We have done some exciting things in our 11-year history but this might just be our most thrilling venture yet. This Autumn we start a new chapter in Bright's story - opening our doors to the public to launch The Bright Emporium, a one-of-a-kind gallery, retail platform & events space that we hope will help bridge the gap between our first class creatives, their publishers and their audience.

The Emporium will sell our artists’ published books, print-on-demand and limited edition prints, plus a range of bespoke merchandise featuring their artwork – from armchairs to lampshades, cushions to curtains – as well as offering the public a chance to commission their own piece of original art.

We believe this is a great way to champion the importance of art for everyone whilst supporting and promoting the relationship that children, and their parents, have with the creators of some of their most-loved characters and books.

The Bright Emporium is focused on driving the discoverability of our artists and their books and building their personal PR in order to support the fine work publishers do. To that end the Emporium will also be available as an events space so we can help champion the importance of books and storytelling, so integral to the foundations of how we learn and one of the great pleasures that can be shared by adult and child. It will also enable our artists and their publishers to connect directly with their audience whether to celebrate the arrival of a new book or to encourage creativity play through artist-led workshops.

We have begun doing this through our Storytime Sunday events in the DoodleBar which, after just 5 months, are now sold out and with an extended programme set for the rest of the year.

Now we hope the Emporium will take us one step further - simultaneously creating a space where you can interact with your key audience, whilst giving them a unique opportunity to experience the story behind the story, and also providing a special exhibition space where we can celebrate the creativity of our artists and their wonderful creations.

The new Emporium will be situated in the shopping hub of Battersea, just off Northcote Road in St Johns Hill, London, an area with the highest percentage of under 5's in the entire country. Once a well-known and  much loved mechanic’s shop, the building is being transformed into an easily accessible modern gallery with innovative utilities and generous lighting. We are creating a new retail experience that combines online commerce with a high street showroom, allowing consumers to experience what’s on offer first hand and then order then and there from our on-line shop for delivery to their home.

Restoration Project of the New Space

If you go to our Blog there is a a clip from the documentary we are making on the 'build' which is taken from one of our weekly site meetings - or follow this link to view on YouTube!

We are excited to share our new venture with you, our wonderfully supportive and amazing clients, and passionately believe that through it we can help further raise the profile of your wonderful work – the books that inspire us to keep reading and story telling at the focus and heart of every child’s life.