Closed Toilets, Former Newsagents and Disused Pub Become New Scarborough Arts Spaces

Disused shops and pubs and even toilets in Scarborough are being transformed into vibrant arts and culture hubs as part of a new project.

A number of old buildings in Scarborough are being transformed in to arts spaces this week, including a set of public toilets.

Scarborough Studios has leased a number of properties in the old town that will be converted into galleries and art studios.

Project Manager Andrew Aldis explains some of what they are doing...

A set of disused public toilets in Scarborough are being converted into an art gallery.

Scarborough Studios CIO, the organisation behind the Old Parcels Office Artspace, is aiming to bring new life to a number of disused buildings in the old town.

After nearly a year of negotiations, Scarborough Studios has secured leases from North Yorkshire Council for multiple properties, including including the Shakespeare pub and an old newsagents.

Project Manager - Andrew Aldis - says the idea is to breath new life in to vacant spaces.

Andrew hopes the revitalised buildings will catch peoples attention as they pass through parts of the old town.

The former Shakespeare Pub will be repurposed as a gallery and exhibition space on the ground floor, with creative studios upstairs. Additionally, the old newsagent’s shop next door, with its unique glazed, folding wall, will become a second exhibition space and media studio. The initiative also encompasses the long-closed sandwich shop on Newborough and the flat above it. Both flats will be made available as affordable art studios for around twelve artists or creative practitioners, fostering an environment of support and collaboration.

In a playful nod to the town’s seaside postcard traditions, Scarborough Studios has also leased the three closed former coin-operated public toilets on St. Helen’s Square. These will be transformed into Scarborough Bogs; innovative installation spaces for artists’ work, offering a unique viewing experience.

In a call out to artists the group describe Scarborough Bogs as :

"Former municipal, public toilet cubicles repurposed as art installation and performance spaces. These are very small, individual rooms. They no longer function as toilets. They would be suitable for imaginative, tongue-in-cheek arts installations, small performance spaces or a base from which a street artist may want to operate. "

By securing these leases, this initiative aims to turn town centre eyesores into vibrant cultural hubs, preserving the area’s unique character and history. These repurposed spaces will provide affordable venues for artists to create, exhibit, and perform, addressing the often-prohibitive costs of workspaces for artists, musicians, and performers.

Local artists will be able to occupy shared studios for as little as £25 per week, including all power and WiFi. They will have a 12-month license to occupy but can leave with only a month's notice.

Scarborough Studios say:

"Our priority is for artists to succeed, not to lock them into a contract they don’t want.

The master lease with the Council extends for at least ten years, with either party able to vacate by giving six months’ notice. For the Council, this notice would be given if planning permission for redevelopment of the buildings is granted. Scarborough Studios would provide notice if the buildings required extensive, uneconomical repairs."

"This transformation goes beyond arts and culture; it’s about community and economic development. The new galleries and studios are expected to attract visitors, stimulate the local economy, and create work opportunities. Additionally, they will serve as community gathering points, fostering social cohesion and cultural exchange.

Scarborough Studios CIO's initiative is poised to make a lasting impact,celebrating local talent and revitalising the heart of Scarborough. "

Andrew Aldis, project manager for Scarborough Studios, said,

"Artists constantly seek spaces where they can freely express themselves—spaces that are affordable and situated near other like-minded creatives. That's exactly what we're providing.

“Scarborough is home to a wealth of artistic talent, just waiting to be recognised and celebrated. Our goal is to create a cluster of spaces where creativity can flourish and be seen. We might even christen it Scarborough's new Arts Quarter."

With seed funding in place, Scarborough Studios intends this project to have a lasting impact over many years. Although the buildings may eventually face demolition, the group says that their ultimate purpose will have been to "bring the community together and to demonstrate that arts and culture belong in a modern town centre. Whatever is built in their place must continue their legacy of transformation, creativity and social cohesion. "