Walk into Another Space
and it’s not uncommon to see thirty-somethings doing yoga while a white, fluffy
dog peers at the crowd from his own yoga mat. Change days and you’ll see a
crowd of fresh faced music enthusiasts singing along to their favourite
tunes.
That’s because Another Space is a creative arts therapy studio
in East Vancouver. It’s a beautiful and intimate space that’s decorated with
handmade pieces of art and shelves bursting with knitting and art supplies.
Another Space holds classes and offers a rental space to the
public to foster all types of creativity in Vancouver, a quality Co-founder
Sarah Peacock believes everyone has within them. Peacock says, “I meet people
every day who tell me they’re not creative. I believe that we all engage in
creative acts every day and may not even recognize them as such.”
The Creative Spark
that Started Another Space
Peacock is an art therapist who enjoyed facilitating art
therapy workshops focused primarily on addictions and mental health. She
started her entrepreneurial journey by co-founding a community arts non-profit
called Magpie’s Nest Community Art Society to connect people with their
creativity.
Her next dream was to create a space for community arts in
East Vancouver, so she joined Groundswell,
a training network and program for people starting social ventures. This helped
her turn Another Space from an idea into reality.
Mentorship with
Groundswell
Groundswell offers mentorship to increase its graduates’ chances
of staying in business. Peacock was lucky to gain the help of three mentors
from the program.
“My mentors asked very good questions and weren’t afraid to
challenge me on things,” Peacock describes. “They advised us about our
partnership agreement, made suggestions about how to run meetings with a small
team and helped us put systems in place.”
Like many entrepreneurs starting new business ventures,
having the support of an experienced team of mentors greatly boosted Peacock’s
motivation. “We feel more supported and led along now,” she states.
Trying to lead a venture without outside input can also lead
to tunnel vision. However, Peacock found that with the help of her mentors she
was able to benefit from a variety of opinions on any topic. She says, “It’s
nice to have three or four people for a new perspective.”
The Power of
Mentorship
Similar to how Another Space allows people to step outside
of their expectations and explore the mystery and beauty of their own self-expression,
mentorship can show you things about yourself that you never knew before.
Peacock believes: “If you’re able to find someone who can challenge you and
keep you accountable, it is invaluable.”