A home for the arts

E8steve Sat Jan 16, 2010 6:31 am

Leeds is a small city, or should I say compact city. The geographical nature, economic structure and social networks of the city are all compact and interwoven. The city punches above its weight when you actually analyze its physical presence in relation to its cultural place within the understanding and wider psyche of the rest of the country.

I believe that it is this compact social/cultural structure that must be employed to overcome the compact physical limitations of the city or should I say lack of space or in this case, affordable space/land

Leeds is in dire need of a real book shop, the sort that you find in London or other cities, as well as an excellent independent arts/music venue, a meeting place and more importantly a focal point, without agenda or profit but run to the highest professional standards as a cooperative organization.

Co operation is the only way forward for Leeds independent creative practitioners. Keeping people comfortably employed, building empires or power-bases for groups or individuals whilst not rocking the boat will not serve the Leeds Art scene in the long run. People will not be given opportunities when they most need them, good people will leave, good ideas will be wasted and public money will continue to be miss spent. Yes there will be plenty of clean, affordable (not when I lived in Leeds) studio space but the work being made will be arbitrary, forgettable and nearly entirely pointless having been funneled through the same channels and watered down in some perverse obsession to be part of a London centric art industry that will never exist properly in Leeds itself.

I have always felt that ideas and beliefs need to have homes in order to take root and become more than just big talk and wishes. The professional organizations that already exist within Leeds perform critical roles. ESA provide an organized and efficient rout into the post degree studio system and provide a built in network. PSL provide a professional and contemporary shop window to some of the things going on in or around Leeds, whilst pushing the Leeds name outside of the city. Leeds also has some wonderful institutional galleries who have of late done more to put Leeds on the map. All this said there is no one who is really explaining what makes Leeds different, there is no place that embodies this difference. (no "the common place" will not do if its still open?)

I refuse to believe that it is impossible to find or construct as well as fund the right place, or should I say home, to bring together the independent and unique voice of creative Leeds, conveying that message to a wider audience in the process.

AEL Sat Mar 06, 2010 10:47 am

I don't know why Leeds rarely excites my interest for exhibited art. As I settled into life in this city I felt gradually more and more disappointed at the lack of art exhibitions that I wanted to see, or those that I did see and left me fairly unsatisfied. Maybe it's the small amount of permanency, or the very few established visual art venues. What's exciting about Manchester, Liverpool, Newcastle or London that isn't about Leeds? Saying that, I still don't want to move to any of those places yet. I feel Leeds has potential, and lots to offer. The town centre is perhaps where more needs to be happening but it is so saturated with shopping, drinking and business, the executive lifestyle that it's hard for anything that doesn't resemble one of these formats to stand out. More art in Unusual Spaces! Then hopefully those spaces will become usual.

colhodg Mon Mar 08, 2010 4:55 am

It's true that whilst manchester seems to be building a reputation in the creative industries leeds seems more focused on corporate success but that can hardly be used an excuse, anyone living in an identikit modern office/appartment space has even more need for visual stimulation - as stated above there is more of a pressure in leeds for space to let that happen when the majority of industrial spaces in and around the city centre has now been redeveloped.

Creative use of space is the only immediate answer until there is sufficient groundswell of support for something more permanent (and that will only come from well organised and motivated art scene - something forums like this will hopefully promote).

Currently Leeds city council are consulting on what to do wit the renovation of the space outside the library and art gallery. It would be wonderful if that fab open space could be used in some way to promote visual art whether through temp exhibitions or events and it's the right time and place to do it - for one thing it would draw people into the gallery.

I also suspect leeds museum is somewhat underused and wonder what their footfall is like. Likewise given the number of artists making commentry on the fact we are at war should there be some facility to exibit at the royal armouries?

permanency in the public immagination requires permanent physical presence imo.

h f barlow Sat Mar 20, 2010 3:04 pm

an accessible and affordable space where artists can meet, work and exhibit would be great in my opinion. anyone got any funding i'll run it Very Happy

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