Photo Credit - Julia Welstead
An Outer Hebrides photography studio and textiles workshop has taken on two extra members of staff to keep up with customer demand after the owner accessed specialist business support from Business Gateway.
Island Darkroom, based in Achmore on the Isle of Lewis, was founded by Mhairi Law in 2018 as a gallery and workshop space for her photography, creating work in her traditional photographic darkroom.
It has since expanded to include a fine-art print shop for artists, along with a textiles and workshop space, offering visiting artists the opportunity to develop their work through residencies. Island Darkroom promotes and supports photographic learnings, keeping traditional skills at the fore by holding regular workshops in analogue processes at the darkroom.
A textiles collection has been recently introduced, with Mhairi using the alt-photography process Cyanotype to print onto fabric and pairing with traditional and iconic, Harris Tweed.
Mhairi, an award-winning photographer from the Scottish Borders, had visited the Hebrides throughout most of her life, and made the move in 2017 to live and work full-time on the Isle of Lewis.
She learned the art of darkroom developing and printing through her studies at Stevenson College and Edinburgh Napier University, graduating in 2014.
Island Darkroom facilitates a black and white photographic darkroom, where traditional prints are created using a process of light and chemicals to create an image, all under a red safe-light. Mhairi specialises in Silver Gelatin printing, one of the earliest and still widely used methods of darkroom printing.
Mhairi approached Business Gateway first in 2019, and again in 2024, looking for ways to grow her photography studio. Through this, she was introduced to her Business Gateway adviser Catherine Macdonald, who provided advice on funding routes and helped her develop her business plan.
Thanks to the support from Business Gateway, Island Darkroom was awarded grant support through the Outer Hebrides Youth Enterprise Programme (OHYEP) and the Outer Hebrides Digital Support Scheme (OHDSS), both of which are funded through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund and delivered by the Comhairle’s Business Gateway team.
The funding through OHYEP enabled Mhairi to take on the two part-time employees, which helped her to prepare for what Mhairi is anticipating will be a busy and demanding spring and summer for Island Darkroom.
The OHDSS funding allowed Mhairi to pay for improvements to her business website, which she hopes will help her see increased online sales to ensure year-round activity, which will help the business remain consistent throughout the year.
Mhairi Law, founder of Island Darkroom, said:
“Catherine and Business Gateway have been an invaluable support to Island Darkroom over the years. Their belief in the potential of the business has allowed it to grow. This kind of support is essential to small business owners like myself, especially in a rural and very seasonal area. Being able to take on new members of staff was a huge step for me and will contribute immeasurably to the possibilities for what Island Darkroom can offer.”
Catherine Macdonald, Business Gateway adviser, said:
“It’s been wonderful working with Mhairi to grow her business further and to help her reach her goals. Mhairi has been able to take her fantastic talent in photography and share it with others, celebrating the Isle of Lewis in all her work. I can’t wait to see what she does next.”
To find out more about how Business Gateway can help your business, visit the Business Gateway website.