Facilitating Contemporary Art and Animating Public Spaces.

Overview

Art in Unusual spaces is an organisation constituted as a Community Interest Company in 2010 and based in Leeds. We programme the use of disused and temporarily dormant spaces by artists, most often city centre shop units.

Our Aims and Values

We believe

-       that contemporary art should be made accessible to the non-gallery going public.

-       that artists should be provided with opportunities to exhibit, produce and promote their work in everyday public spaces.

-       that high quality cultural programming enriches everyday life, enhances critical engagement with our environment and can strengthen the role of the public as active participants in shaping it.

-       in openness, transparency and the sharing of knowledge, information and good practice with wider groups.

What we do

We curate and programme arts activity with a socially-engaged focus to help showcase, animate and enrich underused spaces. We offer a high quality and cutting edge cultural programme with innovative and engaging projects developed for their specific site and context.

How to get involved

If you are a landlord or manager of a space that is currently unused then please contact Yvonne on to discuss how we can help develop an engaging arts event or programme for your space. We are also able to offer savings on business rates.

How we are funded

Art in Unusual Spaces is an independent and unfunded organisation. We aim to provide free or affordable space to artists by passing on subsidies available to us a CIC and fees from programming and curatorial work. The organisation has no salaried staff and is sustained in the most part by voluntary activity.

Who we are

The Steering group/directors of Art in Unusual Spaces are:

Andy Abbott: Leeds based artist, writer and educator.

Sue Ball: Leeds based cultural programmer and director of MAAP

Yvonne Carmichael: Leeds based artist, curator and educator.

James Hill: Leeds based Arts and Regeneration officer and creator of Light Night

Between us we have over 40 years of experience in cultural programming, event management and art practice and research with specific knowledge in public and social engagement through cultural activity to doctoral level.

Past projects

Our past activity has included

-       a programme of activity using four empty units in Leeds Shopping Plaza,

-       making available a 22,000 square foot former TK Maxx unit for two large-scale exhibitions and events,

-       programming a live drawing event for Leeds Corn Exchange,

-       programming a showreel of 30 second artist films projected into the window of a shop unit and viewable to passers by

-       facilitating a 3-month residency by young artist-curators.

Yorkshire Post Article April 2010

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Many thanks to Land Securities, Town Centre Services, The Light, City Land Developments and Leeds Grand, Theatre for providing venues.

Art in Unusual Spaces is in partnership with Leeds City Council, independant artists and curators. Art in Unusual Spaces is supported by ACE.

Art In Unusual Spaces is a partnership between independent curators, landlords, artists and businesses throughout the city and Leeds City Council. It is an ongoing initiative utilising units across the city as they become temporarily vacant.