Making a Barge into a Community Arts Space

Our story

The long forgotten cargo barge Selby Tony was rescued and re-loved by The Arts Barge Project in 2013. Music, theatre, arts and barge lovers took her to heart and by 2019 she was shaping up and ready to launch her new found purpose in life as York's only floating community arts centre.

She arrived in York and gave her debut performance at The Arts Barge Riverside Festival in the summer of 2019 and everyone agreed she was an absolute star!

She has plenty of room in her heart and in her hold and is committed to offering a warm welcome to everyone. Unfortunately - as climate change is upon us - some days of the festival meant an overly warm welcome! And by October she was far too cold for comfort. 

2020 was supposed to bring a big funding push for completion of Selby Tony's build. Including crucially - insulation, a deck-house and an accessible lift. But of course it brought COVID19. 

The importance of what the Arts Barge has to offer has been brought very much into focus by the pandemic. Just how helpful the arts can be in supporting mental health, emotional wellbeing and community wellbeing is being much more widely recognised now. 

People of all ages and backgrounds gather together on the barge to share experiences and skills in music, theatre, dance and art-making. Taking part in workshops, learning stuff, helping out, meeting old friends and making new ones.

But the Arts Barge needs to be up and running full time to spread the love and bring the benefit of the arts - to all of the people, all of the time. 

In 2022 we raised enough community good will and funding to insulate the barge to make year round usage possible and we bought some portholes to bring more light into the hold. 

High water and wet weather over winter and spring has caused damage both internally and externally so remedial work is underway and a new mooring is structure planned.  

This summer we aim to construct the deckhouse and fit the portholes down below. We will be fundraising to achieve this and looking for volunteer help!

We will also be able to give her a new coat of paint - due to a generous sponsorship from Brewer's Decorator's Centre. 

The deckhouse will keep the rain out and provide an indoor upper deck space to include an accessible loo and lift so we can welcome every single member of our community on board - something we've been looking forward to from the beginning of this journey. We're all community volunteers and can't wait to be fully open to all.

 Who will the beneficiaries be?

The barge is located in York and is an inclusive, inter-generational community project. When the barge is fully converted with fully accessible lift, and can be used year-round, there will be a wide range of events in different art forms, aimed for a diverse demographic. There is no Arts Centre in York and the Arts Barge would address this gap in provision. The Arts Barge is for the local community to meet and enjoy arts events together.

Occasional events are currently happening on the barge but others take place elsewhere. Our focus areas currently are :

• Intergenerational community music (Bargestra is our community band) 
• Ensemble, band and performance opportunities for young musicians
• Arts for wellbeing and arts therapies 
• Extraordinary performance events 

We have an inclusive and welcoming attitude and aim to support access to events for all, with a focus on access for young people. 

Once completed, there will be full accessibility, including for all wheelchair users.

Who are we?

The Arts Barge Project is run by volunteers. It is a Community Benefit Society and has three Co-directors: Hannah West, Hannah Hutchinson and Christian Topman. We have been delivering community arts events and festivals with creative partners since 2009 - always with a view to converting and using an ex-working barge as a base for events. Valued core members have come and gone and we couldn't have done it without them - but we're still here - we knew it then and we know it now - York needs this!!

From left to right: Karl Acaster: Waterman, Al Hamilton: Joiner, David Spencer: Architect, Christian Topman: Community Musician, Hannah Hutchinson: Community Pub Manager, Marcia Mackey: former Children's Social Care Consultant, Hannah West: Art Therapist.