Hi everyone

[Shohpie]

Hi there, just found this community and thought I'd join in!

I've been working with darkroom equipment for the past 15 years and now call myself an artist that uses light sensitive materials. Mostly I'm doing chemigram and phytogram techniques.

I work for Bristol Folk House and we have a lot of darkroom equipment that I'm working through to try and get to a better condition, with a hope to build up a programme of darkroom workshops here again.

I wonder if anyone here has integrated a darkroom set up as a multi use space? I've heard of friends using their kitchen, but I was thinking about whether we'd be able to put the enlargers we have on to trolleys so they can be wheeled out of the way and the space can be used for something else in the meantime.

Anyone heard of this happening or tried it themselves?

[Bob]

Hi there!

I once had my enlarger on a trolley and the other equipment in two boxes and used the bathroom (which was internal with no windows),

For use in a public space, I suspect you would need something more substantial than the rickety kitchen unit I used. But I imagine industrial-strength units are available - no doubt at an industrial price...

Good luck with the project - the more darkrooms the better!

[Mike O'Pray]

Hi and welcome to FADU Shohpie, I endorse Bob's view about more darkrooms. I was hooked after one session on a nightschool course and so new and fascinating was it that in my "student" days so to speak I'd have put up with a few inconveniences just
to take part in darkroom processes

Mike

[MartyNL]

Hello and welcome to the forum.

I truly hope you will be able to have a dedicated darkroom space. I should think it would be a lot easier for other disciplines to share and multi-use space than one intended as a wet-darkroom.

Historically, basements and attics have been the favoured spaces for darkrooms due to them generally being lightless and just being used for storage.

[Shohpie]

Thanks for all the replies so far, we've got a makeshift space sorted so fingers crossed we can get something up and running for September!

Lovely to be a part of this community, thank you for the warm welcome.

[mono]

Hi, welcome to FADU!

[Terry S]

Welcome!

Terry S

[David Lingham]

Welcome Shohpie good luck with your venture.

[Dave Hall]

Great to see you Sophie

[B&W Neil]

Welcome Shohpie ...

Neil.