Curtis Hylton’s Owl mural on the Acomb Post Office wall, created at AcombFest
ACOMBFEST, York’s first International street art festival, attracted 12,000 people to Acomb as art and community bonded from July 3 to 5.
Record numbers were drawn to churches, food vendors, bars and in particular to the four new street murals by Australian photorealist SMUG, Reading wildlife artist Curtis Hylton, Sheffield’s Peachzz and Bristol-based, Acomb-raised SledOne, commissioned by event curators Art Of Protest on the festival theme of Return To Nature.
A PaintJam, curated by RARE Collective’s Sharon McDonagh and Sola at The Carlton Tavern in support of charity partner SASH, York (Safe and Sound Homes), hosted nine live paintings by York and international artists Boxxhead, HazardOne, Lady Mkei, Lincoln Lightfoot, Liskbot, Nicolas Dixon, Sola, spAm (Sharon McDonagh) and VYZ. Hundreds bought artwork and prints created by the artists to raise vital funds for SASH.
Acomb business owner Simon Taylor, of the Post Office/Taylors of Acomb, hosted Reading wildlife muralist Curtis Hylton’s spray-painting of his new owl mural, now resplendent on an external wall.
“We’ve seen a boost in business already, with people coming into the shop to ask about the artwork and in turn buying products from us,” said Simon. “The response from the public has been amazing; we have people gathering outside and sharing their positive views. I can’t wait to see what the future holds for Acomb and I hope more events like this can return.”
Fishponds Wood’s moth “reveal” on the Sunday morning when hundreds of people gathered in the woods to release moths to the accompaniment of a five-piece band. A record-breaking 750 people visited Holgate Mill to view Jim Grant and Ben Grant’s light installation Rock Soil Sky on July 4 and 5: the highest number of visitors at the windmill over a weekend.
St Stephen’s church turned into a gallery over the weekend, hosting original works by Damien Hirst and Tracey Emin, complemented by work by Acomb artists.
The Reverend Matt Woodcock said: “People were streaming into church, queuing to get into church. The art exhibition has been a smash hit. I never thought I’d see the day!”
Creative events and activities were centred on Front Street with free street art workshops. Venues included Bluebird Bakery, The Hand, SoJo, The Crooked Tap, The Sun Inn and The Fox.Each venue had its own bespoke offer: from bush craft and nature art to water art and artist talks.
Jimmy Hebbron, owner of The Crooked Tap, said: “This weekend has brought local businesses together, world-class art to our walls and put plenty of money behind the bar. Our food vendors on Friday night sold out at record time!
“Hosting workshops made our venue packed out from 11.30 am and the music took us until close. Please leave feedback on the event so that we can secure funding for AcombFest next year!”
Community activities include a community cinema at Acomb Explore library and spoken word at Books & Bevs. Acomb Methodist Church was packed all weekend with an artist market by That Acomb Arty Thing and activities that kept hundreds of families busy.
On September 12, artworks created at the RARE Collective PaintJam will be auctioned off at an event hosted at the Carlton Tavern in aid of SASH. Plans for next year’s follow-up festival will be revealed.
The festival was shaped by speaking to more than 1,100 residents that co-produced the important theme around returning to nature. Funding was all provided by York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority Vibrant and Sustainable High Street Fund, Great Acomb Community Forum, City of York Council, York St John University, business and the community.
“The Art Of Protest and AcombFest team would like to say a huge thank-you to all involved,” says Jeff Clark. “No matter how big or small, the support and love for the festival has been truly mind blowing. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts.“
SledOne’s mural, What Walks Amongst Us, taking shape at AcombFest. Picture: Art of Protest
MURALS in Acomb, early music beyond borders, Mystery Plays on waggons, a political swansong and compact Shakespeare keep Charles Hutchinson’s thoughts off the July heatwave.
Art event of the week: AcombFest, Acomb, York, today and tomorrow
CURATED by Art of Protest, York’s first international street art festival continues today and tomorrow with its theme of A Return To Nature, featuring 20 art installations, live murals, RARE Collective’s Paint Jam, spray battles and more than 30 bands, DJs and performers, across 22 venues.
Look out too for interactive family-friendly workshops, an art market, history walks and talks, special events and tastings and a community cinema. Muralists taking part include SMUG, from Australia, Sheffield muralist Peachzz, wildlife artist Curtis Hylton and Acomb’s very own SledOne. For full details, go to: https://acombfest.co.uk/.
Baroque collective Solomon’s Knot: Performing Friedrich Nicolaus Bruhns’ St Mark Passion, directed by Jonathan Sells, at The Quire, York Minster, on July 10
50th anniversary event of the summer: 2026 York Early Music Festival, Beyond Borders, until July 11
THE premier British early music festival marks its 50th anniversary with a celebration of “just how far early music has travelled – beyond the borders of the myriad historic venues of our city to a worldwide audience,” says director Delma Tomlin.
The festival welcomes The Sixteen, B’Rock Orchestra & Vocal Consort, Imago Mundi, mezzo-soprano Helen Charlston, Solomon’s Knot and NCEM Platform Artists Anacronia and Contre le temps, among others. Box office: 01904 658338 or ncem.co.uk/yemf.
Bodhan Pitel’s Herod in DSpace Ukrainian Theatre’s The Massacre of the Innocents in the York Mystery Plays 2026. Picture: John Saunders
Theatrical outdoor event of the week: 2026 York Mystery Plays, streets of York, tomorrow, 10.30am to 4.50pm
THE four-yearly staging on the York Mystery Plays on pageant waggons takes place at four locations across the city: free viewing at the Minster Refectory Gardens, Deansgate, (from 10.30am) King’s Square (from 11.10am), St Sampson’s Square (from 11.50am) and ticketed seats at Dean’s Park (from 12.30pm). Ten core plays will be complemented by further extracts to tell the story from The War In Heaven to Doomsday. For full details, go to yorkmysteryplays.co.uk; tickets, ticketsource.com/york-festival-trust.
Clive Francis as Sir Humphrey Appleby in I’m Sorry, Prime Minister. Picture: Johan Persson
Political drama of the week: I’m Sorry, Prime Minister, Grand Opera House, York, July 7 to 11, 7.30pm plus 2.30pm Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday matinees
JIM Hacker is back, older, but perhaps not wiser, and still utterly baffled by the real world. Hoping for a quiet retirement from government as the master of Hacker College, Oxford, Jim (Robert Kitson, replacing Simon Rouse) instead finds himself facing the ultimate modern crisis: cancelled by the college committee. Enter Sir Humphrey Appleby (Clive Francis), who has lost none of his love for bureaucracy, Latin phrases and well-timed obstruction.
Can Humphrey and Jim outmanoeuvre the hostile students, the Fellows and reality itself? Or is it finally time to say “I’m Sorry, Prime Minister”? Brimming with wit, nostalgia and more double-speak than a press briefing, the final chapter in the evergreen comedy series is written and directed by Jonathan Lynn,co-directed byMichael Gyngell and presented by The Barn Theatre, Cirencester. Box office: atgtickets.com/york.
Reduced Shakespeare Company’s 2026 tour cast for The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged)
Shakespeare shake-up of the week: Reduced Shakespeare Company in The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged), York Theatre Royal, July 7 to 11, 7.30pm plus 2pm Thursday and 2.30pm Saturday matinees
MARKING 30 years of performances in the UK, the Reduced Shakespeare Company’s 2026 tour company of Efé Agwele, Woogie Jung, Tom Pavey and Kiran Raywilliams presents Hamlet told backwards, a micro-condensed Othello scored to a ukulele, a carnage-filled Titus Andronicus presented as a YouTube cookery tutorial and the History Plays as a manic football game, passing the crown from king to king.
Californian co-founders Adam Long, Daniel Singer and Jess Winfield have re-booted, re-imagined, reinvented and updated the restless comedy for a new generation to undertake a rollercoaster ride through all 37 of the Bard’s First Folio of plays. Box office: 01904 623568 or yorktheatreroyal.co.uk.
Stephen Smith’s Claude Monet in A Montage Of Monet
Busiest actor of the week: Threedumb Theatre presents Stephen Smith in A Montage Of Monet, York Medical Society, Stonegate, York, July 8, 7.30pm and July 11, 3pm; One Man Poe, Ripon Theatre Festival, Ripon Arts Hub, July 10, 8pm; One Man Poe world premiere, York Medical Society, July 11, 7.30pm
THREEDUMB Theatre artistic director and actor Stephen Smith performs Joan Greening’s new play exploring French Impressionist artist Claude Monet’s life and loves: his two marriages, his first wife’s devastating death, his lover’s erratic behaviour, his suicide attempt, his thoughts on fellow Impressionists and the torment of his failing eyesight. The 55-minute Monet montage combines projection design and Joe Furey’s music with Smith’s storytelling in two York performances.
Smith also presents four of Edgar Allan Poe’s Gothic horror works (The Tell-Tale Heart, The Pit and The Pendulum, The Black Cat and The Raven) in Ripon, followed by the world premiere of his latest Poe double bill (The Business Man and The Case of M. Valdemar) in York. All six, amounting to 18,000 Poe words, will be performed at the Edinburgh Fringe. Box office: York, 01904 623568 or yorktheatreroyal.co.uk; Ripon, ripontheatrefestival.org.
Musical of the week: Top Hat and Tails Theatre in Little Shop Of Horrors!, Friargate Theatre, York, July 9 to 11, 7.30pm plus 2.30pm Saturday matinee
MEEK floral assistant Seymour Krelborn stumbles across a new breed of plant he calls Audrey II, a foul-mouthed carnivore that promises him fame and fortune if he keeps feeding it with blood. Over time, however, Seymour discovers Audrey II’s plans for global domination in Howard Ashman and Alan Menken’s sci-fi B-movie monster spoof, presented here with a live band and professionally hand-crafted puppets. Box office: ridinglights.org.
Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark’s Andy McCluskey and Paul Humphreys: Summer of Hits show at York Museum Gardens on Thursday
Music festival of the week: Futuresound presents Live At York Museum Gardens, Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark, July 9, gates 5pm; Self Esteem, July 10, gates 5pm, and Super Furry Animals, July 11, gates 4pm
WIRRAL synth-pop pioneers Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark open Futuresound’s third season of Live At York Museum Gardens concerts on Thursday with a Summer of Hits bill featuring Heaven 17, China Crisis and rising Newcastle singer-songwriter Andrew Cushin.
Mercury Prize nominee Self Esteem, aka Rotherham singer, songwriter and actress Rebecca Lucy Taylor, tops Friday’s line-up, featuring London indie group The Big Moon, South African ghetto funk musician Moonchild Sanelly and Nigerian-born musician and spoken-word artist Joshia Idehen.
Welsh psychedelic rock band Super Furry Animals are next Saturday’s headliners, joined by singer-songwriter Baxter Dury, indie-pop septet Los Campesinos!, Nottingham alt-country band Divorce and North Wales psychedelic act Pys Melyn. Box office for July 10 and 11: futuresoundgroup.com/york-museum-gardens-events.
If I Knew The Way, I Would Take You Home, by Matt Sewell
In Focus: Birds of the week: Matt Sewell exhibition for RARE Collective at WET, Micklegate, York,until mid-July
SHROPSHIRE artist, illustrator and author Matt Sewelll is the latest street art luminary to be showcased in RARE Collective’s collaboration with WET wine bar, in Micklegate, York, in aid of SASH (Safe and Sound Homes), the York youth homelessness charity.
“We’re really chuffed to have Matt return to York with his fabulous Riso prints,” says RARE Collective exhibition organiser Sharon McDonagh. “If you came to the Vandalfest charity street art show last year, you would have seen his cracking bird mural on Floor 3 of the big disused office block in Low Ousegate.
Artist Matt Sewell at work
Sewell is an avid ornithologist, contributing regularly to the Caught By The River website and publishing the books Our Garden Birds, Our Songbirds, Our Woodland Birds, Owls, Penguins and A Charm Of Goldfinches And Other Collective Nouns.
He has illustrated for the Guardian, Barbour, V&A Museums, BBC, National Trust, Greenpeace, Big Issue and Levi’s and painted walls for Helly Hansen, Puma and the RSPB (Royal Society for the Protection of Birds). He has exhibited in Great Britain, New York, old York, Tokyo and Paris.
Cuckoo Cuckoo Cuckoo, by Matt Sewell
Under RARE Collective’s partnership with WET, artists and photographers exhibit their work in a six-week solo show. As well as at WET, work can be bought online both during and after the exhibition run at rarecollective.co.uk.
In addition, a selection of Sewell’s prints is featuring in RARE Collective’s exhibition for AcombFest at The Crooked Tap, on show until August 15 in support of SASH.
Matt Sewell’s wall of bird prints for sale at WET
Exhibiting too are: spAm (Sharon McDonagh), Sola, Alison Jagger, Al Murphy, Anthony Appleyard, Boxxhead, HazardOne, Lady Mkei, Lincoln Lightfoot, Liskbot, Michael Dawson, Nicolas Dixon, Slice Of Lino, STATIC and Stephen Bottrill.
“RARE are working in collaboration with the Art of Protest Project, after being invited by AcombFest curator Jeff Clark and the AOP team to curate the live PaintJam at the Carlton Tavern, in Acomb Road, Holgate, today and tomorrow,” says RARE Collective curator Sharon McDonagh.
“This will involve nine artists painting live from 10am to 4pm each day (Boxxhead, HazardOne, Lady Mkei, Lincoln Lightfoot, Liskbot, Nicolas Dixon, Sola, spAm and VYZ); live DJ sets by Alilou, Bob Yenz, Conor Rogan, Free Da Karlos and Sola plus guests, audiovisual artists Fred DWolf, Sonas and JohnManBand on a huge screen, cocktails and mixology by Tulum Spirits Collective and street food by El Chappo, all in support of SASH.”
Did you know?
MATT Sewell is also a musician, performing as Sewell &The Gong with Chris Tate and as the deep-cut compiler of the compilation series A Crushing Glow.
Matt Sewell’s work environment
In Focus too: Michael Flatley’s Lord Of The Dance, 30th Anniversary Tour, York Barbican, July 6 to 8, 7.45pm
THE 30th anniversary tour of Michael Flatley’s Lord Of The Dance promises a grand celebration of the revolutionary Irish dance production’s legacy after captivating more than 60 million fans in 60 countries since its 1996 debut.
The 30 Years of Standing Ovations tour will feature “brand-new choreography, stunning costumes, state-of-the-art special effects and cutting-edge lighting, ensuring that the production continues to push boundaries and deliver an unforgettable experience”.
Creative manager James Keegan says: “Michael Flatley has taught me that there are no boundaries in the creative space. When he burst onto the scene in the mid-90s, he took traditional Irish dancing to a place nobody had ever dreamed of, and that has been the key to the show’s success.
“Michael often says in rehearsals that we need to push the boundaries as much as we can, and if it’s too far or doesn’t work, we can always pull it back. That mindset is what keeps Lord Of The Dance evolving.”
Lord Of The Dance on its 30th anniversary tour. Picture: Brian Doherty
Keegan believes that the core elements of Flatley’s visionary production – choreography, music and storytelling – remain timeless while still evolving. “What made Lord Of The Dance famous 30 years ago is still what makes it work today: 40 of the greatest Irish tap dancers in the world performing in one line in perfect sync. It’s a spectacle that never loses its magic,” he says.
Reflecting on Flatley’s impact, Keegan says: “Professional Irish dancing didn’t really exist until Michael created his shows and added a more entertaining twist to the art form.
“He wasn’t just a dancer; he was a highly tuned athlete who could perform at astonishing levels for a full two-hour show, seven days a week. Today, we see young competitive dancers around the world striving to reach the levels he set.”
But beyond the footwork and the spectacle, Keegan reckons Flatley’s greatest legacy is his ability to inspire. “Michael’s motto has always been, ‘Nothing is impossible.’ He took an already intricate dance form and pushed it even further, breaking records like 38 taps per second and incorporating upper body movements that defied tradition,” he says.
Michael Flatley
“I’ve seen it time and time again: a dancer who never thought they could be a lead receives Michael’s encouragement, and before long, they are fulfilling their dream on stage.”
For Keegan, one moment stands out above the rest. “In 1997, I was a ten-year-old competitive Irish dancer in Manchester, struggling with the name-callers and the challenges of being a young male dancer,” he says.
“Then Lord Of The Dance came to town. Watching Michael and the cast that night at the Apollo Theatre changed everything for me. The masculinity, the precision, the energy, it was like nothing I’d ever seen before.
“I met Michael at the stage door, and suddenly, I knew that being an Irish dancer could mean being a superstar. Nineteen years later, I had the honour of sharing his final show with him at Caesars Palace, Las Vegas, in 2016. It was a full-circle moment I will never forget.”
Michael Flatley’s Lord Of The Dance dancers
As Lord Of The Dance embark on its 30th anniversary tour, Flatley reflects on the journey. “The magic of Lord Of The Dance lives on in the hearts of our audience, and I am thrilled to bring this iconic show back to the UK in 2026,” he says.
“30 Years of Standing Ovations celebrates the incredible journey we’ve shared with fans over the years. It’s a tribute to the enduring power of dreams, the joy of dance and the unwavering support of our audience. This tour is our way of saying thank you for three decades of unforgettable memories.”
Although Flatley, now 67, retired from performing during his final tour in 2016, he has remained at the helm of Lord Of The Dance, guiding its evolution while preserving its timeless magic.
Now, as the production prepares for its biggest celebration yet, fans can look forward to a breathtaking spectacle that honours the past, embraces the present, and inspires the future of Irish dance.
SledOne’s mural, What Walks Amongst Us, taking shape for Acomb Fest. Picture: Art of Protest
ACOMB is hosting AcombFest, York’s first international street art festival for York, from today to Sunday featuring 20 art installations, live mural painting, RARE Collective’s PaintJam and spray battles, plus 30 bands, DJs and performers, across 22 venues.
Look out too at this Return To Nature-themed festival for special events and tastings, community cinema, family-friendly interactive workshops, art market, Acomb history walks and talk, plus shopping opportunities in support of independent businesses.
Featuring more than 90 activities and events, AcombFest is the creative brainchild of Art of Protest, Jeff Clark’s York-based street and urban art business “dedicated to transforming cities, towns and communities one spray can at a time in artist-led, community-shaped and stakeholder-driven projects”.
Funded by the York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority Vibrant and Sustainable High Street Fund, Great Acomb Community Forum and City of York Council and supported by York St John University and York School of Art, AcombFest presents a long weekend of highly visual and participatory events.
The centrepiece will be the painting of four large-scale murals in and around Front Street by renowned international artists. This work will be complemented by a further ten art installation paints featuring York artists with community collaborations, alongside a range of workshops, music and cultural happenings.
“Nothing of this scale will have been seen in York before, never mind in Acomb” says Jeff, Art of Protest creative director and lead curator of AcombFest.
Jeff Clark: Art of Protest creative director and lead curator of AcombFest
“Normally, activities of this scale would be confined to the city centre, but this event is a fantastic example of how to broaden out creative and cultural engagement to the people in the wider city and wards.
“Not only does this inject life into local high streets to make them more vibrant and sustainable, it also does the same for the communities themselves.”
Jeff continues: “The ambition for AcombFest is to be a bi-annual event attracting the best international, national and more local artists from across the region to really put Acomb on the map as ‘the creative quarter’ of York.
“This is something that has been much needed as a way of balancing the city’s reliance on its fantastic heritage. Not only that, it will act as an inspiration and a pathway for young creative people in the Acomb and surrounding communities to develop their skills and start their own creative journeys – hopefully into related jobs and industries.”
The mural artist headliners will be Australian superstar SMUG, known as “the world’s best photorealistic artist”; Sheffield muralist Peachzz, 2024 runner-up for Best Mural in the World; wildlife artist Curtis Hylton and Acomb returnee SledOne.
Only one magpie? Phew, luckily plenty more are being added to SMUG’s mural, What Flies Around Us, at AcombFest. Picture: Art of Protest
Creative events and activities will be centred on Front Street with free street art workshops. Venues include Bluebird Bakery, SoJo, The Crooked Tap and all the way down Acomb Road to The Fox, connecting all the green spaces and parks.
Each venue will have its own bespoke offer – from bush craft and nature art to artist talks – with individual tickets, availability information and listings to be found on the AcombFest website at https://acombfest.co.uk/.
RARE Collective are putting on DJs and nine artists will be showcasing their skills in live spray battles at the Carlton Tavern. The community cinema will run at Acomb Explore library and spoken word events at Books & Bevs.
A full programme of family-friendly free activities will run at Acomb Methodist Church; That Acomb Arty Thing will play host to an artist market; the Gateway Church will present art exhibitions; Fishponds Wood will run mini-beast trails. Further attractions will be history tours, Jim Grant and Ben Grant’s Rock Soil Sky light installations in Holgate Windmill and pop-up stalls for Yorkshire Wildlife Trust and York Civic Trust.
Specialist food and drink offerings throughout the festival will include Spirit of Yorkshire and an international mixologist.
The festival was shaped by speaking to more than 1,100 residents and nine schools to learn of Acomb’s rich tapestry of history, flora and wildlife, leading to the festival theme of returning to nature. Acomb Alive and Acomb Methodist Church have supported the event too, the church playing host to music therapy sessions, flower arranging with Acomb Flower Guild, drop-in crafts with Crafty Fox and an art fair with Acomb Artists.
The festival map for AcombFest
What’s On at AcombFest
Friday, July 3
Explore Library 9:30am – 12:30pm Mosaic Workshop 10am & 1pm Hidden History Walk
Gateway Centre 10am – 6:30pm Oak Room Art Exhibition and Art Workshops – Exhibitions & creative workshops curated by That Acomb Art Thing.
The Carlton Tavern 2pm – 5:30pm PaintJam – RARE Collective & Art of Protest setting up PaintJam ready for artists, DJs & mixologist 7pm – 9pm Live World Cup Mega-Screen
Acomb Front Street 3pm – 4pm Art of Protest Street Art Workshops
The Fox 3:30pm – 6pm Water Art – After-school fun! Join the Fox team in a free-for-all floor art event 4pm – 9pm Clucking Oinks Fried Chicken 6pm – 8pm Tri-Starss – Beer garden gig of 1970s-1990s rock
DJ Sola: Leading a bill of live music, dancing and craft beer at The Crooked Tap
The Crooked Tap All weekend RARE Collective Urban Art Exhibition 4pm – 10:30pm DJ Sola & Friends – Live music, craft beer and dancing 6pm – 9pm Philly’s Woodfired Pizza – Neapolitan wood-fired pizza
SOJO 5:30pm – 8:30pm Yorkshire Beer & Cheese Tasting – Celebration of Yorkshire produce 8:30pm – 11pm Live bands – Local bands performing live sets
Bluebird Bakery/Rise 6pm – 7:45pm AcombFest Talks – Curator Jeff Clark and muralists discuss AcombFest (Whisky-Highball on arrival, tickets required) 7:45pm – 8:30pm Whisky Tasting – Spirit of Yorkshire + Tulum Spirits (tickets required) 8:30pm – 10:30pm Flour Power Sound System with Yeastie Boy – Live music (tickets required)
The Hand 8pm – 9:30pm Josh Pulleyn – Live music
Inn on the Green 8:30pm – 11pm Live music – Local bands performing live sets
Saturday, July 4
York pianist Karl Mullen: PIaying outside the bakery at Rise@Bluebird Bakery from 1pm to 3pm
Bluebird Bakery/Rise 9am – 12pm Wild Bee Flowers – Sustainable florist & flower farm 10am – 3pm Fresh Bakes – Bluebird’s fresh bakes & goodies 1pm – 3pm Karl Mullen Live Piano – Busker extraordinaire playing outside bakery All day Craft Beer and Speciality Cans – Fridges of craft beers & small brewery cans in regular rotation 7pm – 11pm Groovetone + The Unknown Stuntman – Jazz, blues, Latin, funk and Ska tunes (tickets required)
The Place 10am – 12pm Leo Morrey Art Workshops 12:30pm – 2pm Drummers 12pm – 4pm Stephen Hodgkins Art Workshops
West Bank Park 10am – 3pm Trapeze classes
Holgate Windmill 10am – 3:30pm Wind, Soil, Rock Art Installation – Video, sound and life-size puppet
The Carlton Tavern 10am – 6pm PaintJam – Watch nine artists begin their paints 10am – 10pm RARE Collective DJs + Audiovisual – Eclectic mix of DJs and audio visual producers for PaintJam. Decks will be pumping out tunes while the paint dries 10am – 10pm Tulum Spirits Collective – Flying in from Mexico, mixologist Craig Feather serves up menu of luxury bespoke cocktails from 11am, preceded by non-alcoholic delights from 10am 11am – 8pm Streetfood
The Crooked Tap All weekend RARE Collective Urban Art Exhibition 10:30am – 12pm The Art of Kokodema Workshop – tickets required 12pm – 8pm Yuzu East Asian Street Food 12pm – 1:30pm Charlie Swainton – Live music 2pm – 3:30pm Amy & Rob – Live music 4pm – 5:30pm Craig Long – Live music 6pm – 7:30pm James Scanlan – Live music 8pm – 10pm Melting Pot – 90s’ Indie, Britpop & dance tribute
Acomb Methodist Church 10:30am – 2pm Bloom Baby – Fiona Price Baby Classes 11am – 2pm Music Therapy 12pm – 1pm Jazzy J’s – Live music 12:30pm – 6pm Cafe 1pm – 2pm Ten Thousand Pairs of Hands – Live music 1:30pm – 4:30pm Acomb Flower Guild – Adult & Child Workshops 3pm – 3:30pm Acomb Choir 3:45pm – 8:45pm Acomb Community Cinema
Explore Library 11am – 3pm Acomb History Group 4pm – 7pm Open Cinema: Hoppers – Cinema with popcorn (tickets required)
Acomb Front Street 11am – 3pm Art of Protest Street Art Workshops
Storyteller Lara McClure
Books & Bevs 12:30pm – 3:30pm Storytelling with Lara McClure
Fishpond Woods 2pm – 3:30pm Mini Beast Safari
The Fox 12pm – 8:30pm Posca Doodle Wall 12pm – 9pm Clucking Oinks Fried Chicken 2pm – 4pm The Mothers – Live music 4pm – 6pm Ten Thousand Pairs Of Hands – Live music 6pm – 8pm Steam Pigeon – Live music 6pm – 8:30pm Beermat Art Lost Property Collage
Inn on the Green 2pm – 11pm Open Mic Night
The Sun 3:30pm – 5pm BBQ 4pm – 8pm Fireball Rockband
The Hand 8:30pm – 11pm Pete Hale – Live music
Sunday, July 5
Fishpond Woods 10am – 11am Moth Reveal
Acomb Methodist Church 10am – 12pm Interactive Worship 12pm – 6pm Pop-Up Cafe 1pm – 4:30pm Crafty Fox Kids Club – Hands-on art & craft activities for two to four-year-olds 1pm – 4pm Bio-Diversity Collage – Reacting to ecological crisis 6pm – 8pm Art Speedquiz
West Bank Park 10am – 3pm Trapeze classes
Freida Nipples: Baps’N’Bingo at Rise@Bluebird Bakery
Bluebird Bakery/Rise 10am – 3pm Bluebird’s Sunday Ritual – Sunday specialties such as Bengali five-spice rolls, spinach & chickpea rolls, plus artisan pastries. 6pm – 8pm Baps’N’Bingo – Burlesque bingo with Dolly Trolly and Freida Nipples (tickets required) 8pm – 11pm Guilty Pleasures Disco – Closing party of pop bangers, disco, R&B & power ballads (tickets required)
Holgate Windmill 10am – 4pm Wind, Soil, Rock Art Installation – Video, sound and life-size puppet
The Crooked Tap All weekend RARE Collective Urban Art Exhibition 10:30am – 12pm Posca Pebble Art 12pm – 8pm Yuzu East Asian Street Food 12:30pm – 5:30pm Acomb Artists’ Kids Art Classes 12:30pm – 11pm Cask Ale Festival 6pm – 10:30pm AcombFest Closing Party – DJ Sola & Friends of RARE Collective
The Fox 12pm – 4pm Bush Craft and Nature Art – Session with Tom Rawson of Branch Out 12pm – 9pm Clucking Oinks Fried Chicken 2pm – 4pm Bare Brass Band – Live music 4pm – 6pm V2 – Live music
Inn on the Green 12pm – 5pm Sunday Roast – OMNI Darts challenge & simulators
The Carlton Tavern 1pm – 6pm PaintJam – Artwork continues 10am – 10pm RARE DJ Sets – Live music 10am – 5pm Tulum Spirits Collective – Flying in from Mexico, mixologist Craig Feather serves up luxury bespoke cocktails from 11am, preceded by non-alcoholic delights from 10am 11am – 8pm El Chappo – New takes on traditional Mexican from Sheffield, ahead of Mexico v England in the World Cup last 16 12pm – 3:30pm The Tavern Sunday Roast – Traditional roasts 9pm – 11pm Live World CupMega-Screen
Gateway Church 2pm – 4pm Little Green Fingers – Plant up container pot to take home
The Sun 4pm – 7pm BBQ 4pm – 7pm York Turnpike Trust – Five-piece band’sR&B covers
The Hand 5:30pm – 9pm The Dunwells – Leeds indie-folk/Americana band
Leeds abstract surrealist Nicolas Dixon, outside WET, in Micklegate, York, where his exhibition launches the RARE v WET venture tomorrow
RARE, York artist and event organiser Sharon McDonagh’s new venture, will hold its launch party tomorrow at WET, the independent wine bar and restaurant in Micklegate, York.
Known as a key organiser of 2023 to 2025’s groundbreaking Educated Vandals, Rise Of The Vandals and VandalFest charity street art events in the disused office block on Low Ousegate, Sharon has teamed up with friend and fellow artist/DJ Sola as RARE Collective to continue their mission to champion the overlooked, the creatives, the independents and the underdogs while supporting York charities.
Opening tomorrow at 6pm, the first project is the debut RARE v WET art exhibition in support of SASH (Safe and Sound Homes), featuring Leeds abstract surrealist Nicolas Dixon, on show until April 22. Further solo exhibitions by artists from Yorkshire and beyond will be held there, from which a percentage of sales will go to the charity.
WET proprietors James Wall, left, and Ella Williams with RARE Collective organiser Sharon McDonagh and Leeds abstract surrealist Nicolas Dixon at Thursday’s launch
“RARE Collective will be collaborating with other creatives and businesses that rewrite the rules of events, art and community culture in York and are looking forward to working with Art of Protest, who are curating the forthcoming Acomb Fest in July,” says Sharon.
“I’m incredibly excited to launch this new venture and to have the freedom to collaborate with other creatives, curate exhibitions and street art events and organise collaborations and workshops through RARE Collective in support of SASH and other local charities. It carries the same ethos, passion and hard graft as before, just with a new crew and fresh energy.
“What drives me is the opportunity to use creativity and experience to bring people together: organising events, working with artists and creatives, and supporting young people and adults from all backgrounds to have a voice, share their work and raise funds that can genuinely make a difference.”
DJ/artist Sola: Linking up with Sharon McDonagh to launch RARE Collective
Sharon continues: “After working with SASH on our last two events, it’s a real pleasure to collaborate with their fantastic team again. Over the past three years, we’ve been humbled by the incredible artists, DJs, volunteers and businesses who have supported what we do, and we’re excited to continue building on that momentum.
“We’re also grateful to our sponsors, Mack and Lawler Ltd and York Digital Image, whose continued financial support makes these events possible.”
Looking forward to tomorrow’s launch, artist, DJ and RARE member Sola says: “It’s great to team up with Sharon and be part of RARE Collective. We’ve been friends for several years and I’m humbled to be able to present such an amazing array of local music talents, from DJs to producers, and help connect the dots between music and visual arts.
Nicolas Dixon at work on a mural
“As Sola, I combine all these elements when producing my own artworks and am excited for what lies ahead.”
WET was opened by Ella Williams and James Wall on October 15 last year. “At WET, we’re a tiny team – we’ve just taken on our first employee – running a wine bar/restaurant in the centre of York on Micklegate,” say Ella and James.
“We prioritise seasonal cooking in our small plates, with lots of offal and North Yorkshire produce. Our wine list focuses on smaller growers, lower intervention bottles and changes once a week. There’s a popular roast every Sunday, and regular vinyl nights keep things exciting.
RARE Collective artist and co-organiser Sharon McDonagh, left, with Pam Anthony and Aimee Harding from SASH
“We met working in hospitality and have always championed independents. We’re happy to be a part of an ever-changing and growing York food, drink and cultural scene. We are therefore really happy to be able to collaborate with RARE Collective to host art exhibitions in support of local youth homeless charity SASH.”
The first artist in the RARE v WET spotlight is Leeds-born, internationally acclaimed abstract surrealist Nicolas Dixon, whose murals and artworks are known all over the world.
Closer to home, his large-scale murals have become landmarks in Leeds, including at Kirkgate Market, Trinity Shopping Centre and the University of Leeds, as well as several Leeds United tributes, such as the 1972 FA Cup Winners mural at Elland Road and the iconic Bielsa the Redeemer mural at the Pet Lodge Superstore, on Oldfield Lane, Wortley, featuring former Leeds United manager Marcelo Bielsa in the style of Rio de Janeiro’s Christ the Redeemer statue.
Nicolas Dixon’s 2020 mural Bielsa the Redeemer on Oldfield Lane, Wortley, Leeds
“It’s an absolute pleasure to be teaming up with RARE Collective and WET in support of SASH for the first in a series of exhibitions at WET hosted by RARE,” says Nicolas. “Having worked with Sharon at last year’s charity street art event Vandalfest in York, it was a no-brainer when she asked if I’d like to be the first artist to exhibit for her exciting new collective.
“The show will feature a mixture of new and older work – prints and originals. It should look pretty special in this cool space on Micklegate. It’s great to be supporting SASH and hopefully raise some funds to contribute to the amazing work they do for the youth homeless community in York. Really looking forward to it. See you there.”
SASH says: “We are really excited to be able to work with Sharon again; she always goes above and beyond to ensure her projects come together and is an absolute pleasure to work with. She feels like an extension of the SASH team!
“Sharon always brings such a positive attitude and energy to make things happen, getting results and making a real difference to the lives of those around her and the communities she works with. Her new venture with Sola is a fresh take on what they have already built over the past few years and we are looking forward to working with RARE Collective.”
Among the works on sale will be original paintings of Pareidolia, Angels Gate, Untitled, Hook Lined And Sinkered, Beat In Time, VandalFest 01, VandalFest 02, No Input No Output, Shortcut and Calmer Shores, plus limited-edition prints of Cayatano’s Round Table, Chimera, Bielsa The Redeemer and Nightmare On War. For sales, contact sharon@rarecollective.co.uk.
Artist Nicolas Dixon
Nicolas Dixon: Back story
ABSTRACT surrealist, born in Leeds, whose work spans continents, with murals and artworks on display in Ibiza, Melbourne, New York, Barcelona, Antwerp, Sierra Leone, Tanzania and Goa.
His large-scale murals have become landmarks in Leeds, from Kirkgate Market to Trinity Leeds, University of York to Bielsa the Redeemer in Wortley, hailed by Goal magazine as one of the most famous murals in world football.
Alongside his international work, Nicolas has completed high-profile commissions, most notably being selected by Universal Studios as one of six artists to transform Brick Lane, London, into “Yellow Brick Lane” for the global launch of the film Wicked: For Good.
Nicolas Dixon‘s artworks on show at WET in York
Deeply bonded to the underground house music scene, Nicolas has collaborated with clubs in the UK and Ibiza, including Pacha and Octan, where his 50m mural was created atop the entire club, as well as working with DJ/producers such as Nightmares On Wax and Eats Everything.
He has partnered with Rhodes Music, inventors of the electric piano associated with Stevie Wonder, Paul McCartney, Elton John, Ray Manzarek and Ray Charles, creating a hand-painted edition of their MK8 model, along with a run of 40 limited-edition versions. He has collaborated with Technics too, hand-painting their iconic 1210 turntables.
The poster for Nicolas Dixon’s exhibition on all the walls at WET, Micklegate, York
Noted for his biomorphic shapes, bold colour schemes and instantly recognisable style, Nicolas has worked with major brands such as Adidas, Ribble Bikes, Disney/Star Wars, Jägermeister, BBC, Team GB and the NHS.
Last July, his first-floor collaboration with Bristol graffiti and street art pioneer Inkie was a highlight of VandalFest at Low Ousegate, York.
As an ambassador for the charity Last Night A DJ Saved My Life, he leads art workshops and mural projects with street-affected youth in Africa.
“We are the greatest in the land”: Nicolas Dixon’s mural of Leeds United’s 1972 FA Cup winners at Elland Road
The launch of the Return Of The Oaks mural in Acomb
THE launch of Art Of Protest’s new mural and street benches drew a big community turnout to Front Street, Acomb, York, last Saturday .
The Return Of The Oaks mural is part of the wider project designed to return nature to the high street.
Eight public benches have been painted to denote the trees in Acomb, each featuring a carved-out leaf emblem. The trees’ names feature on the benches, serving as a reminder of the diverse ecology in the area.
In the week leading up to last Saturday’s launch, residents and visitors praised the installation for its brightness and welcoming vision.
The views of the Acomb community were central to the designs. A comprehensive engagement programme featuring 17 events and street art workshops at locations in Acomb captured residents’ wishes. This conveyed the community’s strong voice, now reflected in the geometric design.
An innovative Street Art Academy trained up the community and four residents were chosen to take part in the talent development programme and assist on the mural. This has created a legacy, boosting the skills and confidence of the participants.
Art Of Protest creative director Jeff Clark said: “I’m beyond pleased to say that this public art project has been a huge success. Getting to know the Acomb community was not only paramount to influencing the design of the artwork but also a real pleasure in itself.”
Art Of Protest lead artist Tom Jackson said: “Working on a project in the place where I live is a privilege. My children and I will walk past this mural almost every day, and I’m fortunate that the people of Acomb have embraced it in such a positive way.”
A mood of celebration and excitement marked the weekend event at the mural. The Lord Mayor of York, Sheriff and councillors took part in the pop-up street art workshops.
Art Of Protest organised an exhibition of the community art produced from the engagement sessions, held at Rise@ Bluebird Bakery in Acomb Road.
The Rt Hon Lord Mayor of York, Councillor Margaret Wells, said: “It was great to be at the event at the weekend to see the amazing new artwork and other changes around Acomb. This is an incredible piece of work which speaks volumes about working together as a community.
“It is wonderful to see the links to Acomb’s heritage and the local woodland within the paintings. Thank you to everyone involved.”
Councillor Katie Lomas, City of York Council executive member with responsibility for finance and major projects, said: “I am very proud of Acomb and the way the local community has come together to shape these recent changes. This new artwork is a fantastic addition and really pulls together all the work that has been going on to improve the area.
“The wider scheme, funded through the Government’s UK Shared Prosperity Fund, has seen some real investment in the area over recent months. It has brought not only this incredible artwork but also upgraded seating, planting, wayfinding and many other improvements to help ensure Front Street is a great place to be for years to come.
“I would like to thank everybody involved in making this happen and anyone who has got involved along the way. I especially want to pay tribute to the wider engagement work done by the Art Of Protest team to engage and inspire young people across the Acomb area, making sure they know that art is for them too.”
Acomb resident Kat Hunt, mother of one of the talent development students, said: “Throughout the project and the community engagement sessions, my daughter has developed new skills and she has so much more confidence in her artwork as a result. It’s really inspired her. It’s fantastic that Acomb now has such vibrant artwork, inspired by the views of the community.”
Art Of Protest, York’s urban art and engagement specialists, are experts in ‘placemaking’ and approved ‘Alternative Providers’, offering a Street Art Academy through the Danesgate Community Pupil Referral Unit. “We are driven by partnering with the local community, public sector and businesses to transform spaces through public art,” says Jeff. “If you would like to work with us, please contact us at info.aopprojects@gmail.com.”
The Return Of The Oaks art project is part of the broader scheme to improve Front Street and create a more accessible, vibrant, people-friendly space. City of York Council received £570,000 of UK Shared Prosperity Funding to deliver Phase 2 improvements that include new seating and planters, improved Blue Badge parking, wide and level pedestrian crossings, wayfinding signs and upgraded public loos.
Art Of Protest creative director Jeff Clark with Gemma Waygood-Senior, project manager for the Return Of The Arks project in Front Street, Acomb. All pictures: Jeff Clark
ART Of Protest has installed the Return Of The Oaks benches in Acomb, York, ahead of Saturday’s mural and bench “reveal” and celebration event in Front Street and Cross Street.
That afternoon comes the opportunity to meet the artists, join in creative spray paint activities and see the unveiling of the mural from 4pm. Further celebrations will follow with a DJ set and community art show at Rise@Bluebird Bakery, in Acomb Road, from 6pm.
Eight wooden benches have been transformed, each painted with a leaf design from the woodland to reflect links to nature.
Return Of The Oaks mural artist Tom Jackson and Art Of Protest workshop leader Chloe Mae. “Both live within a mile of the mural, and this is the closest paint project to their homes they have ever done,” says Jeff Clark
This follows an extensive programme of engagement events and workshops, led by Chloe Mae where Art of Protest gathered the views and ideas of the Acomb community and gained an understanding of what people would like to see.
Alongside the benches, Art of Protest has been working on the new mural that aims to capture the spirit and sense of community in Acomb.
This art project is part of the wider scheme to improve Front Street and create a more accessible, vibrant, people-friendly space. City of York Council received £570,000 of UK Shared Prosperity Funding to deliver these Phase 2 improvements, including new seating and planters, improved Blue Badge parking, wide and level pedestrian crossings, wayfinding signs and upgraded public loos.
The Oak bench from Art Of Protest’s Return Of The Oaks project in Front Street, Acomb
Councillor Katie Lomas, executive member with responsibility for Finance and Major Projects, said: “This is an incredibly exciting part of the project and it is great to see even more improvements take shape on Front Street.
“This scheme is funded through the government’s UK Shared Prosperity Fund and is helping to create a more accessible and attractive space for people to live, work, shop or visit.
“The newly painted benches are a very welcome addition and do a fantastic job of brightening up the area. The designs for both the artwork and wider Phase 2 improvements are based on significant engagement with the local community, so it will be great to be able to celebrate the progress with local people this weekend.
“I am very much looking forward to seeing the finished mural and would encourage those who live or spend time in Acomb to come along and get involved.”
Chloe Mae and Tom Jackson take advantage of Thursday’s sunny, dry weather to work on the Return Of The Oaks mural in Acomb
Art Of Protest creative director Jeff Clark said:“It was great to see the evolution of the project, taking the community on the journey and developing local talent through the Street Art Academy and artist Tom Jackson, Art Of Protest’s production manager and one half of the Static street art duo with Craig Evans. The feedback was inspirational and there is so much love and pride in the community.
“We are celebrating the return of local trees and a wonderful idea of each bench having a local leaf emblem, so visitors to the area can say ‘see you at the oak bench’.
“Each bench also has a carved-out leaf emblem so they are accessible and engaging. The return of the oaks is then incorporated into the mural design. We are so grateful to the Acomb community, the support and great ideas. Please come and celebrate as this is your hard work.”
Taking shape: Art Of Project workshop leader Chloe Mae, centre, working on the mural with Art Of Protest production manager and Static artist Tom Jackson and Sarah, from the Street Art Academy
“We are passionate about getting the community involved,” says Art Of Protest Projects founder and creative director Jeff Clark
ART Of Protest (AOP) has been awarded a UK Shared Prosperity Fund grant by City of York Council to create a more vibrant, people-friendly, accessible space for all in Front Street, Acomb.
The grant will go towards installing a community mural and eight benches as part of a wider regeneration of Front Street.
Art Of Protest Projects, a social impact enterprise founded in 2016 and based in York, engages communities in place-making and public art, with its team of professional creatives, artists and storytellers having delivered a series of projects in York and beyond so far.
Many of the team reside in Acomb, making the latest project close to their hearts, and already AOP is proactive within the Acomb community, presenting their flagship creative learning workshops at York High School and Inspire Academy.
Founder and creative director Jeff Clark says: “We want to deliver something that the Acomb community can be proud of for decades to come. It’s not just about creating art, it’s about listening to the views of the people.”
Councillor Katie Lomas, City of York Council Executive Member with responsibility for Finance and Major Projects, says: “It is great to see the Front Street project taking another step forward and this is a very exciting part of the transformation. So far, we have seen new seating and planters installed, upgraded public toilets, improved Blue Badge parking and removed a significant number of bollards.
“We are looking forward to working closely with artists at Art Of Protest Projects to introduce public art to the area, which 68 per cent of respondents supported during our consultation last spring. We will continue listening to the community and get to the heart of what residents would like to see.
“It is vital that the local community is involved and helps to shape these designs, which will be part of Front Street for years to come, so I’d encourage everyone who lives or spends time in Acomb to share your thoughts. I would also like to thank everyone for their patience while work is ongoing in the area, and I look forward to seeing more of these improvements take shape as the project progresses.”
Jeff adds: “AOP aims to creatively engage and impassion individuals of all capabilities and backgrounds to build local capacity and skills. We believe that art is a common and universal language where people of all ages, creeds and beliefs can meet, engage and connect.”
AOP has tight deadlines set by UK Shared Prosperity Fund to complete the installation by the end of March, preceded by a series of open consultation events running during the last week of January and the first week of February.
Art Of Protest’s poster invitation to mural and benches engagement sessions in Acomb
Spray paint mural engagement sessions will be held at Acomb Explore Library on January 27, 5pm to 7pm, The Place, Acomb, January 28, 4pm to 5.30pm, and Gateway Centre, Acomb, February 3, 5pm to 7pm. Paint-a-pot benches engagement sessions will take place at The Place on January 29, 3.30pm to 4.30pm, and Acomb Explore Library on January 31, 10am to 12 noon.
Jeff says: “We want to build on the community consultations that have already taken place, listening to the views to celebrate Acomb’s heritage, to be bright, fun and inviting.”
For the mural consultations, he explains: “We are arranging a series of workshops at local schools, as well as creative spray paint workshops where participants can take away their own piece of art home and inspire the design brief for the mural. The mural will be a community totem, carefully crafted and shaped by community input”.
For the bench consultations, Jeff says: “Accessibility is really important and there is also an opportunity to signpost the local community to our green spaces and celebrate local flora. The bench engagement sessions will be an opportunity to chat about what you want to see, as well as paint your own plant pot to take away a seedling or plant.
“The curators’ responsibility is to capture as many Acomb residents’ voices and project them into one shared vision. We love the local area and want to create a legacy piece that celebrates all the local green spaces as well as Acomb’s connection to the oak trees.”
You can book for the engagement events at eventbrite.co.uk/o/art-of-protest-projects-40881047083 or by emailing workshops.aopprojects@gmail.com.
AOP is arranging drop-in sessions on Front Street with everyone welcome at The Place on January 30, 10am to 12 noon, Bluebird Bakery, February 1, 3pm to 5pm, and Gateway Centre, February 4, 2.30pm to 4.30pm.
A key aspect of the project is the Street Art Academy, delivered in partnership with The Place with its ethos to create, collaborate and increase curiosity, confidence and capability. This structured programme will up-skill and create cultural capital and legacy by providing career pathways in the creative industries.
In addition, a talent development opportunity will become available for participants to shadow the creation of the mural.
“We are passionate about getting the community involved,” says Jeff. “What’s really unique about the programme is the Street Art Academy focused on skills development and capacity building.
“AOP would love to hear from the local community and will be arranging a celebration event following the installation of the mural and benches with details to follow. If you have any queries, please get in touch with workshop.aopprojects@gmail.com.”
Proprietor and curator Craig Humble outside the new home of the Art Of Protest gallery in Walmgate, York
YORK’S independent art galleries are ready to reopen for business as soon as Government guidelines allow, asserts According To McGee director Greg McGee.
“The most accurate litmus test of a city’s cultural health is the amount and state of its indies,” says Greg, “And going by that gauge, the city is culturally doing fine, despite the most challenging year in living memory.”
Culture being consigned to quarantine for the majority of 2020 means creative outlets have been forced back to the drawing board. “But now they await the moment when they can resume doing what they do best: celebrating unique, idiosyncratic items,” says Greg.
Art Of Protest gallery director Craig Humble concurs: “There are over a dozen of us, and, as varied as we are, we add a crucial element to the city-centre experience. I’m sure I speak for the rest of my contemporaries when I can confidently say we are doubly committed to bringing top-quality art to the browsing and buying public.”
Although the doors are closed at his gallery, newly relocated to Walmgate, Craig has not stopped working. “All the galleries in York are available now for enquiries and website sales. We are all of us often working in the galleries or on our computers, closely monitoring incoming questions and requests. Click and Collect pertains to independent galleries too.”
At present filling his gallery walls with Richard Barnes’s new works of York and the North York Moors, Greg wants to assure collectors and buyers that the art and crafts available for purchase will make for ideal gifts and stocking fillers.
“We can never rival the mainstream behemoths that have continued to churn through sale and demand, even in the middle of lockdown,” he says. “But there’s an undeniable magic in visiting indie galleries.
“The customer knows that the financial transaction will benefit the city directly, and the individuality of the items purchased makes for more memorable gifts.”
“There’s an undeniable magic in visiting indie galleries,” says According To McGee co-director Greg McGee
Craig believes the enjoyment of mooching on the streets of York and experiencing independent galleries, either coming across them by chance or intentionally making a visit, is a key part of the value of galleries.
“No-one wants a city centre that has been given over solely to the most mainstream outlets,” he argues. “In that sense, Indie York, who have helped us on social media and on their increasingly important maps, have brought awareness to this issue for years.”
Sara Amil-Smith, of Indie York, says: “York has a vibrant and diverse mix of long established, independently owned galleries, offering traditional and contemporary work. These galleries often collaborate and have good relationships with local makers and artists.
“When you support a local gallery, you are supporting a wider community of local artists and makers, which is particularly important during these challenging times.”
Greg points to the groundswell of support found for the galleries on social media and in the houses of the patrons who support them. “The list is growing: Art Of Protest; Blossom Street Gallery; Blue Tree Gallery; Braithwaite Gallery; Corner Gallery; The Crescent community venue; Gillygate Framing; Holgate Gallery; Janette Ray Booksellers; Kentmere House Gallery; Lotte Inch Gallery; Pyramid Gallery; The Hilt, and According To McGee,” he says.
“If we can ask people who love art and are passionate about starting or augmenting a collection, please wait until the doors of these galleries open again in December or take advantage of the online experience and make queries or make purchases.”
Greg continues: “Every gallery director I know is keeping on top of the online requests and sales that are coming in. Culture is just as open to the click-and-collect experience as anything else.
“There’s something for everyone; you will genuinely be helping to maintain the local cultural economy, and York will be one more step away from subscribing to the anonymity that has bled other cities dry. The best place to start is to grab an Indie York map. See you on the trail!”
