Alastair Upton, Chief Executive at the Bluecoat.It’s like Christmas everyday at the office right now. We are holding an auction on November 29th and have invited all the artists who have been connected with the Bluecoat in the past to make and donate a work of art to us. The list of artists is impressive and so when the post arrives there is sudden excitement to see what has arrived. As the packages are opened I can, just for a minute, imagine them on my wall.

Anyone can take part in the auction either by bidding online or by attending the event itself (check the website for news on how to do this and sign up to this site for further info in the coming weeks). The money will go to the final and vital phase of the development, the fit out of the education and participation spaces.

It feels just right that as the building is getting ready to open the artists are getting involved again along with all the other people who use, visit and appreciate the Bluecoat.

We had a very interesting meeting last week about the hub. The hub is the central ground floor area in the building; the area you enter when you go through the large double blue doors. This space has been completely cleared out and will be where you go through to visit the galleries, events, tenants or to eat and drink. It is also the place for tickets and information and the espresso grab and go bar.

In a sense the hub does exactly what it says; it is the centre from which everything branches out. Our conversation was around how to make it more than this and be the hub of ideas as well. The space that captures the whole of the Bluecoat and its purpose, a place were creativity is celebrated, with art from production to consumption and in which there is no sharp line between practitioner and audience.

This will not be at all easy to get right but the auction has started the process with artists and audience together in different ways contributing to a new of the Bluecoat’s history. It should be a fun evening too and there is bound to be a bargain or two to be had. My bank balance is limiting me to one piece. I’ve got some favourites but I’m not going to say what so you won’t bid against me.

Alastair Upton, Chief Executive at the Bluecoat.