Thank you for your interest in this story
To continue reading this article, subscribe to the Stray Ferret for as little as £1 a week
Already a subscriber? Log in here.
08
Dec
‘We want people to use us’: New artist hub opens in Harrogate
From paintings to open mic performances, a new hub for artists in the Harrogate district has opened its doors.
Based on Victoria Avenue, Creative Harrogate is the brainchild of a group of Harrogate-based artists who wanted a home for creative people from all walks of life to share their ideas and work.
At a launch night this week, the hub — which is volunteer-led — opened its doors to the public for the first time.
Speaking to the Stray Ferret at the event, Sarah Devenald, one of the directors of the organisation, said the idea of Creative Harrogate was two years in the making.
She said:
We have been talking about something like this for a long time. We are from different artistic backgrounds.
There is a lot of artistic things going on in Harrogate, but we are looking more at the grass roots in the area.
Scattered around the first floor of 2 Victoria Avenue are various paintings, work stations and crafts.
The space used to be the offices of Harrogate company CNG Energy, which fell into administration and ceased trading in 2021.
Far from being used as the workspace of a commercial energy supplier, it now looks more like a space for the creatively minded.
The open mic space at Creative Harrogate.
Tucked away to the back of the floor is an open mic room with six sets of tables. It has the feeling of a downtown New York bar about to hear from an up and coming poet or folk singer.
Meanwhile, to demonstrate the creativity of those involved, there is also a performance artist known as “The Hermit” on hand to greet those coming into and out of the open mic space.
'The Hermit' on display at Creative Harrogate.
Following its opening at 6pm, people gather around portraits which adorn each wall on the floor which include paintings by Matthew Wyatt, who last year hosted an exhibition dedicated to Harrogate’s foremost historian Malcolm Neesam.
There is also a bar area and various work places for visual artists and craft makers.
Tony Georgiou, another one of the directors, told the Stray Ferret that the group found the space with the help of Skippko, an art company which finds empty buildings to help facilitate pop-up projects.
Pictures adorn the walls at the Creative Harrogate hub.
Mr Georgiou said the idea is for the space to be flexible and pointed to two upcoming workshops being held by Screen Yorkshire and Fine Fabrics.
‘We want people to use this space’
The hub prides itself on being a place to “foster arts and culture”.
Its aim is to facilitate opportunities for people to develop artistic skills, but also to “remove barriers to enable creative, positive and fulfilling activity”.
Ms Devenold and Mr Georgiou said it will do this through events, exhibitions and workshops.
However, it will only survive through the work of its volunteers who, up and until now, have managed to get it off the ground.
Mr Georgiou said:
We want more people to use this space.
Those wishing to volunteer or express an interest in Creative Harrogate can contact the organisation on contact@creativeharrogate.co.uk.
Click here to gift someone a Stray Ferret subscription today.
0