Ground is made up of a community of artists of all types (rough and polished) and activists. We want to open Ground 3 days a week, for art making, skill sharing, and prolific tea drinking: Tuesdays: ‘Chaos Office': for experimental performance and 'Inside-Out' : a communal art making session. Thursdays: 'Skillabalooza' : a skill share with sessions in Risograph printing, sewing, Free software, herbal medicine & whatever people suggest/bring, and 'Ground Presents': artist talks. Saturdays: 'Open day': for exhibition viewing, and workshops. We will: *Exhibit work by 'unschooled' as well as 'established' artists. We value art over credentials! *Support the marginalized; providing space to express inner worlds. *Find out how to welcome, to unwind tensions and to unpick prejudices and to cross boundaries of race, class, sexual orientation and ability through art and conversation. *Continue with: Mad Pride, War stops here, The Free software movement and environmental projects.

What we'll deliver:

• Every person/group who donates will receive an artwork by the Ground collective.
• Open Ground 3 days a week, for 5 hours per day, starting March 2018.
• Deliver workshops in sewing, printing, media production, experimental performance, zine making and more.
• Bring in artists from near and far to deliver workshops, talks, exhibitions and performances.
• Give the people who use the space the opportunity to exhibit their work in our gallery.
• Open up the space for other community groups who want to use the space.
• Host a monthly artist talk and performance evenings and film screenings.
• Make infinite cups of tea for our guests.

Why it's a great idea:

We have worked for two years developing Ground as a gallery and event space on a voluntary basis and we are feeling the strain of balancing paid-work with the demands of running a community space and the urge to be in Ground more and more. This project will enable us to reach out and share the space with more people and give us the time to organise ourselves. Every person/group who donates will receive an artwork by the Ground collective, WOOO HOOOOO, (if they want one).

Steps to get it done:

• A celebration party with art, performances, music and food.
• Massive planning session, planning workshops, events and exhibition programme.
• Wages given; 6 artists/activists paid for 8 hours per week, 2 people per day.
• Open Ground 3 days per week for 5 hours. (+ 3 hours when Ground is closed for admin and community reach out)
• Have a core group meeting every 2 weeks to plan further workshops and events.
• November 2018: evaluate, plan for 2019.

As well as Spacehive crowd-funding, we are applying to Hull city Arts and Arts council for match funding for this project. The funds will pay Ground's artists/activists to Open ground 3 days a week, for 9 months- March to November 2018. Our space is provided by HIHAC charity, rent free - thank you HIHAC. This would have cost us £14,900