Pop Up Space? YAY - The Fleeting Arms

Very recently we (me, Brian and Brian) asked this question - would it be a good idea to open a pop arts and community space in the middle of York?

On Tuesday we held an open chat for anyone who was interested and available to come for a drink. 

The result? The Fleeting Arms will open its doors on the 6th March at 54 Gillygate, York. Just two doors up from The Gillygate Pub.

Naturally we'll open with an opening party, and a programme will follow from there. Quite who, how and what is by no means decided or even considered. 

It is amazing that an arts community - or at least some representatives from an arts community - can come together, look at an empty building, listen to a big and silly idea, and turn around and say 'Yes - I can help with that.' Some time ago, when we ran our first ever Little Festival Of Everything I wrote about the amazing power of people saying 'Yes'. And it's happening again here.

'Should there be a pop up arts space?'
'Yes'
'Will you help me?'
'Yes'

Quite quite amazing. 

We'll call it The Fleeting Arms. It will last for about 6 months. It is temporary, but valuable. We hope. 

It will be a place of exhibitions, art up on the walls, behind the bar and around the corridors; of rehearsals and R&D and sharings; of performances, finished work, and touring shows; of festivals and cross genre events;  it will have an artist studio to be messy and make work; it will have a communal shared office space; it will have a bar and cafe for sitting and meeting and writing and chatting; it will also have a pool table. It should have more - yoga classes, acting classes, debates and lectures. 

So we'd like your help. 

We need to clean, tidy, paint, find furniture, fill a skip or two, tile a shower, staff the bar, build a website, paint the door, pull up the carpets and sand the floor, drive a van around to pick stuff up, figure out a booking system, mount work on the walls and put together a damn good opening party. 

And to tell people about it.

We'll be starting next weekend. 4 big days of work on Friday 20th - Monday 23rd February. We'll be rolling up our sleeves and getting stuck in. We'd like you to join us - the door will be open, maybe being painted. 

So - this is an invitation to get on board. We like your hands, hearts, heads and help. 

Or rather, this is a question.

'Can you help?'

If you're interested then email fleetingarms@outlook.com

I'm proud this is happening. 

Alex