Art Hostel, Author at Art Hostel

Blog Archives

Top 5 events we’ve been to

On Monday we reflected on some of our favourite hostel events from the last two years. Today, we’re continuing our birthday week with a look at some of the best events we’ve ever attended…outside the hostel’s four walls! So here goes…

What a Drag 2! (2016)

Imagine the scene…it’s the first day of July, the height of the British summer and the hostel is getting into the groove of its first season. Our friends at Live Art Bistro were preparing for the “after party of the year”, What a Drag 2, which was the place to be seen after Leeds’ Big Disco / Little Disco event.

Hosted in association with East Street Arts, What a Drag was the second event of its kind, with performances, flamboyant fancies and glitter galore! A group of us donned our glad rags and headed off to the LAB pink door for a night of drag, devastatingly good looks and a little bit of debauchery. Some of the glitter is still embedded in the floor of room 3 too! It was certainly one of our highlights of hostel life so far.

Carnival (2017)

The colour. The joy. The feathers. The sequins. The dancing. Last year was the 50th anniversary of Leeds West Indian Carnival and it certainly celebrated in style. With exhibitions and events across the city throughout 2017, the carnival is an obvious addition to our list of events we’ve attended.

We loved the celebration at Union 105 which is prime position for carnival festivities. We had an awesome BBQ in the perfect sunny weather and our lovely volunteer, Gonzalo even played in a Samba band as part of the parade.

It’s a hostel memory we’re unlikely to forget any time soon.

Transform Festival (2016)

Transform calls itself “a festival of bold local and international theatre”. It seemed only fitting, therefore, for our volunteers, who come to us from across the world, to be a part of it.

It was around the time of the referendum in 2016 and with many volunteers coming from across Europe, it was a hot topic in the reception of the hostel for weeks. Brexit was still a very new term, but many of the people here had views to share.

What better way to do that than through a piece of theatre? We filled in our application forms, answering questions about family history and our views on Europe. What resulted was Guerrilla, young artists talking about Europe. We went to rehearsals and organised costumes, overcame nerves and then it was show time.

We’ve seen our volunteers boogie in reception and it’s a very different thing to see them in a theatre with professional lighting. It was fantastic to be part of the performance at West Yorkshire Playhouse; it really gave us a buzz!

Compass Festival – Personal Shopper: Cornucopia and WARMTH (2016)

Another throwback to 2016, Compass Festival was a major highlight for us. Personal Shopper: Cornucopia was a culmination of a three year project from Katie Etheridge and Simon Persighetti, who stayed at the hostel with us during the festival.

We love Leeds Kirkgate Market. It’s just up the road and we always get our ingredients for Tuesday Teas from there. We direct guests there to have a wander around too. We recommend that markets should be top of any traveller’s list – they’re such vibrant places, full of independent traders.

Personal Shopper explored and celebrated the relationships between shoppers, traders and goods in the market. They had great tote bags too (who doesn’t love a tote bag).

A special mention to Bethany Wells who hosted the WARMTH sauna at the hostel during the festival too!

1. Come Find Us (always!)

We love art…you may have guessed this from our name…but we make it our mission to champion the Leeds art scene. Come Find Us is a fantastic event which East Street Arts has been involved with from the start. Run by our friend, Emma, it should be in your diary every single month!

The Come Find Us tour snakes around Mabgate, highlighting some of the creative (often hidden) activities taking place in the neighbourhood. From Lady Beck to Patrick Studios, there’s so much to see and get involved with.

It’s hard to pick one Come Find Us that was better than the rest so we’re toasting to them all. From the time we ventured out in the snow and happened upon a dance hall moves taster from Koby Dance to the open mic performance art night at LAB. We’ll see you there in June, yeh?

Not a top five…but a homage to our beautiful rooms

Breaking from our ‘top five’ theme, here’s a run-down of some of our gorgeous rooms and the artists who created them. We couldn’t possibly play favourites, now, could we?

If you’ve paid us a visit, you’ll know that we boast beautiful art in all of our rooms, down the hallways and even in the bathrooms! We think we’re one of the best art hostels out there (if not the best!) and we wouldn’t be anywhere without the amazing artists who agreed to work with us. Here’s what makes our hostel unique.

Stranger In Pink – Precious Art Collective

Stranger In Pink, or what is more commonly referred to as ‘the pink room’, is a favourite with our guests. The pink room is surreal. It’s fun. It’s fluffy and wacky and just so pink! Thirteen different shades of pink to be precise.

The pink room is generally a winner with guests because of its amazing brightness. We love the contrast of the immense pink with accents of green from what we fondly refer to as the ‘mirror monster’, as well as the painterly abstract design on the window.

We’ve had some mixed responses though, as you might expect from a room almost entirely comprised of such a politicised colour. A particular hilarious occasion was a conversation between two burley builders over the pros and cons of a pink room with a shower or a Victorian style room with a shared bathroom and twin beds that could potentially be pushed together.

You can find out more about the Precious Art Collective, here. They’re a group of six artists who advocate ‘community and freedom from elitism in art’. Their pink bedroom here at the hostel showcases the collective’s cheeky side – and our guests just love it!

The Fred Dibnah Suite – Drew Millward

Most of our guests choose this room because they want to be in an affordable, small dorm room; still great value but a less chance of being disturbed by snoring! But from the name, some questions arise, namely: ‘Who is Fred Dibnah?’

With guests from all over the world, it is often a difficult question to answer, with few cultural points of reference for guidance. Over the past two years there have been many attempts at explaining who Fred Dibnah is, including some very bad impressions and often leading to a quick internet search and a show and tell of one of the many ‘How to…’ videos that come up.

Drew Millward’s work is so captivating because of its instant connection to heritage, to the industrial landscape and colloquial references, which are then matched by an otherworldly quality. So it’s no wonder that his client list boasts many of our favourite places in Leeds: Bundobust, Brudenell and Northern Monk, as well as big names like Nike, Arctic Monkeys and Kapitol Skateboards.

When putting the room together it was a given that Drew would include his awesome prints, but we’re most impressed with the curtains and wallpaper, with have a different repeating pattern on each.

Our little hostel was the first time that Drew had worked in this way and we love the result. We also love the fact that Drew has continued to explore surface patterns and has even designed the curtains for his baby son’s room! Check it out on his instagram here.

Art Hostel lights – Alison M Smith

They say the devil is in the details, and here at the hostel we have to agree! We’ve put care and attention into every little last part of the hostel, including the light fittings in the dorm rooms that were made by the amazing Alison M Smith. Alison is a local artist who predominantly uses recycled materials to create delicate, ethereal pieces.

Our ceiling lights are part of Alison’s series of Frost Blossoms, which is the perfect name for the spiky fluffy bombs of white. For our first three months of being open, we had an outward display of Alison’s work in our front windows too.

Her Frost Blossoms have travelled far and wide, at various festivals, in bars and restaurants and are currently decorating the space at 34 Boar Lane for our good friend, Helen Russell Brown’s sold out Real Junk Food Emporium fine dining experience. You can find out more about East Street Arts’ involvement in 34 Boar Lane here too.

Matthew Collins – Reception Light Installation

Behind our reception desk is a square of playful colour, with digital patterns dancing and evolving, rolling through a series of different ‘hacks’. It is sound responsive and digitally translates the noises in the room into flickering and rolling pops of colour. It is mesmerising.

So much so, that it quickly became our policy to turn light installation or ‘hackspace’ off after 11pm to stop passers by staring in, hypnotised by the colours.

Our beautiful ‘hackspace’ was built by maker and mender, Matthew Collins who is a director at Leeds Hackspace, a not-for-profit collective of makers and hackers who are concerned with all types of technology, both old and new.

A Toilet Less Grey – George Addy

One of our more recent additions, was a mural in the ground floor toilet. It has gone through stages of hosting guests’ artwork, posters for local events or just being plain and white, which just wouldn’t do! So we had an open call for ideas to make the toilet less white!*

George’s submission, entitled ‘Majorelle Sunset’, was colourful, travel-inspired and just the right style to bridge the gap between the beautiful floral mural by Wanderlust in reception and the aforementioned Stranger in Pink room. It was just the kind of wonder we wanted!

The mural takes inspiration from a trip to Marrakesh, with an amazing colour pallet of purples, aqua, yellow and blush tones. It depicts fountains and vistas that you want to walk right into!

Take a look at these and the the other hostel artwork here or better yet, book a stay with us. If you’ve already visited, let us know which hostel art was your favourite in the comments below!

Top 5 Tuesday Teas

Tuesday tea is a tradition started by our lovely volunteer, Niels. It’s a weekly communal meal where we invite guests, volunteers, artists and visitors alike, to sit down together and enjoy some delicious dishes on a pay as you feel basis.

Niels, who is originally from the Netherlands, is often our Tuesday tea head chef but it definitely isn’t a one-man show. Over the past eight months, our volunteers and a fair few enthusiastic guests have helped to serve up some fantastic vegan dishes. All of the money raised goes back into supporting Art Hostel and East Street Arts too!

So, in no particular order, here’s our top five Tuesday teas!

5. Squash curry with the trimmings – 17th April 2018

We welcome everyone to our Tuesday tea. One 17th April, two of the East Street Arts directors, Karen and Jon, made an appearance at our table. On the menu this particular evening was a squash, black eyed bean and coconut curry with toasted naan bread, basmati rice, poppadoms and mango chutney. Jess was wearing the chef’s hat. A massive fan of cooking curries, this is one of her signature recipes. Luckily she wasn’t phased by having to serve 22 people!

Ingredients:
2 squash – cubed
2 cans black eyed beans
2 cans coconut milk
6 cloves garlic
300g diced tomatoes
2 onions
4 small green chillies
Salt
Pepper
Turmeric
Garam masala
Mustard seeds
Vegetable stock cube
Inch of ginger
Oil
Fresh coriander
Rice
Turmeric
Vegetable stock

Method:
• Heat oil in a large pan, add the mustard seeds and cook until they pop. Dice the onion, garlic, ginger and cook until soft and translucent.
• Peel and dice the squash and add to the pan along with the chillies, salt, pepper, turmeric, garam masala and a vegetable stock cube.
• Dice the tomatoes and add the pan, cook until soft and easily mushed with a spoon.
• Add the coconut milk and the black eyed beans.
• Simmer for forty minutes or until the squash is cooked and the sauce has reduced. Season to taste.
• For the rice, rinse thoroughly, boil the rice and add the veg stock and tumeric to the water.

4. Carrot and mushroom risotto – 31st October 2017

Our Halloween celebrations were superseded by our lovely volunteer Ann-Marie’s birthday. And what an autumnal feast we shared! It was the kind of chilly evening where you just needed a good plate of wholesome stodge to warm your bones. Niels definitely delivered with a medley of carrot and mushroom risotto, carbonara and autumnal veg couscous.

Ingredients:
White wine (no silly, not a sweet one) but you can use a red one too!
Vegetable stock 1,5 L
Garlic (lots of course)
Diverse range of mushrooms – exploring is a must
Carrots (wash them)
Shallots 3 or 4
Thyme
Pepper and a bit of soya sauce – I prefer soya over sault, more flavour!
Risotto rice (100 grams per person)
Olive oil

Method:
• Prepare the stock.
• Grab the oldest looking pan you have, like one of those grandma pans with a nice thick bottom and big enough for the whole family.
• Heat up some oil (two tea spoons) and before it is hot put in the garlic and shallots.
• Let it fry, don’t burn the garlic!
• Now put the risotto in and some extra olive oil to make the rice become shiny. Wait three minutes and add about a reasonable amount of wine (a glass).
• Let the risotto absorb all the wine and add then half of the stock with the mushrooms, carrots and thyme.
• Keep stirring and add some soya sauce and pepper while continuously tasting.
• When all the stock is absorbed add some more and keep doing this till the risotto rice has a nice bite!

3. Chinese rice noodles and plum puff tart – 2nd January 2018

What better way to see in the new year than with great food, great company, a session in a sauna and maybe a couple of drinks? We battled the two day hangover and thoughts of diets with some Chinese rice noodles, cooked by Niels (again) and a delicious dessert – plum puff tart – generously brought by Helen Russell Brown, to whom the Art Hostel had become a second home while she was running Arctic Bazaar. After dinner we fired up the sauna for one last cleansing session of body and soul, making us truly ready to face the new year!

Ingredients:
Garlic
Chili flakes
Red onion
Onion powder
Spring onion
Black pepper
Soy sauce
Lime
Green cabbage
Ginger
Mushrooms
Coconut milk
Broccoli

Method:
• Heat a pan with water, after it boils add the cabbage and cook 10 min. After 5-6 min add the Broccoli.
• Meanwhile, cut enough garlic and the onion. Fry them in a wok with olive oil and add some chopped ginger.
• After it starts frying add chili flakes, soy sauce, onion powder and black pepper with the mushrooms. Put the fire low and slow cook it.
• When the cabbage and broccoli are ready add it with the rest in the wok.
• Give it a good stir, add the spring onion, some more garlic and the coconut milk. Add the noodles into the wok and leave it on the fire for five minutes.
• Check if the noodles are ready and taste the delicious meal.

For the plum puff pastry
Just get some puff pastry – Jus Rol is vegan and maybe some other brands are too.

Then just melt a load of dark brown sugar with a bit of water and caramelise it for a bit then add some vegan butter, vanilla and mixed spice. Add some cooked plums and reduce for a bit then put this in the oven in a tin with puff pastry over the top and bake for like 25 mins. It can be reheated between two trays on a hob.

The custard was just soy milk with vanilla, sugar, cornflour, and star anise – pop in a pan, heat and stir.

2. Yam curry with rice – 14th November 2017

This recipe has been chosen by our lovely duty supervisor Jess, who says that this is the best meal Niels has ever made for her – an African yam, spinach and pepper curry! (Are you noticing a trend?!) For this recipe, we used two varieties of yams, sourced from the Kirkgate Markets. A small pale yam, imported from Ghana, called Eddoes was used to give the curry a great texture and a firm bite. While the second yam, a large purple variety from Uganda, gave the curry a special sweetness and added flavour. Thank you ‘Spice Corner’ for providing the goods!

Ingredients:
2 large purple yams
2 small pale yams
3 mixed peppers
2 bunches of spinach
1 400g coconut milk
2 400g canned tomatoes
5 gloves of garlic
2 medium sized onions
1 inch of ginger
1 tbsp olive oil
2 tablespoons of yellow curry paste
2 vegetable stock cubes
Salt and pepper to taste
700g basmati rice

Method:
• Heat oil in a pan.
• Dice onion, garlic and ginger, add to the pan and heat until translucent.
• Dice the yams and add them to the pan. Add curry pasta and seasonings and cover the vegetables in the paste.
• Pour in the coconut milk and cans of tomatoes.
• Add the stock cubes and salt and pepper to taste.
• Simmer for 40 minutes, or until yams are soft and have achieved desired texture.
• Thoroughly rinse the rice and put it in a large pot of water, bring it to the boil and cook until soft.

1. Jambalaya – 3rd April 2018

This day was very special to us at the hostel. Niels, our head chef, had brought his mother, Mariette, all the way from The Hauge, Netherlands! We were able to meet the woman who gave us our resident Dutch man and have a real family meal. We borrowed an amazing recipe from aramblingcook.com, for an aubergine jambalaya. We hold this day very close to us here at the hostel.

Ingredients:
1 large onion, diced
1 red pepper, diced
1 large carrot
4 cloves of garlic
1 green chilli
2 bay leaves, 1 tbsp oregano, 1/2 tbsp marjoram, 1 sprig of thyme (leaves picked)
1 tbsp ancho chilli flakes (or whatever you have), 1 tbsp sweet smoked paprika
220g rice
1 aubergine cut into small cubes
2 handfuls of frozen peas
1 tbsp tomato puree
1 tin of chopped tomatoes
400ml veg stock
chopped spring onion & parsley or coriander to finish

Method:
• Heat a glug of oil in a massive casserole style pan then add the onion, carrot and pepper and cook for five minutes or until everything’s started to soften.
• Add the garlic, chilli, herbs and spices and cook for another few minutes, vigorously stirring everything to coat the veg with all the lovely spiciness.
• Add the rice, aubergine, tomato puree and the tinned tomatoes. Stir everything really well again, season generously and cook for a few minutes until the rice changes colour a bit. Like when you’re cooking a risotto.
• Add the stock, bring to a boil, simmer then stick a lid on and cook for 20 minutes or so stirring every five minutes or so to make sure nothing sticks to heavily to the bottom of the pan. Add your peas or anything you want to add after 10 minutes. Once it’s all ready leave off the heat for a beat to steam. Fluff up with a fork and then serve with the spring onion, parsley/coriander and a good glug of oil on top.

Top 5 Events we’ve Hosted at the Hostel

Looking back on some of the best events we’ve hosted!

It’s our birthday! It’s officially two years since we opened our doors on Leeds’ oldest street and to celebrate, we’re reflecting on our journey so far. This week, we’ll be sharing a series of birthday blog posts…so fasten your seatbelts…things may get a little emotional!

We love sharing our little hostel space with creatives, as well as our great guests! Over the past two years we’ve had an amazing array of events, exhibitions and workshops. It’s been very difficult to choose, and you could say that we’ve cheated by combining some, but here’s a run-down of the top five events we’ve hosted here at the hostel!

5. Yoga
Yoga Weekender from Lucyyoga
Weekly classes hosted by Beth from Aarna Yoga and Kate at Calm Collective Yoga

We feel so blessed to have had some #zen in our hectic hostel life! Our yogi story started with a Yoga Weekender from LucyYoga back in October 2016. The group from London were introduced to lots of our favourite things about Leeds, including a great exhibition at The Tetley and dinner at Bundobust. For some relaxing and rejuvenating yoga, they took over a space at Duke Studio’s and headed to the Middle Floor at Wharf Chambers.

For the past year we’ve had a regular yoga class in our project space. The wonderful Beth from Aarna Yoga was our first host, a kind teacher who provides accessible classes focused on traditional sequences. We felt a real bittersweet sadness in January when we discovered that Beth would be continuing her yogi journey on a series of restorative retreats across India. Though we were truly excited to hear that, due our influence, she’d decided to add in a few nights at a hostel between her retreats! You can read more about her adventures at aarnayoga.com

The delightful Kate from Calm Collective Yoga soon filled the yogi gap in our lives. Kate has taken on Beth’s Monday night spot and even added two more sessions on a Wednesday! You can find out more about how to book your space at one of Kate’s classes over on our social channels.

4. InDeriva exhibitions

We’ve hosted many exhibitions at the hostel, from groups and individual artists, but there’s something special about the care and attention our lovely former duty supervisor, Andreea, gave to the InDeriva series.

Her intention was to give local emerging artists an opportunity to have their first solo exhibition. The is a key stage in any artists’ career and development, and often a daunting one. Through her support and guidance, Andreea eased the process with some amazing results, both on the night and with the artist’s wider development.

A highlight would have to be Danny Marsh’s Double Vision photography exhibition along with workshops over the weekend, where our guests and visitors were able to try out some double exposure photography for themselves, with many of our volunteers becoming excellent models!

And we must mention Marla Cruz’s About Freedom and Flowers exhibition: a celebration of what it means to be a woman through beautiful illustrations and an open-mic musical jam session.

3. Community Bakery – Ben Mills

This was our first ever event and it has certainly had a lasting impression! Immersive artist and baker, Ben Mills set himself up in our reception space from every day for a week throughout Leeds Indie Food 2016, sharing his knowledge of bread with anyone who dropped in wanting to learn. The ‘Community Bakery’ was based on an alternative method of labour exchange: for the length of time spent at the bakery, people were given a quantifiable equivalent in fresh, delicious bread.

2. Sofar Sounds

There’s nothing more unifying than experiencing music! It’s a key element of hostel life and can absolutely make or break a shift! So, we were delighted to be the surprise venue for a Sofar Sounds gigs back in November 2016.

One of our lovely volunteers, Thea, was a member of the Sofar Sounds Leeds organising group and saw the potential for our project space to be transformed into a cute little venue.

We welcomed music fans from across the city to enjoy the sweet sounds of Jess Thristan, Morning Bear and Little Brother Eli. The intimate show even included a colouring corner provided by Morning Bear, where audience members could colour in their own little bear!

1. Arctic Bazaar (I and II) (+WARMTH sauna)

Our most amazing and ambitious event has to be Arctic Bazaar. During the month of December 2016, our project space was transformed into a Scandi sanctuary by Helen Russell Brown and &/or Emporium. With a great selection of gifts from local, independent makers, boozy hot drinks and a wonderful series of workshops, it proved itself to be the perfect pre-Christmas treat.

In 2017, Arctic Bazaar returned, bigger and better, including more workshops, suitable for the whole family, a beautiful environment of commissioned artworks, and they took over the yard with an ethereal icy scene, a fire pit and storytelling. The yard was also occupied by the amazing WARMTH mobile sauna by artist Bethany Wells, commissioned by Compass for Compass Live Art Festival 2016.

What is the best event you’ve been to at the Art Hostel? Share your experiences in the comments below.

A Place Where Everything is Art & Everyone is an Artists by Emily Baldwin

Until now, all I’d seen of Kuala Lumpur was the inside of an airport. As for the Malaysian arts well, my knowledge stretched about as far as the street art shots of my Instagram feed. It was time to rectify that.

It was in at the deep end as, in typical South East Asian fashion, my bus from Singapore stopped and piled us out onto the pavement with little more than a nod. I stood, in the dark of night – between the shadows of towering blocks, amongst the flashing lights of passing traffic – without direction and without trusty wifi…

It would be easy to miss the creative spark of Kuala Lumpur. Every road sign and each transport link leads you to the bright lights of the city centre – to the Petronas Towers, manicured gardens and sparkling shopping centres. As I was exploring the city, I stumbled across Moutou, an an arts collective modestly housed in an old terraced building. I climbed a winding staircase – passing elaborate wall art and studio spaces, before reaching their rooftop bar and urban garden. The entirety of the space was built using reclaimed wood from the surrounding community – its design blending seamlessly with the gritty, urban edge of the cityscape it overlooks.

I spent the afternoon with the artists who created this space. Although some did have a background in fine arts, many spoke of their diverging creative interests – including tattoo and street art. What they did share, however, was their mutual passion for making the arts inclusive for everyone.

It was said that galleries instill a degree of formality and, speaking as someone without an artistic education or background, the white wash walls can create the feeling of a closed space – open only to those individuals who have the knowledge to share in high arts culture. Moutou is trying to overcome these exclusions by providing a space where creative energy grows organically, away from the constraints of the canvas.

The artists of Moutou felt that the self censorship associated with exhibition artwork has slowly ebbed away at its relevance. This is where they raised the all important question, “why shouldn’t we bring art back to what matters?”. The answer? Well, we should be able to express ourselves in ways that extend beyond the boundaries of a frame – allowing our creativity to spread on to the walls, spill on to the floors and the land that surrounds us. Rather than being closed away to the confines of galleries, our creativity should become a part of the smell, feel and sound of the world we live in.

Moutou provides a space for this – where the bricks are decorated with spontaneous designs, patterns and tags. With events held every week, it is becoming a place to see the artists behind the art, to share in creative energy, or simply appreciate talent with a drink and good food.

These principles extend beyond the walls of Moutou itself. Artist, Aisya Baharuddin, runs a street art festival in her village where workshops are held for children who come to learn about the spontaneity of expression. The annual event serves as a reminder that art is everywhere and that everyone is entitled to artistic freedom. The streets of Padang Jawa have become a unique public display of the community’s collective identity.

This isn’t solely a feature of Kuala Lumpur. In fact, if you find your way to Penang, your eyes will be opened to the official commissioned street art of George Town. The city walls became an open canvas in 2012 when Lithuanian artist, Ernest Zacharevic, was invited to design giant urban designs to capture the culture and heritage of the region. Today, tourists can be seen scouring the streets in a bid to find the original pieces – engaging with artwork to capture creativity on camera.

These pieces of artwork created a snowball effect for the colonial George Town. Local artists were encouraged to join in decorating the great urban canvas, reclaiming a sense of ownership over the streets and adding to the creativity that has since become an international attraction. The old bus depot has to be my favourite spot in the city – where the run down urban jungle provides the perfect backdrop for innovative artwork, which blends seamlessly with the shapes created by surrounding bricks and rubble.

It was more than just the streets of George Town that I’d come to see. I arrived during the buzz of its annual culture month – a 30 day celebration of all things creative in the city. I spent my days walking between tribal photography exhibitions, aboriginal weaving displays and quirky pop up galleries.

Grand old-English buildings line quaint streets, where paint peels from the walls and lanterns hang high above your head. This colonial charm – much like the urban edge of Kuala Lumpur – has become a hub for creative energy. Alternative forms of artwork have made George Town the tourist attraction it is today. A place where people come from far and wide to see some of the world’s most famous examples of street art – all hoping to capture that perfect instagram of them becoming a part of the scenes created by Zacharevic.

Words and images by Emily Baldwin.

Ben Mills – Community Bakery

Back between Monday 23rd and Friday 27th May 2016, when we were still fresh from the oven ourselves, our reception and kitchen area was taken over by Artist / Baker Ben Mills.

During Leeds Indie Food 2016, a celebration of some of what makes Leeds great: good food and an independent spirit, Ben taught our lovely guests and foodie-fest goers how to bake fresh bread for themselves. As a baker at Leeds Bread Co-op Ben is a skilled and knowledgeable artisan bread maker, easily answering questions about soggy bottoms and cavernous cracks. The project fostered a temporary community, with many visitors returning day after day, eager to learn, exchange and pick up their delicious glutenous goodies. The project was based on an alternative monetary exchange with participants being paid for their time, in the equivalent weight of bread they have helped to bake, proving to many that there’s more to value than just money.

Find out more about Ben Mills, his art and his bread here:
Ben Mills – Community Bakery

The Art of Balinese Culture by Emily Baldwin

My Indonesian travels have brought me here, to Ubud – a spiritual hub in the central highlands of Bali. If people could have towns for soulmates, Ubud would almost certainly be mine. It seems to ooze a contagious culturally creative energy. An energy that is beautifully framed by terraced rice paddies, tropical jungles and volcanic silhouettes.

Far from the island’s world renowned beaches, Ubud seems to attract a different kind of tourist – those who choose to explore humid jungle temples and sit cross legged to watch an ancient Hindu ceremony over sipping cocktails on the sun loungers of Bali’s idyllic beaches. Ambling aimlessly through the town’s quaint streets you soon become consumed by the vivid colours of the traditional dress, the ringing and chanting of ceremonial prayer and the pungent spiritual scents of incense. The ornate, dark stone carvings of traditional family temples stand tightly between modest boutique shops and quirky vegan eateries – a beautiful juxtaposition of the historical and modern faces that cultural Ubud holds dear.

The streets are filled with make-shift art studios, side streets-come galleries and rabbit warrens laiden with ornate handicrafts. As you drive away from central Ubud, stall after stall flashes past the car window, each adorned with specialist wooden carvings, intricate paintings, traditional Balinese kites and decorative lanterns. Even as you make your way out of town by foot for a wander through Ubud’s rustic surroundings, you may find yourself stumbling across some innovative displays of local artwork. A walk along one of its many winding trails through paddie fields led me to admire a haphazard presentation of abstract illustrations. A number of canvases had been mounted on poles and left dotted along the seemingly remote pathway, almost as if they were road signs warning of upcoming danger rather than someone’s inspired work. It feels as though the streets themselves have become a form of gallery, where artwork is displayed on the only stage it’s creator can access – the dramatic Indonesian landscape that surrounds them – and that is, in many cases, also their muse.

One afternoon, when taking a walk through the rural hills that surround Ubud, I found myself stuck in a sudden tropical downpour. I ran to take cover under a nearby drooping canopy that turned out to be the humble workshop of Kadek, a young sculptor. In typical Balinese fashion, he warmly invited me to sit with him and watch the passing storm. The artist spoke with me about his craft as he sat cross legged, using his toes to balance the chunk of crocodile wood that he was whittling away at with ease. The make-shift studio displayed Kadek’s handiwork – from dainty and delicate Hindu statues that stood by my feet, to great masks that adorned wooden walls. I left the studio to brave the elements once more and found myself running further through the now misty fields, only to see the shadow of another hut in the distance. This time a painter, perched on a tiled floor smiled up at me, then back to his canvas as he blotted at the paint pallet he’d created on his wrinkled hand. I was in awe of the ability these artists had to create raw beauty in such a humble setting, yet it almost felt more special that I had stumbled upon their work by chance rather than in a formal exhibition or gallery. I was able to watch the craftsmen at work and revel in their talent as the sole member of their audience, even if only for a few minutes.

Authentic Balinese culture is celebrated every day in Ubud through ritualistic Kecak performances. Candles and flames are lit before the dramatic Pura Dalem temple, where the Hindu story of Ramayana is relayed in the form of a traditional monkey chant dance. A chorus of over 100 sarong-adorned men sit encircling the performers, chanting a hypnotic trance and building tension. Bold costumes and theatrical make-up compliment the dark temple backdrop in effectively transporting the audience far from the honking horns of Ubud’s traffic lined streets. It is easy to lose yourself in your imagination when visiting this tranquil town – whether that is during a mesmerising dance performance, somehow finding yourself in amongst a lavish festival or in the simple art created by a scattering of colourful offerings.

Arts in Bali are very much a celebration of local Indonesian culture – paintings illustrate paddie farmers dotted in amongst their crops, whilst carvings depict Hindu deities and textiles display the traditional symbolism of Batik weaving. During our stay in Ubud, we discovered ‘Threads of Life’ – a fairtrade business that has created independent collectives with over 1,000 weavers in the remote villages of Indonesia. The shop-come-museum sheds a light on cultural techniques which have been handed down from generation to generation – whilst empowering the skilled artists behind this traditional art form, in what has become a competitive contemporary market. The wonderfully niche pieces each tell the story of a Balinese legend. It’s stories like this, of the archipelagos rich heritage, that seem to come hand in hand with so many of the individually crafted pieces adorning the market stalls and galleries. This, in turn, creates a unique and distinct Ubud experience.

If you venture from the highlands down to Bali’s south-easterly coasts, you will find yourself in Sanur. The former tourist hub has quietened in recent years, bringing a subtle serenity to its sandy beaches – where wooden fishing boats sway in the lapping tide and traditional Indonesian kites litter the peaceful skies.

It is here that the Artotel can be found, a modest but growing venture that is dedicated to showcasing local artwork in its 3 Indonesian venues (the others are based in Jakarta and East Java). The contemporary hotel in Sanur takes its guests on a creative Balinese journey – from the more conventional rotating gallery in the hotel foyer, to the extraordinary bold illustrations that adorn the hotel walls and the giant sculptures that hang suspended above our heads.

The original design of this Sanur based hotel was inspired by the region’s heritage in crafted kites and its famous kite festival. The full effect of this can be felt as you look from the gallery space to the triangular wooden framing of the walls that seems to flow, almost in waves, as you raise your field of vision up to the great expanse above. This theme is carried through to the canvas canopies of the open roof terrace – akin to the billowing fabric of the traditional Indonesian flag – where you can enjoy the coastal breeze as you take in panoramic views across the ocean.

Local artists were commissioned to design and decorate each of the hotel’s bedrooms. This method has been carried across all Artotel venues, subsequently giving them each a very different artistic feel – one that is representative of that particular creative scene. Their next venture is planned to be in Ubud – a project I’m looking forward to following – where they believe the natural cultural individuality will feed the unique aims of the brand. Much like the Art Hostel in Leeds, Artotel isn’t just about creating a hotel experience, but also about fostering a space for the meeting of similar minds. To encourage not only the sharing of ideas but also building a platform for local artists. One particular creative, backed by Artotel, whose work features in their Jakarta venue, later went on to achieve commissioned work for renowned international brands including Nike.

Artotel provides more than simply somewhere to sleep – using art space to hold events, such as the recent ‘Love is Blind, Huh!’ exhibition. The hotel’s art curator, Safrie Effendi, invited 3 young and emerging artists to interpret this theme and illustrate feelings of love in their own style. Space and time were provided for these local creatives to showcase their talent and to interact with an audience, where they had a platform to share their vision and inspiration. The urban concept of Artotel has been centred around celebrating art in all its forms, of making use of the space within the hotel to share what creativity lies in Indonesia – in this case, Sanur.

The cultural heritage of Bali is emblematic of its arts – whether that be displayed in its art galleries or in its serene temples, through choreographed performances or spiritual daily rituals. Sleepy Sanur stands as a celebration of Balinese tradition. And yet, the urban platform appears, seamlessly, to blend its heritage with the independent and unique face of contemporary Balinese art – where emerging young creatives are encouraged to flex their imagination in new ways.

Whilst Ubud just seems to exhume a kind of spiritual creativity – from grand architecture and extravagantly decorated temples down to the ornate hand-carved patterns of its dark wooden doorways. Ubud is a town where the market stalls display delicate artwork and handicrafts – not just traveling pants and Bintang merchandise – and where the air of the evening streets are filled with the warm tones of live reggae and the rich smell of incense. The urban buzz of Ubud has brought with it a unique artistic energy – which has, much like in Sanur, organically developed to become a creative hub. These Balinese towns have generated the perfect environment fostering imaginative growth and, in turn, have started to act like magnets – drawing in traveling and local artistic minds alike to share in this innovative aura.

Words and images by Emily Baldwin.

Introducing Rhian!

I previously worked as relief manager at a couple of the Market Town Taverns’ pubs with accommodation so it’s not the first time I’ve done full hospitality, just never in a hostel setting. I’d worked for MTT for 12 years at that point & it had recently been taken over by a much bigger pub group; I felt like it wasn’t the small independent company I had enjoyed working for anymore. Of course, everything changes & it was time for me to take charge of my changes & make a positive choice! The very next day I saw the Art Hostel Manager’s job on Nic’s FB feed; it was like fate. Something new & exciting, where I could use my skills & knowledge whilst still getting to meet new & interesting people all day long. Perfect!

The difference between working in the retail sector & for an arts charity is massive! Just things like attitudes to work; being actively encouraged to take my holidays, not come into work when I’d been unwell, the level of support from management & colleagues alike has been brilliant. Prioritising need and necessity over just how much things cost, for example, & being able to make necessary day to day financial decisions without having to jump through hoops makes life so much easier too! It’s just so much less stressful than I anticipated and had previously experienced.

In some ways the position is very much what I was expecting it to be (setting up laundry suppliers & other accounts, day to day financial systems, choosing a suitable booking engine, staff training etc) but we’ve just met so many wonderful, weird & different types of people; from staff, volunteers, guests, artists & creatives hosting & taking part in various events in the Art Hostel; every day, every booking, every situation is different!

Choosing a favourite room is a difficult thing. I love the Riverside Mission Room because it’s beautiful & looks so comfortable; it’s where I’d put my folks if they came to stay. Room 2 is an incredibly pleasurable room to clean; it looks amazing when we get to do the whole room; when the sunlight sparkles off the shiny, freshly mopped floor, with all the bed rolls pristine & neat. It satisfies my OCD no end! Then there’s A Stranger In Pink… Enough said!

My favourite Art Hostel acquisition has to be ‘Wardrobia’ it’s amazing. I’m also super pleased that Jesse created it AND delivered & installed it! I would’ve had absolutely no way of getting it down the Basement Stairs but he & his willing team of helpful friends made it look easy. I’d love to host a clothes swap event down there & get even more crazy garments for her.

The most challenging aspect of running any sort of business is getting the right team around you & supporting them to be their very best. Mix this with satisfying the demands of a constantly changing customer base & you know you’ve got to be constantly on your toes & not get complacent with having your previous good reviews! We’ve been very lucky with the team we have, everyone puts in 110%. We’re constantly meeting new volunteer team members; this means ongoing staff training & support, keeping everyone motivated & making them feel invested in us and a real part of our Art Hostel family! Of course, the hardest thing is always having to say goodbye to volunteers who’ve also become amazing friends, as they leave to carry on with their adventures.

Christmas was a particularly special time; we had been so busy is the months leading up to it, everyone had been working so hard, & it must have been strange for the volunteers to not be with their families but we had such a great time, all together, exchanging gifts, in our big snuggly jumpers. It was just so lovely, the Art Hostel felt so homely.

Worst thing ever… Picking up used gross furry earplugs. *Shudder*. Hideousness, ten times worse than emptying the shower drains. *Bleugh*. Rude people are my absolute bug-bare. Luckily we don’t meet too many of them! A please will get you a loooooong way with me.

I’ve cheated & picked two pictures, almost exactly a year apart. The first one’s of a BBQ we had last summer in the back yard and the second doesn’t actually have me in it (!) and is of everyone out on the front step this summer. Both are excellent representations of our Art Hostel life, team & the family vibe we always seem to generate, even though our group is constantly changing. Good times!

Impossible to answer who I miss the most! I’ve met so many amazing people that have affected my life in the best way possible & who will always have a place in my heart. Some people have made themselves more obviously memorable than others, as you can imagine (John LaHood; I’m looking at you!) but I like to think I’ve acquired good friends from all over the world. We’ve been so bloody lucky with the amazing volunteers we’ve had, which is all down to Kate & Andreea’s excellent selection process & Hannah’s amazing staff training & motivation to music!

Welcome to the Art Hostel Blog!

We’ve got a blog!

 It’s been two years since we transformed this converted seed warehouse on the oldest street in Leeds and opened our doors to tourists and travellers from around the world! This place is the brainchild of the directors of East Street Arts, who as avid travellers and lovers of European-style hostel life, saw a gap in the accommodation offered in Leeds. We have added to the lower-budget offering in the city centre whilst doing what we do best: supporting local and international artists. 

We’ve been thinking for a while that there should be a way to stay in touch with the growing number of people that are now connected to us, from live-in volunteers to guests and ever increasing artists that have been involved in the hostel.

This is your glimpse into the life and times of the hostel and the constantly evolving community we host.  We will be using this blog to keep you informed of all the activity of the hostel, past and present, as well as any large developments as we begin to think about possible futures for the hostel and the transformation of Kirkgate. The Art Hostel Project Space has become a firm part of the independent and DIY art scene of Leeds, helping emerging artists develop their arts practice, so expect a snapshot of this growing activity.

So, welcome to the wonderful and colourful world of Art Hostel!
Contact us, if you have remarks, we love hearing from you.

1 2 3 4 5 67