Social Exchange System

The Studio believes that creative communities generate far more value than traditional economic measures capture. The skills, knowledge and support that flow between creative people every day rarely appear in any financial record. We think that needs to change.

What is the Social Exchange System?

The Social Exchange System (SES) is a research-backed initiative that makes the non-monetary value of creative exchange visible, records it, and builds the evidence that creative communities deserve to be understood and supported differently.

Residents share what they can offer, ask for what they need, and log the exchanges that take place using a simple online form. Over time, this creates a genuine picture of the value being created within The Studio community, and contributes to a growing body of research into how we measure success differently in the creative economy.

This is not just theoretical. Our Alternative Budget Day brought together Residents, researchers and policymakers to explore how the creative economy could be measured and supported differently. The SES is a practical expression of that same ambition.

Part of your residency

Participation in the SES is a core part of being a Resident at The Studio. We expect all Residents to take part during their time here. That means posting at least one offer and one request in the channel, taking part in at least one exchange, and logging it using the SES feedback form. It does not have to be big. A conversation, a piece of feedback, a useful introduction. It all counts.

Taking part also gives you something back. The SES is a way of reflecting on the value you are getting from your residency, and on the value of your own time and expertise. Creative people often underestimate what they have to offer. The SES helps make that visible, to yourself as much as to anyone else.

Every exchange you log also contributes to something bigger. The data we collect through the SES feeds into The Studio’s research into how creative communities create value and how that value can be better understood and recognised. By taking part, you are not just supporting your fellow Residents, you are helping to build the evidence for a different way of thinking about the creative economy.

The SES was co-designed with Residents, not handed down to them. It belongs to this community and it continues to evolve based on the feedback and experiences of the people who use it.

The Resident Fund

The second part of the SES is the Resident Fund, a shared budget that belongs to Residents and is decided on together. The fund is built from the fees paid by Hot Desk and Pay As You Go Residents, and it grows throughout the year.

Twice a year, Residents come together at a community meeting to decide how the fund is spent. Any Resident can put forward a proposal, as long as it directly benefits Residents at The Studio. Proposals are discussed openly and voted on by secret ballot. The Residents who put an idea forward then lead on making it happen, ideally with others from the community.

In its first year, the fund was allocated twice. Residents voted to spend the first round on outdoor furniture, cushions and picture frames for the space, and the second on two community events held at The Studio.

Year one in numbers

In the first year of the SES, Residents logged 60 exchanges, sharing over 140 hours of time with one another. Skills exchanged included graphic design, legal expertise, sound design, business strategy, creative mentoring and much more. The average social value score across all exchanges was 8.8 out of 10.

You can read the full story of the first year, including what worked, what we’ve learned and what’s next, in our SES Year One Report.

We love exchanges that:

• Share skills and expertise across disciplines
• Open doors to new collaborations and connections
• Support Residents who might not otherwise cross paths
• Contribute to the collective life of The Studio community

Want to find out more?

If you are interested in the research behind the SES or would like to find out more about how it works, we would love to hear from you. Email us at thestudio@bathspa.ac.uk.