Use Scrapstores!
Scrapstores are a fantastic resource for running any group that supports visual arts learning!
If you run an after school art club or an AccessArt Brilliant Makers Club or are an art teacher looking for inspirational materials, then visiting your local scrapstore can help you access a wide range of high quality art and craft materials for your members. The range of materials in scrapstores changes from day to day and could include card, paper, textiles, paint, corks, wool, cardboard tubes, netting, gauze and a thousand other things!
All scrapstores have different means of accessing their scrap materials. In some you need to pay an individual membership fee, at others you simply pay for the scrap you take on the day. Below is a a list of scrapstores nationwide, with contact details for each. If you are interested in listing your scrapstore on the AccessArt website then please contact rachel@accessart.org.uk
You can see inspiring resources on using scrapstore materials here: A Wealth of Materials
Read more about Brilliant Makers Clubs here: AccessArt Brilliant Makers
The Gloucestershire Resource Centre, Gloucester
The Gloucestershire Resource Centre has been promoting creativity in the arts, health, play and education sector through the re-use of materials from industry and business for over 32 years now. We don’t specialise in any type of materials as we have to run with the surplas being generated by local businesses within out catchment of Gloucestershire at the time, We rely on the national community of scrapatores to exchange materials we we can provide variety and choice for our 1300 plus members.
Wednesday – 10:00am – 5:00pm
Thursday – 10:00am – 5:00pm
Plus occasional Saturdays 10am – 1pm
Orinoco Scapstore, Oxford
Orinoco is Oxfordshires scrapstore with a long history of using creativity, craft and play to inspire the reuse of materials that would otherwise end up in landfill. It would be easy to assume that this little charity is all about scrap but take look behind the lorry loads of materials saved and you’ll find a source of affordable resources for schools and organisations working with children and young people across Oxfordshire. For more information have a look at our website.
Headington, Oxford. UK. OX3 7HS
Cambridge Community Scrapstore
Cambridge Scrap Store sources interesting and unusual arts and crafts items that members can buy at a low cost.
Anyone can join – our members include schools, playgroups, home educators, festivals planners and artists, as well as individuals. Membership costs as little as £5.
Address and opening times
During term time, our opening hours are:
- Every Wednesday evening during the school term, from 4 to 7.30pm
- On the second Saturday of every month during the school term, from 1.30 to 3pm
You can find Scrapstore at Unit 17, Barnwell Business Park, Barnwell Drive, Cambridge CB5 8UZ.
Re-Imagine Resource Centre, Cambridgeshire
At Re-Imagine we are finding creative ways to help look after our planet. We are passionate about being creative to be well and I provide making sessions in store and run outreach workshops for all types of groups as well as a fully stocked resource warehouse full of amazing items to be turned into something eco-fabulous.
We collect wonderful materials that businesses normally just throw away, and for a tiny fee, make them available for you to transform into works of art, to play with or where ever your imagination leads…
Address and Opening Times
We are on the same site as Witchford Household Recycling Centre.
Witchford Household Recycling Centre
Stirling Way
Witchford
CB6 3FA
Wednesday 10.00am – 2.00pm
Friday 10.00am – 2.00pm
Every Saturday 11am – 1pm
Work and Play Scrapstore, London
Do you need inspiring, cheap arts and crafts and design materials, or pops for your productions or unusual creative play resources?
Do you want to use more sustainable materials?
For an economical fee you, your school or your group can join the Work and Play Scrapstore based in Tooting and have unlimited access to our materials for your projects, all of which are saved from landfill.
Paper and paint, textiles and trimmings, buttons and bubble wrap, wood, foam, fne wire and so much more… come and visit us and see for yourself..
No need to book an appointment, just come and look round!
Address and Opening times:
Hazelhurst Estate
13 Blackshaw Road
Tooting
SW17 0DA
House of Objects, Newcastle
House of Objects’ dream is to revolutionise education. We believe passionately that children are not passive learners. They are independent and visionary thinkers with abundant curiosity. Let them explore and they thrive.
The National Curriculum does not make it easy to integrate creativity in schools. That’s where we come in. We provide practical solutions to make creative learning tangible.
Our centre in North Tyneside has a large workshop space and recycled materials resource.
We run school workshops, teacher CPD, outreach projects and more.
- Monday:CLOSED
- Tuesday:OPEN 12.00-2.00pm
- Wednesday:open 12.00-4.00pm
- Thursday:CLOSED
- Friday:CLOSED
- Saturday:OPEN 10.00-12.0
This is a sample of a resource created by UK Charity AccessArt. We have over 1500 resources to help develop and inspire your creative thinking, practice and teaching.
AccessArt welcomes artists, educators, teachers and parents both in the UK and overseas.
We believe everyone has the right to be creative and by working together and sharing ideas we can enable everyone to reach their creative potential.
Dani McCarty-Eigenmann
July 26, 2023 @ 11:57 am
Are there any craft scrap stores in Nottingham since Playworks closed?
Rachel
August 14, 2023 @ 12:08 pm
Hi Dani, I’m afraid we don’t have local knowledge of the Nottingham area but you could check this page? https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100064594963757