FROM small beginnings on Barrow Island an arts group has grown to have an international reach.

The Octopus Collective, made up of three local artists, Glenn Boulter, John Hall and Andrew Deakin, is an arts and music group based in Barrow Park.

The roots of the group go back to the 1960s when one of the foremost alternative arts groups, Welfare State International was established in Ulverston.

The group as it is today was formed in 2009 at the Canteen on Barrow Island, initially as a music group.

Barrow was an ideal place for these men to set up an artistic hub because of its unique geographic location.

It has an abundance of natural beauty surrounding it and a vibrant workforce, but was also secluded enough to give artists peace.

Mr Deakin, 57 of Dalton said: "It's very difficult to meet people who are working at a high level. We were interested in having something that was rooted in Barrow and Cumbria – it was selfish. You could invite artists to come and make new material."

The prospect of setting up a group with such a large scope was a good idea on paper but in reality posed several problems.

Traditional artistic hubs such as Manchester, Edinburgh and London had a far longer tradition of being centres of artistic talent.

In addition, the economic crash in 2008 saw a huge amount of funding seemingly withdrawn over night.

Funding in Cumbria for the arts shrank, and by 2011 the amount of money open had been reduced by half.

The outlook for artistic groups across the country such as the Octopus Collective was not a bright one.

Fortunately the group managed to make it through tough times, and in 2010 was offered the opportunity to rent Piel View House, in Barrow Park.

This new residence became part of what the group's overall objective was – proving a unique creative space catering for a diverse range of artists.

Mr Boulter, 35, of Ulverston, said: "We want to add to the arts in Barrow, not take away from it."

In order to make their vision a reality, the group needed to save enough money to apply for funding from the UK Arts Council.

In June the group was successful in its application to the council to have its rent suspended for two years.

With the money saved, they will be able to pay for a feasibility study necessary to for its Arts Council bid to be successful.

A matched grant of up to £500,000 can be applied for, but the group see itself applying for a lot less.

It has to prove that it is not just able to provide a top-class creative space, but to be sustainable in the long run.

Because Piel View House is more than 100 years old, there is a great deal of work to be done to get it up to scratch – not least to combat the cold and damp during the winter months.

Mr Deakin said: "We need this building to be more functional, so people can stay short term. We want this place to be somewhere people can work, we want to have a space where people can show work.

"In terms of the building it's very cold in the winter, even the doors open the wrong way.

"But, what we've realised is that a lot of people in Barrow know the building, and are very fond of it."

If successful, and renovation goes ahead, Piel View house will be one of five European residency centres across Europe that the group has links to.

As well as wanting to reach out globally, the group has never strayed from promoting the arts in the area.

Mr Deakin said: "To some extent this year we are taking stock of what we've done. Looking at what we do, then formulating a direction for the next 10 years."

Recently the group took part in the Coro All Festival, at the Coronation Hall in Ulverston, putting on a 'chopping board orchestra' event.

This brought together young people to make sounds and music out of strange items, like chopping boards.

Mr Boulter said: "It was a really good session. We produced some really nice results and got some good recordings.

"Being in the hall was something we've wanted to do in the past. It could be a place where we do something in the future."

In the past month, the Octopus Collective has hosted two artists who have travelled from South Korea to produce a nature-inspired piece of art.

The artists were keen to incorporate the sights and sounds of south Walney, potentially producing a live stream of their work.

The group will know the progress of its application to the Arts Council within the next year to 18 months.

Until then the group will continue fostering art throughout the area, Mr Hall, 57, of Ulverston said: "The seeds planted by Welfare State are still here today."

Read more:

The family festival that saw the Octopus Collective put on a chopping board orchestra

Read about the decision that will the group transform Piel View house