Commercial Art space in Leeds

At the Visual Arts Framework discussion event last month a group formed to talk about the potential for commercial gallery space in Leeds. They discussed..

There is an identifiable lack in Leeds of both commercial spaces and commercial culture for visual art. Currently there is not a culture in Leeds that connects us to commerce. There is a need to address why can’t commercial galleries work in Leeds and ultimately open one up.

Action Points in the interim:

1. Existing spaces in Leeds (PSL, Leeds Met, ESA) could come together with Contemporary Arts Society to create an event that brings together buyers, collectors etc even without dedicated space.

2. Artists are currently working for nothing; this work should be recognised, we should be able to pay people more.

3. There is an issue with student retention. We need to create more opportunities for artists to exhibit and more opportunities for them to exhibit in a commercial environment.


What do you think about the idea of commercial gallery space in Leeds?