Preview: What if Artists Designed a Hostel?

Leeds can proudly list itself amongst the UK’s progressive cities as far as art and culture are concerned, with its rich tapestry of scenes that tessellate to form a complete, watertight city of interlocking artistic discipline. This massive patchwork, containing venues, studio spaces, zines, underground gig nights, students, jazz, and so so much more, is inevitably (to mix metaphors) a hotbed for innovation – something which the prolific East Street Arts is once again proving categorically.

To coincide with the British Art Show in October, East Street Arts are opening a hostel with a fundamental difference: it will be designed and staffed entirely by artists. Each room will have a unique design, and offer visitors and guests a chance to engage with Leeds’ culture that little bit more deeply. Artists trained in hospitality will front the desks, and provide a hostel experience unlike any other in the North.

[Image courtesy of East Street Arts]

East Street Arts have set up a crowdfunding in order to help their vision for the hostel become a perfect reality – and they’re already 90% funded. Donation perks include limited edition illustrated shower caps, a ‘Super Art Surprise’, a season pass for the hostel and even the opportunity to name and design your own room (though all three opportunities to perform the latter have been bought, for an astonishing £1000 apiece).

On top of the hostel’s design, it will become host to a series of activities and ‘happenings’ which will further inform the experiences of the hostel’s lucky guests. Details of these are yet to be announced, but you can be sure to hear more upon East Street Arts reaching their £5000 goal.

To learn more about the project, visit their website – and if you’d like to contribute to the project, visit their crowdfunding page.

James Grimshaw