to award £80,000 in funding shared between 20 creative projects across the country.
And Comrie’s Laura Caldwell has been selected to be in the running for a share of the award, which hinges on a successful crowdfunding campaign of her own.
The campaigns go live on March 14 and the crowdfunding projects must hit a series of four milestones on the Crowdfunder website to receive the money.
A total of £20,000 has been ring-fenced so every project that hits milestone one will receive £1000.
The funding for milestones two, three and four will be released on a first come, firstserved basis.
Laura makes jewellery, specifically her signature style hoop earrings, and she has created her own brand – Wear With Grace.
She said: “Wear With Grace is all about the way wearing jewellery makes you feel. I truly believe that hoop earrings bring some kind of power to the wearer. Jewellery plays a part in what you choose to say about yourself to the world and Wear With Grace embraces the theatrical element of that.”
Laura’s target is £5000 to fund her first photography and video shoot to promote her business, and she is hoping that Strath folk will get behind her crowdfunder.
The 28 year-old launched Wear With Grace at the start of the first lockdown period.
She told the Herald: “I was working fulltime at the local deli in Comrie and I’d been making jewellery in my spare time.
“Encouraged by friends and family, I took full advantage of the creative time I gained during the lockdown and opened an Etsy shop.
“I sold out my first launch, then my second and my third and very quickly Wear With Grace was outgrowing my bedroom.
“In July 2020 I moved into my first studio space and began a creative business course run by Elevator UK.
“In January 2021 I left my day job to pursue Wear With Grace full-time. This coincided with the launch of my website and online shop, and being stocked in shops, galleries and art spaces all over Scotland.”
Laura is now studying an HND in Jewellery and Arts Technology at City of Glasgow
College, with Wear With Grace now based in a warehouse studio in the East End of the city.
The former Crieff High pupil explained: “Because I launched at a time when no one could shop in person I had to rely on Wear With Grace’s visual presence and product photography to succeed.
“I was creating customer relationships solely online using Instagram, Facebook and my website, so my photography was absolutely key.”
She added: “Wear With Grace makes an earring for everyone. This will be at the heart of my first shoot.
“The vision for this campaign is to employ a diverse team of creatives. By pledging not only are you supporting me and my small business, but you will also be supporting the wider creative community.
“From the moment I launched Wear With Grace I have been surrounded by an amazing community.”
Jackie Stewart, a creative industries officer with Creative Scotland, said: “The arts and creative industries have been hit hard by the consequences of the pandemic.
“Crowdfunding offers creative individuals and businesses a viable way to generate income to grow and sustain productivity.
“We’re delighted to continue working with Crowdfunder to help more creative businesses in Scotland launch their own campaigns, grow their networks, increase awareness of their work and build stronger connections with their customers and audiences.”
The link to Laura’s crowdfunder can be found on her website at www. wearwithgracestudio.com.