WE ARE EVERYBODY ARTS,

An Innovative Arts Organisation Based in Halifax, West Yorkshire.

Since 2008, Everybody Arts has been a place where the opportunity to experience the benefits of art and understand its value is available to everybody, regardless of age, ability, background, or circumstance. Hence our name. 

We champion art for everyday life and think that opportunity and engagement with art can make things better for everyone.

Our time, space and resources are dedicated to supporting artistic development, community and imagination, as such we are home to a thriving creative community where everyone is welcome. 

Our work takes place at our venue, a grade II listed textile mill in Halifax. Here you will find our art school with extensive creative production facilities and equipment, our gallery where creative practices and processes are shared and showcased as well as our artist studios, where 20 artists and creative practitioners make their work. Our work also takes place out in the community at schools and community venues, online and in peoples homes.

Everybody Arts is a community interest company so we don't work for profit. The income we generate is used to support the communities we are established to serve.

Thanks to our funding partners and supporters we are able to make many of our activities free. Where we don’t receive any subsidy we make sure that access is affordable while always paying artists a fair rate.

ETHOS

At the heart of Everybody Arts is a deep-rooted commitment to community, creativity and wellbeing. We embrace a holistic approach that recognizes the intrinsic value of artistic expression and creative engagement. We foster an environment that enables people to exercise their creativity and values empathy, joy and collaboration, where people can explore their full potential, discover new perspectives, and develop resilience. We are here to help develop artists, no matter where they are starting from, and where they are going, and whatever their background.

THE EVERYBODY SCHOOL OF ART 

Our art school is our main, day-to-day operation. For over 15 years, day in day out, we have been running artist-led courses and workshops as well as providing access to specialist facilities. Activities combine fundamental skills with innovative approaches in drawing, painting, ceramics, print, textiles, in fact all disciplines of visual art. Our space is open to everybody, no matter their experience, financial situation or ability. We operate a fully inclusive space that is warm, welcoming, collaborative, vibrant and fun.

THE EVERYBODY GALLERY 

We facilitate exhibitions from internationally renowned and up and coming artists as well as members of the local community. We also run events, host conferences, throw parties and everything in-between.

THE EVERYBODY STUDIOS 

We foster a collaborative and inclusive atmosphere that brings emerging and established artists together, whilst supporting their careers and connecting them to our other activities, so that ideas and skills are shared.

Outreach

Our work also takes place outside our buildings, in community hubs, Schools, public venues and in peoples homes. Our outreach projects are a chance for us to share what we do and demonstrate the value of art across the country. 

OUR PATRON

Our Patron is Sir Quentin Blake. An famous illustrator and author who champions the arts, particularly in health and educational contexts. We know - we are very lucky!

History

Everybody Arts was created by John Ross and Peter Stanyer (known as Stan) in 2008.

Being good friends since they met at The Royal College of Art in the 70s, they came together to realise a shared vision of establishing an independent art school in Halifax.

In 2008 Halifax was a town still recovering from the sharp decline of our textile industry. Their vision was both utopian and nostalgic; to see the return of the traditional British art school and use art to transform peoples lives, our community and our town for the better.

We were established as ‘The Everybody School of Art’ with the firm belief that art is for everyone no matter what a person’s age, background or ability might be. Having worked in formal and academic arts education for decades, especially over the period where art schools were subsumed into universities, John and Stan felt passionately that too many people were being excluded from the receipt of a quality arts education and all the wider benefits that creativity can bring.

We took up residence on the first floor of the oldest part of Shaw Lodge Mills, a grade II listed former textile mill on the outskirts of Halifax in October 2008. Work started with a few easels and a simple drawing class called ‘So You Think You Can’t Draw?’. This mix of fundamental skills with inspirational approaches laid the foundations for our work today.

Over the years we have expanded our space, facilities and provision to occupy three floors of our building, an active outreach programme that serves our community. Our activities cover a range of artistic activity and creative practice and are designed to support the development of critical thinking, practical skills, confidence and self motivation in art.

In being open to all we have developed a wonderfully rich community that shapes the direction of our work in many ways. Our partnerships with local schools, universities and community organisations have seen us deliver projects that support artistic development and ignite community imagination. Since 2009 we have collaborated with our local NHS Mental Health Trust in pioneering programmes with truly inspirational and life changing results.

At the heart of our organisation remains a clear understanding that art is a powerful tool for transformation.

Being open to all today means a commitment to the inclusion of marginalised and underrepresented voices in our work, paying attention to commonalities and celebrating individual difference.