Help me work out the best way to set up this business

[Thingsthatgo]

It is a collaborative project of a group of contemporary makers. They would like to set up a business together, alongside their own separate businesses. The idea is to share resources/contacts etc, to have a single web presence to promote and sell their work and to put on high end craft fairs and pop up shops.
Members would pay an annual subscription to cover costs and would have input as to how that money is spent. We have 12 hand picked members who are committed, and another 20 or so who we may potentially let join as the business progresses.
There are 4 people who have put this group together and done all the work so far.
Would a partnership be a good business model for this set up? The business will not generate a profit, the members would all be self employed.

Do any of the members have a helpful accountant who could advise?

Our accountant is just a bookkeeper really - she doesn’t know much about setting up a business. Thanks for the suggestion though.

Legally, set up a cooperative?
https://www.uk.coop/

Practically, for the website side, a Shopify or the likes will do. It is not going to cost much, and it shouldn't take more than a week to be ready.

Thank you - yes the website isn’t a problem so much as the legal set up. I looked into a cooperative, but my understanding is that it needs to be open to anyone who would like to join, whereas we would like to be able handpick our members through a portfolio of their work. As we won’t have any large assets, I think maybe setting up as a partnership of the four founding members (not an LLP), would be fine to begin with.

Your council may have an economic development unit that could help or you could try the British Library https://www.bl.uk/hubs/business.
Membership organisations usually give members rights to sit on the board/vote, so perhaps a subscription model would work better for you. I subscribe to an organisation where I can showcase my work/website, and provides useful online information/work opportunities. The cost of this is tax deductible.
You may wish to set up as limited company with the founders are directors. Before you set up, put it in writing how to proceed/deal with assets if one of you resigns or if there are other issues.

It's been a few months. What did you go with in the end @Thingsthatgo