Ethan Lemon, an aspiring artist from Biddulph has secured exhibition space at a popular Leek venue.

Ethan, 19 is on the Princes Youth Trust Enterprise scheme. As part of the scheme he is assigned a business mentor who helps with all aspects of business development. Ethan has been working with his mentor, Jed Eatough, director of Leek based LSGK Accountants for a year.

Jed has been encouraging Ethan to get out and network with other businesses to broaden his business contacts. It was as a direct consequence of networking that Ethan secured the exhibition at the Foxlowe Arts Centre Café.

Ethan joined Jed and fellow business people at the fortnightly Gone Fishing 4 Business networking group held at the White Hart Tearoom in Leek. It was there he met Mark Brammar who works in the Foxlowe Arts Centre. Mark invited Ethan to have a look around the Foxlowe where met volunteers who look after the gallery programming.

Luckily for Ethan there was a vacancy for an exhibitor due to a cancellation. Usually it would be at least a year’s wait to secure an exhibitor spot.

Ethan said: “I was amazed at how getting out and meeting other businesses could help me get such exposure for my art. I can see that networking and building your contacts is a really important part of running a business.”

Jed Eatough added: “I’ve seen a real change in Ethan over the year I have been mentoring him. He has an obvious artistic talent but translating that to a successful business takes special qualities which he has.

“Introducing Ethan to a wide spectrum of businesses forms a big part of his business development and it has obviously already paid dividends.”

The exhibition of Ethan’s work is on show at the Foxlowe arts Café until early September.

Anyone interested in enrolling on The Prince’s Trust Enterprise programme or becoming a mentor can contact stokecentre@princes-trust.org.uk  Stoke Centre Number – 01782 207000; Facebook – @princestruststaffordshire

hoto – Ethan Lemon with mentor Jed Eatough at the Foxlowe Arts Centre Café.