The Art Exchange

02/09/2026

Starting next week, direct message us to book!

🎨 YOUTH PORTFOLIO BUILDING COURSE (AGES 10–16) 📐🖼️

Is your teenager looking to build a standout art portfolio for GCSEs, A-Levels, college applications, or personal growth?

Our brand-new Thursday evening studio sessions are specifically designed for secondary school students wanting to level up their technical fine art skills! From high-contrast charcoal drawing and lino printmaking to 3D sculpture and acrylic painting, students will create 3–4 portfolio-ready studio pieces alongside detailed sketchbook development.

🗓️ WHEN: Thursdays, 10th September – 22nd October

⏰ TIME: 4:30 PM – 5:30 PM

👧 AGES: 10–16 Years

💰 PRICE: £8 per class | £50 for the full 7-week term (save £6!)

📚 TERM PROGRAMME:

✏️ Week 1 (10 Sept): Tonal Value & Still Life Studies (Henry Moore)

🎨 Week 2 (17 Sept): Mixed-Media & Expressive Portraiture (Jean-Michel Basquiat)

🖌️ Week 3 (24 Sept): Macro Botanical Painting & Color Theory (Georgia O’Keeffe)

🖼️ Week 4 (01 Oct): Relief Lino Printing & Editioning (Käthe Kollwitz)

🗿 Week 5 (08 Oct): 3D Wire & Plaster Sculptural Forms (Alberto Giacometti)

✒️ Week 6 (15 Oct): Perspective & Fine-Line Architectural Ink Studies (M.C. Escher)

📁 Week 7 (22 Oct): Portfolio Curation, Sketchbook Assembly & Presentation

📍 WHERE: The Art Exchange CIC (Venue A4)

🎟️ HOW TO BOOK:

Spaces are limited to ensure individual, 1-on-1 feedback and support! Drop us a DM or email to reserve a spot for the term or individual sessions.

📢 PLEASE NOTE: Kate is currently on annual leave until 3rd September. You are very welcome to message or email us now to register your interest, and please bear with us—we will confirm all bookings as soon as she returns! ☀️

30/08/2026

We need your help!
We truly believe that The Art Exchange CIC and Artwalk Wakefield opens up a wealth of creativity for Wakefield's art and music scene and we'd love to get nominated, if you think we are doing a cracking job too please follow the link and give us a vote, it really would mean the world to us!

And it will literally only take two ticks!

Thank you 🥰

https://usgnetwork.fillout.com/bidawardscharitable?fbclid=IwVERTSAUBEXpwZG9mBWV4dG4DYWVtAjEwAHNydGMGYXBwX2lkDDM1MDY4NTUzMTcyOAABHpR3NSF4Iv_sRgIygiR6rXO5BlD3WH1LrUynQWhd5uF3Ox2PoB8oJ54t-9bb_aem_e3MrnMmtJHrGRFwUJcBd1Q&sfnsn=scwspmo

Made with Fillout, the best way to make forms, surveys and quizzes your audience will answer.

28/08/2026

An awesome opportunity for our musician friends
https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1KGkTyvzg4/

Musicians in the UK can now apply for up to £8,000 in funding to support tours across "small to medium-sized" venues.

Applications to the UK Artist Touring fund opened today, August 26, and will close on Friday, September 11. Applicants are encouraged to fill out a touring budget sheet.

The fund is supported by the voluntary ticket levy, which puts £1 per ticket from selected arena and stadium shows across the UK into grassroots music initiatives such as this.

24/08/2026

🏖️ OUT OF THE STUDIO 🌊

We are stepping away for a quick break to recharge before our busy autumn term gets underway!

Emails & Enquiries: We will begin catching up on messages and responding to booking enquiries from Thursday 3rd September.

Studio Reopening: Our doors will officially reopen on Monday 7th September as our full autumn schedule kicks off!

✏️ Life Drawing Update: Tony will still be running Life Drawing as normal while we are away, so don't miss out on those sessions!

You are still very welcome to drop us a message or email in the meantime to hold your spot for our upcoming art clubs, portfolio sessions, and Artwalk submissions. Please bear with us while we're away—we’ll get back to everyone as soon as we're back at our desks! 🎨✨

See you all in September!

23/08/2026

✨ FREE/FUNDED NEURODIVERGENT TEEN ART PROGRAMME ✨

We are thrilled to announce that our specialised creative programme for neurodivergent young people returns this September, proudly supported using public funding by The National Lottery Community Fund!

Designed for Autistic, ADHD, Dyspraxic, and other neurodivergent teens, this relaxed, low-pressure studio group offers a safe space to explore fine art mediums, meet like-minded peers, and express themselves at their own pace.

🌟 WHAT MAKES THIS SESSION SPECIAL?

🧠 Sensory-Aware Space: Low lighting options, quiet breakout areas, and flexible seating options.

🎨 Self-Paced Creativity: No forced schedules or pressure to perform—explore painting, sculpture, illustration, and printmaking freely.

🤝 Small, Supportive Group: Highly limited numbers to ensure a calm, welcoming environment.

🆓 Fully Funded: Free of charge thanks to National Lottery players!

🗓️ WHEN: various times and days (Starting September 2026)

👧 AGES: 11–18 Years

💰 COST: FREE (Registration required)

📍 WHERE: The Art Exchange CIC

⚠️ LIMITED PLACES AVAILABLE FOR SEPTEMBER INTAKE

Because we keep group sizes small to preserve a comfortable, calm environment, places fill up very quickly!

🎟️ HOW TO REGISTER:

Drop us a direct message or email us to express your interest and secure a place for the September term.

📢 PLEASE NOTE: Kate is currently away on annual leave until 3rd September. You are very welcome to message us now to get on the registration list, but please bear with us—we will get back to confirm all spots as soon as she returns! ☀️

22/08/2026

It's been an amazing few weeks working at festivals, but we are not so much looking forward to the packing away!

We'll share our art soon, but first let's wrap up the festival s and get ready for a well deserved holiday, see you all in September!

22/08/2026

🎨 YOUTH PORTFOLIO BUILDING COURSE (AGES 10–16) 📐🖼️

Is your teenager looking to build a standout art portfolio for GCSEs, A-Levels, college applications, or personal growth?

Our brand-new Thursday evening studio sessions are specifically designed for secondary school students wanting to level up their technical fine art skills! From high-contrast charcoal drawing and lino printmaking to 3D sculpture and acrylic painting, students will create 3–4 portfolio-ready studio pieces alongside detailed sketchbook development.

🗓️ WHEN: Thursdays, 10th September – 22nd October

⏰ TIME: 4:30 PM – 5:30 PM

👧 AGES: 10–16 Years

💰 PRICE: £8 per class | £50 for the full 7-week term (save £6!)

📚 TERM PROGRAMME:

✏️ Week 1 (10 Sept): Tonal Value & Still Life Studies (Henry Moore)

🎨 Week 2 (17 Sept): Mixed-Media & Expressive Portraiture (Jean-Michel Basquiat)

🖌️ Week 3 (24 Sept): Macro Botanical Painting & Color Theory (Georgia O’Keeffe)

🖼️ Week 4 (01 Oct): Relief Lino Printing & Editioning (Käthe Kollwitz)

🗿 Week 5 (08 Oct): 3D Wire & Plaster Sculptural Forms (Alberto Giacometti)

✒️ Week 6 (15 Oct): Perspective & Fine-Line Architectural Ink Studies (M.C. Escher)

📁 Week 7 (22 Oct): Portfolio Curation, Sketchbook Assembly & Presentation

📍 WHERE: The Art Exchange CIC (Venue A4)

🎟️ HOW TO BOOK:

Spaces are limited to ensure individual, 1-on-1 feedback and support! Drop us a DM or email to reserve a spot for the term or individual sessions.

📢 PLEASE NOTE: Kate is currently on annual leave until 3rd September. You are very welcome to message or email us now to register your interest, and please bear with us—we will confirm all bookings as soon as she returns! ☀️