We popped along to the one day exhibition/consultancy at Carlsberg Tetleys Thursday 22nd September to find out more about the plans for an art gallery and green space. The plans show making use of the two storey red brick building to become the new home for Project Space Leeds an artist led contemporary art space . Tetley’s sadly closed this year after nearly 200 years on the site, by the end of this period a small workforce of 170 remained. As a major brewer, and employer in the city the site holds a great many memories and associations for the people of Leeds, so whatever happens on the 2+hectare site will need to be handled with respect and sensitivity.
Personally I’m excited by the prospect of Project Space Leeds moving from their existing location along Whitehall Road (have you been?) I go less than I’d like because of the location. It’s neither on my approach to Leeds or my exit. Lazy? Yes. But let’s be realistic If you weren’t ‘in the know’ then it’s unlikely you’ll happen across the current space. Location does matter, and the logical approach to the gallery would be either going over the bridge by Oracle Bar at Brewery Wharf, or walking on past the Adelphi on Dock Street. But I’m aware that contemporary art isn’t everyone’s bag is it? Would a change of location help reach a wider audience?
The size of the space is significantly larger than the current PSL location, roughly about the equivalent of Ikon Gallery in Birmingham, certainly not the scale of Tate or Baltic, but affording the ability to house resident creative industries, a cafe and a playground in the surrounding green space.
It must be stated that this project is part of a much larger plan for regenerating south of the river, those plans drawn up by city architect (semi retired?) John Thorp promote a much larger city park area. (ref Guardian Leeds report 2010) These longer term plans would make the Tetley’s site pivotal in linking the South of the city, potentially creating a link between Clarence Dock and Granary Wharf.
I’ve been following conversations on Twitter from people such as Darren from @MyLifeInLeeds who questioned whether an Art Gallery capture the public’s imagination?’ & ‘…would love to read your honest thoughts on Tetley’s and how culture can raise the city’s profile?’ Meanwhile huge Facebook community (nearly 50k likers) Leeds Online have also been discussing what they think should happen on the Carlsberg Tetley’s space.
So what do you think? Lots of questions! Let’s start with would you welcome plans for use of this small part of the huge site as the new home to Project Space Leeds?
This sounds like a great plan, or at least the beginnings of a good idea. But my worry is that the folk who actually run Leeds and decide whether or not stuff like this becomes a reality seem to suffer from a chronic lack of ambition, embarrassing levels of short-sightedness and seem scared of doing encouraging anything that isn’t shopping.
or maybe it’s just that the majority of people in Leeds don’t want things like this and prefer shopping centres and multistory car parks? i’m probably out of touch
I wish PSP well in this location, as whenever I go to the present gallery I am invariably the only one there. I don’t recall ever seeing anyone else there except the staff. The opening times are restricted which is a problem and the publicity isn’t great but I’m not sure the work they show has a big audience. I love visual art of all kinds but I normally find it quite difficult to appreciate. Maybe the new site next to a car park will encourage the curious to drift in but as it is at present next to a busy car park I’m not so sure.
The present space of 500sq metres is pretty big, in fact I find it too sparse. I think a bit more publicity and more engagement with the viewers would help. I find walking around with the printed sheet less than helpful. The staff are welcoming and pleasant when you come in but maybe they should be a bit more pushy about explaining the work and helping the viewer to appreciate it.
I wish them well in their new home as Leeds is a bit short of gallery space and I will continue to visit and I hope appreciate the work more.
These are our demands: Crazy golf, a water park with loads of slides, that Gormley brick man sculpture but with Barry Chuckle’s head, something like the escape snow place but for tobogganers only – no posh skiing types, a luge from the top of bridgewater place, a model village/city, the world’s largest OO scale model railway, a petting zoo, a branch of Brymor’s Ice Cream parlour, a boating lake with swan boats, a Robot Wars arena, Rubber Dinghy Rapids, some Pontins-style chalets, a monorail, some giant sand dunes to jump off, a penguin/sea lion pool with underwater glass tunnel and a cheese factory/museum. This would all definitely make Leeds better, a strong argument for a command economy rather than letting ‘the market’ spew up more tiny tawdry flats and ‘retail/leisure opportunities’.
You should be Mayor.
There I was telling the people at the consultancy what a grown up group of people read the website…By the way based on a blog post by Mick McCann here where he indicated Stickle Bricks came from Leeds, The Culture Vulture can share early conversations are in place with PSL to create a huge Stickle Brick Man…not sure about Barry Chuckle’s head though…maybe Alan Bennett’s?
Maybe If we get Barclays involved they’ll work on the luge? 😉
Realistically the majority of people find shopping centers more accessible even those who have no money seem to prefer looking at manakins in shop windows over free art inthe gallerys the key is to combine the two such as art in empty spaces and lets face,it if they build a new shopping complex somewhere theres gonna be new empty shops to bring art to the disinterested masses i would like to see the council provide space for independent retailers the kind with really beautiful shops but overheads are low enough for their goods to be affordable mix this with art and it would be magical
To be less facetious, Leeds doesn’t have *any* active dynamic leisure attractions in the City Centre. With places like Hull having The Deep, and Sheffield having ponds forge & Winter Gardens we look joyless in comparison. Even the more dynamic things such as jousting at the Armouries has been discontinued. Is there anywhere in the centre where you could take children and have them captivated and enthused by what is there? (Museum perhaps?)
It’d just be good to have a bit of seaside-style fun going on somewhere, something that won’t bore children and might foster a greater sense of enthusiasm and belonging. I’ve no problem with the project space gallery (and enjoy visiting it in it’s current location – it is on my journey to town) – but I don’t think that alone will reach out to families.
Hello JF. We need to talk. If your email is correct then expect a little correspondence from me! It’s about your ideas for a playful city…
Some may thing your suggestions silly but I agree. A “fun” desitantion space will bring families into the city for other than shopping and then they may visit other things too.
Can it be housed in a dynamic & interesting building too, preferably taller than Bridgewater Place, to be seen as a beacon of the city, people would come to see that alone.
I’d love a city beech in Leeds too as an alternative public space.
Legoland please! No, joking aside – those of you who know me, will be aware that I am very passionate about my home city, a lot of frustration to how the city is marketed led me to create my local guide. There’s two areas that I think Leeds needs to improve on 1) things for families & young people 2) we need an identity, an icon, something that makes us different than London, Manchester and the rest.
Let me expand. 🙂
1) Families and young people. Yes, Leeds is home to some fantastic parks and open spaces which are family friendly, we have a few museums, but other than that, we are really lacking a space for activities for young people and families. I’m thinking of places like Eureka in Halifax, Legoland (don’t laugh) basically a space where activities can take place that gets kids away from their armchair playing PS3’s and hanging around on street corners.
2) The identity. I would have thought that a space such as Tetley’s would be a good opportunity for the developers to use their imagination and create something that is unique to Leeds, something that people can say, “oh Leeds is the place where is.”. Leeds has become just another city that has good shopping and nightlife and that is a shame.
I’ve written within the travel industry for some year’s so network with a lot of people offline and online who do not live in the UK, and many of them have never heard of Leeds – if they do, it is because of the football team.
Just some thoughts. Feel free to rip the comment to pieces and tell me what you think. 🙂
Can I throw a spanner into the works by asking “Where is all the money going to come from to build all these wonderful ideas that you all have”.
It’s all very well saying we should have this for Leeds and that for Leeds, but no-one adds to the statement by saying … “and the money will come from……”
I’m off to hide.
Good question Lynn. I have no idea – but then where’s the money coming from to create another art gallery? 🙂
Yes agreed some ideas are rather fanciful. But imagination and desire can actually make things happen, as I’m sure both you and Darren are testimony too. One person’s flight of fantasy is another’s to do list!
It’s not another gallery, it already exists, it’s planning on moving from one space to another. I agree where do the funds come from to do anything? Like The Hepworth Gallery, which has seen a massive 200, 000+ visitors in less than six months of opening. What would constitute a return on investment? Even if you didn’t go to it, could you appreciate the joy it brought to other people?
I’m sure they don’t need me to defend them, but for those who are not aware of them, PSL have a track record of being extremely resourceful, their first location was a private partnership with a developer to occupy vacant space in a mixed use development. After a number of years of sustaining themselves they proved that they were increasing opportunities for emerging artists, and this year they received notification of Arts Council National Portfolio Funding which kicks in next financial year.
I may sound biased, I’m all for DIY action as you well know. The fact that PSL are in the running to have a significant space in the city centre and do something that I wish to support. That and many other ventures by people passionate about what they do.
I now get off my soapbox
Sorry Emma, I knew my ‘another art gallery’ would get you on your soapbox! Guilty as charged 🙂
I hope to visit Hepworth Gallery soon, and 200,000+ visitors is very impressive – that casts another another doubt in my head about an art gallery at the Tetley’s brewery, if Hepworth is so close nearby, is this going to have an impact?
Also surely we need something that the majority of the public can enjoy and use, rather than those who are interested in art?
In years to come I might have to eat my words when 200,000 people are visiting this new Leeds attraction, but right now I’m still not convinced.
I’ve visited Hepworth Art Gallery, I found the views through the windows were a ‘Work of Art’ in themselves. A credit to the designer. Would definitely go back just to look through them again.
Nobody is suggesting that PSL is the size or has the resource of The Hepworth. You are being a bit literal Darren! Why would you imagine another art gallery (and let’s be clear we have no idea as to the investment so let’s not speculate yet) would impact negatively on another? YSP also near Wakefield saw fantastic attendance figures in a concurrent period
I’ve not lived in Leeds for very long and I am always really disappointed at the lack of green space within the CENTRE of Leeds. I hail from Sheffield, where there is Weston Park and the Botanical Gardens within a very healthy walk from the city centre. My boyfriend has lived in Leeds his whole life…and he wants to move to Sheffield or York thanks to its greenery.
I realise there is Hyde Park (which I have seen but would never walk through it alone, ever) and of course the glorious-sounding Roundhay Park. But I’m in a position where I can’t travel on the expensive buses or walk for well over an hour through parts of Leeds I am not familiar with just to enjoy some nature.
I’d really love to see the old Brewery become something akin to the Winter Gardens or the Botanical Gardens in Sheffield. Maybe even throw in a few Museum things. The Weston Park Museum in Sheffield is full of history, both industrial and natural (lots of stuffed animals, perhaps a chance to revive the Leeds Hippo?), and has art space too. It has regular events for families, young children, and young adults. It has active conservation projects to keep little bits of wildlife in the city centre (they have an active honey bee hive to help build up numbers in the wild).
If I thought I’d have a chance, I’d sneak in there and grab the space before anyone else could and build this kind of place myself! 😀
Yes green space in Leeds throughput Leeds Centre would be lovely. I’ve harboured a fantasy for the entire Headrow to be renamed the Hedgerow. With birds and squirrels and wild flowers. Fat chance!
Alongside psl proposals (which will be fantastic – looking forward to being able to get there more often) also really excited about the proposed green space on the site (which hasn’t been discussed so much). Loads of potential here not just for meanwhile uses (including stuff for families) but to kickstart a coversation about what the south bank and the city centre park (now included in South bank planning statement) might look like. The site carries great potential to link arts/culture with green space/ecology agendas …
Regarding stuff for families. Yes we need more but not necessarily large attractions like Eureka.They are too expensive for more than one-off trips. Just needs more regular city-centre spaces with exciting, free, play and some shelter for parents..looks like this site might have it all. Can’t wait.
Anyone who took a look at my 28-day tour around Yorkshire on here last month might have seen my trip to Richmond up in North Yorkshire – a beautiful place which has had its own peaks and troughs, having grown as a settlement around its castle after the Norman Conquest, enjoying a renaissance hundreds of years later as a popular Georgian resort.
These days, it struggles to regain its place – you get a sense that despite its best efforts to retain its identity and its heritage, their glory days are behind them. But one incredible achievement made by a few hard-working and committed (and very smart, it must be said) locals has been The Station just outside the centre of town. Many readers will know it and some will have been: the converted buildings of the town’s old railway station (shut down by Beeching), it is now a leisure centre-cum-gallery-cum-local retail outlet under one authentic and beautiful roof. As well as a cinema and cafe/restaurant (which draws four times as many visitors as the ancient castle up the road, including a great many youngsters and families on the rainy August afternoon when I visited), it presents a small museum space on the history of Richmond and The Station (with interactive exhibits which share local people’s memories), as well as an art exhibition space, and interestingly as a place for local producers to sell their wares (they’ve even got a micro-brewery in there).
It’s an eclectic and interesting venue, “fun for all the family”, and moreover not just somewhere you can visit once and tick off the list (like many do with a lot of traditional galleries and museums), but you can keep returning to for casual social visits. I wonder if it’s a good model for what we can do here with this opportunity….
I don’t buy the argument that Leeds is an understated city and that we don’t like to blow our own trumpet (go to Elland Road, and you soon realise we bloody love ourselves – we think we’re the greatest in the land, and we’re right!). I just think we’re not very good at it, or maybe that some of us are too busy these days worrying about why Leeds doesn’t have the same civic/cultural identity as Manchester or Liverpool, rather than actually doing something to make one (The Beatles didn’t start up just because they wanted to make Liverpool great…). This could be just that : a place where we can celebrate the contribution that this city has made to the world and to the ordinary life of people all over, and where visitors can return again and again.
To expand further, there needs to be more things to incentivise people/families from Cleckhuddersfield & beyond to jump on the train (particularly when they are lightly used at weekends and during the day) and visit this city, boosting the economy. We have an excellently positioned station and a compact walkable city centre. At the moment I’m not sure there is much that would inspire people to travel here other than the shopping. Having something to see that was central would encourage people onto more sustainable travel modes rather than driving to Harewood/Roundhay/YSP.
I know the council want to encourage family-friendly housing development along the canal to the west of the centre (beyond city Island on the old Arla/Yorkshire Chemicals site, and having some family attractions in or close to the centre would make this more attractive.
Another soon to be derelict site turned into art space, what a great use of space. Not.
What Leeds lacks as JF has pointed out is a place for families to go together and have fun, If we want to take our kids to a decent indoor fun pool with slides etc we have to go to Doncaster of all places, want a fun educational place to go, then it has to be Halifax for Eureka or Sheffield for Magna. It’s a massive site that could be used as some form of leisure complex for families, not another John Charles Center for Sport, yes it could incorporate the arts as well, that way making the arts more inclusive to families. It could have lots of external green space, something the city desperatley lacks, big adventure playgrounds, skateboard park etc, something to give a wider range of Leeds folk entertainment.
Russ, this is an excellent post. Something I was thinking about when I stumbled upon the curry festival in town on Saturday. Yes, still commerce-based, but something a little bit more social and accessible than we’re used to. I can’t wait for Light Night.
Hi Claire, light night looks good, just wich i could make the showing of Nosferatu.
Good comment Russ, I think we are both of the same opinion. I can’t help but think a modern art gallery is a lazy way out of creating something for the people of Leeds at the brewery sight. It lacks imagination to me.
Hi Darren, it does seem to be the lazy option to put another art gallery in the city center, especially when we already have one. The project needs to be unique, and perhaps take a bit of a risk, something the council sadly lack.
Great comments from everyone. I’m all for a familiy friendly fun destination. Let make it our own not copy other cities though.
Whatever ends up there I hope it gets done 100% and not start as a gret idea and then get watered down. A bit negative maybe but lets think big & bold and go for it all guns blazing!
This is a really important site for Leeds and it’s great that people care about what happens to it.
@Russ & @Darren
I’ve already stated my bias, so this won’t come as a surprise, but why is this seen as the Council’s decision in this instance? This is potentially a private enterprise partnership. Okay they need to grant planning, for this very small part of a much wider development.
So imagine the rest of the 3 hectare zone, as time goes by, have a look at the plans which show a huge green space is mooted.
Imagine instead of starting with an art gallery they went for retail, what signal of intent would that give? Another Crown Point? An Art Gallery could symbolise more risk taking plans, build an appetite for something more family orientated, and maybe the gallery will be as appealing to families anyway? We don’t know the minutiae of their plans yet, could we have a little faith?
I’m all for BIG BOLD VISION stuff, and as a mum of two desperate for stuff to get my kids excited by in Leeds, so I’m with you on the needs you’ve expressed. It’s great to see that we share this desire, as frustration can lead to change. But let’s also be a bit pragmatic, where would the investment come from to build the Magnas, WaterWorlds, Crazy Golf, Mega Meccano, in this ‘age of austerity’…
If we collectively agitate for better, and not lay the blame at one resourceful art gallery’s door when in fact it’s Carlsberg Tetley who own the site and can do what they see fit with it (including nothing at all) then surely this can be seen as a catalyst for more? A stepping stone? Something you might just like and enjoy if you gave it half a chance?
An interesting discussion but too often polarised.. Surely it is possible to accommodate many of the items from this ‘wish list’ … by creating a family-centred, culturally-enhanced space. It needs ‘avenues of entry’ to get people from the train and bus stations easily … And those avenues should have ‘enticers’ and pointers to what’s in store (unintentional pun to keep the shoppers happy). These avenues could, for example, have ‘collectable’ symbols forming a ‘treasure hunt’.
I hope they provide the opportunity for local creatives to curate shows.
Whilst not being privy to all the information regarding this venture or up-to-speed with all that is happening in the contemporary Leeds art scene (getting the apologies in early if I tread on any toes) I do have some strong feelings about this.
Here goes…
I think Leeds is crying out for a modern, contemporary arts/creative space that is supported by the council/private business/the Arts Council and provides exciting, ambitious accessible opportunities/events for the public and practionaires alike.
I reject the idea that the last thing Leeds is another art gallery. My reasoning is that Leeds does have a lot of independent art spaces, but, for anyone not really in the loop, these are either small, disparate spaces located on the periphery of the city centre and/or are running programmes that are esoteric. Plus, invariably they are badly promoted and no one hears about them.
In this sense I believe Leeds does deserve something that could be a central go-to-place for contemporary art/culture not just for Leeds but for the north. This could have a broad remit so that it appeals to the largest audience possible/could act as tourist attraction.
Having lived in Leeds/in Yorkshire for most of my life my other reason why Leeds needs this kind of space is frustration. If you visit the art spaces at Leeds College of Art and Design and the Leeds Met, the equipment, facilities and ideas on show are inspiring, exciting and vibrant. Contrast this with contemporary arts practice on show in city and gets a bit depressing. I really struggle to think of a contemporary show at Leeds City Art Gallery/Henry Moore Institute over the past 10 years that excited me and motivated me to visit either gallery (even the Hirst Show or the Northern Art Prize).
Furthermore, as an arts graduate, I always find myself comparing Leeds to other cities. Since the 1990s northern towns and cities such as Liverpool, Manchester, Sheffield, Gateshead and Wakefield have been ambitious/dynamic and invested in centres for contemporary art/culture (some have been more successful than others admittedly – Urbis great idea, woeful execution). I have found myself travelling to the exhibitions put on in these places far more than seeking out what is on offer in Leeds.
The other galling thing is that when you consider the rich and diverse theatre productions the Grand, West Yorkshire Playhouse, the Carriage Works and the Opera North have been able to put out on a regular basis contemporary art in Leeds has been the poor relation.
I’m not saying the Tetley Space should solely be an art gallery but I do think it would offer a great opportunity for a creative space in Leeds that would act as barometer for modern/contemporary art and could be a way of bringing more tourism/business to the city.
Obviously there might need to be some cash thrown at it. In these times that might be a stumbling block…