Art On The
MOVE ARTFUEL AT UNITY HOUSE
For the third time in its four year history, Artfuel is on the move, this time to Unity House. And this time, cross your paintcovered fingers, it’s here for a while, perhaps even to stay. Artfuel is a not-for-profit community arts organisation. Studio space is “open to anyone who’s creative,” says Artfuel’s Mandy Keating, adding that the organisation “likes to have as broad a mix as possible”. Mandy stresses Artfuel’s community nature. It’s not just about finding artists who need studios, but also about getting along with each other. “People here don’t have any pretensions, and if they do, we help them get rid of those.” At around 6,000 square feet, the twostory property, located a paintbrush’s throw from the historic Hyde Park Cemetery, has plenty of space for experienced and upcoming artists to spread their creative wings. The studios range from huge, lightfilled rooms to a windowless “hobbit hole”, tiny yet charming, a windowless loft accessed by steps. The loft is used by a painter who specialises in British
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birds. On the first floor, I saw the tools of a photographer’s trade in one of the already occupied studios, whilst downstairs, I bumped into artist and illustrator Mark Holiday, whose art was featured in a previous issue of the Doncopolitan. Plans for the ground floor include gallery space, workshops and possibly shows. This beautiful – if, at the time we spoke, slightly shabby – building has a somewhat mysterious past. One of a complex of 19th century structures near the cemetery’s entrance, Unity House is on a 15-year community lease from Doncaster Council. The building was most recently used as an emergency repair centre. It’s quite a change from Artfuel’s beginnings in the comparatively modern Portland Place, just across from the railway station. That first location was popular, with 18 artists having studio space at one point. Eventually, however, the organisation had to move, that time to St James Court, not far from its present location at Unity House. When I spoke to Mandy, Artfuel wasn’t on the move, strictly speaking. They’d
actually moved in the night before, on 19th April. The large room in which we were speaking had its fair share of cardboard boxes. One of the first orders of business was to unpack the kettle. Like most things in British life, art is fueled by a cuppa. We get down to business… Why has creating affordable studios for artists in Doncaster been so important to you? What’s your own background? I’ve always worked in the creative industry, but didn’t really understand what it was like for freelance artists and creatives until I became self-employed. Then I realised, talking to others in my situation, that people didn’t feel like there was enough support for the creative industry in the Doncaster area. Setting up affordable studio spaces seemed like it might answer a number of problems. It would be a professional yet affordable space to work in; it would offer a community for artists and creatives to collaborate and develop in; it would be a space to showcase work; it would be a place the public could go if they wanted the services of an artist or creative; it would be a reason for people to stay in Doncaster and retain those valuable skills.