Reasons To Support BasementArtsProject
BasementArtsProject is in urgent need of support as we prepare to begin our programme of activity for 2024 here in South Leeds and beyond.
Michael Borkowsky & Emilie Telese: Desire & Alchemy (2018) installation at BasementArtsProject
BasementArtsProject is currently working on a subscription/ donation system that will allow us to generate funding towards future projects. As we do this we currently have a few applications for grants in the pipeline, the first of which decisions will be due in very early April.
Before this we have a project in the works by London based curatorial project Saturation Point. This will be their second exhibition with us, the last time being January 2015.
In advance of this project happening we are asking for your support to see us through until the first of our funding decisions is due, and before our subscription service is up & running.
Ben Woodeson Super Sexy Sculpture, Oh Yeah! (2014) shown as part of Saturation Point Other Rooms exhibition in January 2015
Although I refer to BasementArtsProject as we, it is essentially I (Bruce), a one man operation that has survived on my wage as a receptionist for the Henry Moore Institute, and very little else for the last twelve years. Now, as I no longer have paid employment I am unable to support BasementArtsProject in the way that I have done without finding alternative employment.
The last ten months have seen me move away from being a four days a week employee of someone else (opening The Basement on three days of the week) to being a constant presence within the Art and South Leeds communities seven days a week.
BasementArtsProject has not only been able to serve the community of South Leeds since April 2011 but also present, and promote the work of early career artists alongside those of a more established nature.
With the closure of The Tetley and Sheaf Street in recent months, South Leeds runs the risk of losing its connection to art in the future.
Art provides hope; that the light at the end of the tunnel is a brighter future, rather than that of an oncoming train. With this in mind BasementArtsProject becomes, for artists and visitors alike, a necessity.
Curating: recent graduate of Slade School of Art Ruby Waterhouse working with artist and recent graduate Cleo Nelson on the installation of her work as part of the Fray exhibition
Thank you for providing a space for artists like my daughter. I am looking forward to visiting the space again soon.
Paula Nelson-White
As BasementArtsProject my job involves being Director, Curator, Project Manager, Mentor, Technician, Invigilator/Information, Designer, Marketing & Publicity, Web Designer/Content Management, Accounts, Writer, Artist and, for the Lunchtime Conversation: Host, Chief Cook and bottle-washer.
Bruce Davies
Launch day for Jacob’s Ladder a 9ft, 7tonne sculpture in Tadcaster Limestone by Artist Keith Ackerman and ‘The Corner’ Pocket Park designed and curated by Bruce Davies. Assisted by sculptor / technician John Barber. Benches created by members of the community as part of workshops under the tutelage of John Barber with assistance from Keith Ackerman & Bruce Davies.
Despite the fact that South Leeds is an area of severe economic deprivation, at the sharp end of every turn that the national economy takes, the effect that art has on the populace of the area should not be underestimated. As one detractor on twitter pointed out when commenting on a post by a local councillor, and ardent supporter of Basement’s efforts:
Yeah - grafiti will really bring that area to life. Nice one. The unemployment rate of LS11 0AA was recorded as being 18.3% , which is higher than the UK average 18 percent. How about you start some jobs and training / education stuff instead?
Missing the point of life entirely . . . Hope!
Our lives shall not be sweated from birth until life closes;
Hearts starve as well as bodies; give us bread, but give us roses.James Oppenheim, "Bread and Roses," The American Magazine, December, 1911.
Whilst we cannot bring the bread (other than as part of our ‘Lunchtime Conversation) I do hope we can continue to bring the the roses.
We now regularly use ‘The Corner’ Pocket Sculpture Park as a venue for free public events such as performances (shown: Claire Angel Bonner performs the work of Napoléon Coste (1805-1883), Fernando Sor (1778-1839), Johann Kaspar Mertz (1806-1856) and Giulio Regondi (1822-1872) and stone carving workshops
“You don’t see this kind of thing happening at the edge of the road in South Leeds too often.”
Examples from the previous 12 years of the kind of work that your donations/subscriptions would support in the future
Apologies in advance for the self-aggrandising quotes
At Home . . .
Unravel: the longest hand-painted film in Great Britain - Community Workshop and screening of footage produced. May 2011 (Royal College of Art / Deutche Bank Award winning project 2010)
Chloe Harris setting up a projection as part of her first solo exhibition Route Motif at BasementArtsProject (May 2023)
James The ADHD Artist (shown here with the Blue Peter team after his appearance) raised £550 through his Charity Takeover of BasementArtsProject for the West Yorkshire Autism Support Group and Oscar The Brave charities
The creation of Jacob’s Ladder, a 7tonne 9ft sculpture opposite BasementArtsProject by Artist Keith Ackerman, and the design/creation of ‘The Corner’ Pocket Sculpture Park around it by Bruce Davies
We are very privileged to have Basement Arts in South Leeds. You cannot imagine that it exists in what looks like an ordinary house in a area such as this. Very ambitious plans for the Jacob Ladder sculpture seemed unbelievable when I first heard about them. A sculpture here , not in town ? Interesting reading in the article of all the different kinds of people who have watched this project progress. Many other people would love to have had an opportunity to see any sculpture progressing. The experience has touched people’s lives in a way that no-one can predict. Thank you to all involved , changing lives in a different way.
Eve Tidswell -South Leeds resident: via South Leeds Life
I really value being able to evolve my artistic ideas in this way with Bruce and hope to have many more opportunities to do so in the near future.
Keith Ackerman
I am currently working on another project with Keith Ackerman that will form part of the 2024 programme in The Basement.
One year of community workshops teaching the skill of direct carving, in the process creating two benches for the community in our inner-city Pocket Sculpture Park
Publication documenting the ‘Subjected To Change’ exhibition by Alistair Woods at BasementArtsProject entering the library of the Henry Moore Institute.
Subjected To Change was the first solo exhibition for Alistair Woods post-graduation and we have maintained a working relationship ever since.
I strongly believe that opportunities like the ones Bruce made available to students encourages them to stay in the city which helps to grow the local art community, Bruce understands this and not only creates opportunities but actually gives the artists proper support to develop their work.
Alistair Woods
Squaring The Circle - an experimental installation by (at the time) undergraduate Loane Bobillier (2023). Now the recipient of a First Class Degree from Leeds Arts University
Have You Left Yet was a collaborative exhibition of new works by the Slit Collective (pandemic lockdown graduates): Daniel Adkins, Julia Dudycz, Georgie Holt, Clarke Lear, Jonny Winter and you. Using a mixture of poetry, music, painting, photography and film they invited the audience to attend this exhibition and contribute their offerings.
Everyone was super pleased with how you handled everything and thought you were extraordinarily helpful throughout the whole process. We're super thankful for the time you gave us. Jonny’s exact words to your message were that he wishes you were one of his lecturers at uni (via Instagram Messenger)
Slit Collective - a collective response
And Abroad . .
(By which I mean anywhere beyond the Basement doorstep)
The work of Dominic Hopkinson originally displayed at BasementArtsProject in April 2016 as part of A Study of Aperiodic Tiling with special reference to the 3rd dimension on display at the 16th Venice Architecture Biennale 2018.
BasementArtsProject has always been an outstanding and unique gallery and curatorial process. A space that celebrates the very best in contemporary art practice, and embeds this into the everyday lives of a household, a community and a city. Bruce’s commitment to the artists he works with is equalled by his commitment to showing this work to a new audience by removing barriers to its access and understanding.
Dominic Hopkinson
A collaborative exhibition of 21 artists, mainly from across the Northwest of England, under the moniker SCI at Reg Lenna Centre for the Arts, 3rd on 3rd Gallery and DykemanYoung Galleries: Jamestown, New York, USA (April 2014) with mail art contributions from 50 artists worldwide.
2017 exhibition featuring the work of Adam Glatherine, Paul Digby, Alan Dunn, Pippa Eason, Ryan Riddington at Depot Art Studios, Manchester run by Alistair Woods
I’ve since gone on to open and run Depot Art Studios in Manchester, providing a space for artists to work in and at times exhibit. I’ve also exhibited many times in the UK as well as internationally and I would credit Bruce for being a part of helping me form a foundation to build on, and see how it’s possible to create opportunities for artists.
Alistair Woods
I've had the privilege of working with Bruce as an Artist on several exhibitions over the past 8 years as well as attending many other exhibitions and events at or run by BasementArtsProject . . . Never have I met someone who more fully embodies the concept of life long learning.
Adam Glatherine - suspended work in above photo
Stockholm Independent Art Fair Supermarket Sweden 2012
The work of Kelly Cumberland on display as one of 21 artists across 2 venues for the Liverpool Independents Biennial 2012
Future Subscriptions
In the meantime we are working. on a subscription system going forward. All subscription options will include an annual overview of our programme in the form of Hypogeal -a yearly publication in PDF/ebook format that will be sent out to all subscribers.
The format of our annual Hypogeal publication will follow that of our 2015 one-off publication Hypogeal: underground with BasementArtsProject which offered images, essays and a one-off artwork by one of the featured artists. This publication, although out-of-print, is available through the Henry Moore Institute Reference Library, Leeds Libraries, The British Library, Bodleian Library Oxford University, The Cambridge University Library, National Library of Scotland, National Library of Wales and Trinity College Dublin
Image: Tunstall Road land pre-Jacob’s Ladder / The Corner Pocket Sculpture Park
Text: Max Ehrmann Desiderata