Taking Space - a-n The Artists Information Company

Venue: Cole's Gallery
Starts: Saturday, October 1, 2022
Ends: Sunday, October 16, 2022
Address: The Corn Exchange. The Balcony, Call Ln, Leeds LS1 7BR
Location: Yorkshire
Organiser: Cole's Gallery

Aire Place Studios is going on the road with an exciting assemblage of artist members. Following on from the success of the Members Show at APS Gallery this Spring, Taking Space at Coles Gallery is a celebration of Aire Place Studios Members.

Aire Place Studios is delighted to be taking up residence at Coles Gallery this autumn, seizing the opportunity to highlight the distinct painting talents of six of its accomplished Members.

Providing a platform for artists to exhibit their work, the beautiful light-filled space of Cole’s Gallery is located in the historic Leeds Corn Exchange – the Art Quarter. Championing local artists Cole’s offers a warm and welcoming environment which allows you to comfortably browse local art.

In the Taking Space exhibition expect to see colourful, abstract paintings by artists Sarah Francis, John Gamble, Chloe Morton, Jasmine Estelle, Ashley Ferrari, and Lina Bentley.

All the artists involved in the exhibition are part of the APS Membership which can be bought for just £45 per year. As an APS Associate Member, you will become a part of a growing community of talented artists and creatives working in a wide range of styles and media, all at various stages in their careers’.

“We are honoured to be collaborating with Cole’s gallery to showcase our community’s hard work in this fantastic commercial gallery space. All artworks will be available to purchase as well as the APS Associate Membership. So come and support Leeds artists!” Sarah Francis, APS Founder & Director

The show runs from Saturday 1st October to Sunday 16th October, with an Opening on Thursday 6th October (6pm – 9pm) at Coles Gallery.

The Corn Exchange. The Balcony, Call Ln, Leeds LS1 7BR

Gallery Open Times: Monday Closed, Tuesday 10am–5pm, Wednesday 12pm – 5pm, Thursday 10am–5pm, Friday 10am–5pm, Saturday 10am– 5pm, Sunday 10:30am–4:30pm

Sarah Francis

Artist Curator Sarah Francis is a Leeds based Artist Curator who focuses on bringing under-recognised artists and narratives to the public, using empathy and warmth to build self-confidence in creatives left behind by the mainstream system. Fascinated by complex possibilities lying dormant in ‘familiar’ environments, setting a challenging dialogue between cultural identity and the inner worlds which we as artists manifest within our work. This conceptual framework draws parallels between artists from differing socio-cultural worlds, whose work follows similar lines in metaphysical realms. Francis' interpretation of the curator is that of a caretaker of other worlds, working in collaboration as the tour guide and storyteller, bringing these converging manifestations to our physical spaces. Francis’ artwork centres around her neurodiverse and queer identity, building her own language and worlds to explore and understand ‘how I made me’; a reference to an early body of work that investigated her inner trauma and re-articulation of her current self. Her work has been shortlisted for the Saatchi Gallery’s Art of Giving Prize, selected by Richard Billingham for Curator’s Choice Noise Young Talent 2009, and recognised in Aesthetica’s 100 Best Contemporary Artists in Europe. In addition to her work, Sarah Francis is the Founder and Director of Aire Place Studios, Leeds. @sarahfrancis.art & @aireplacestudios

Aire Place Studios CIC

Aire Place Studios is a creative studio which holds spaces of equality and solidarity. We host comfortable studios spaces, hold safer spaces for workshops and a bold gallery space centred around innovation and inclusivity. Aire Place Studios also features a collective of associated artists who exist to radically uplift under-represented creatives with empathy and warmth to realise the potential of those often overlooked by traditional art institutions. This dynamic collaboration builds trust and collective accountability to serve our communities.