The York-based creative arts network with a true grassroots ethos

There’s a hunger for community, experimentation and genuine expression across the North and in this city, it’s no exception. In York, Navigators Art has carved out something truly special.

What began as a name for a student group show, dreamed up by co-founders Steve Beadle and Richard Kitchen while studying for their MA in Fine Art at York St John, has since evolved into a thriving creative network and grassroots event organisation, offering opportunities for emerging and unconventional talent to perform or exhibit their work in York.

"Navigators" was a fitting choice of name from the start. “We were trying to find our bearings on a course that was completely new to everyone,” co-founder Richard recalls. After a pause during Covid, the name was resurrected—this time, not just as a title, but as a mission. Others joined the team, and what followed was an explosion of artistic activity that York hadn’t quite seen before.

York itself proved fertile ground. A combination of luck, location, and opportunity gave the collective a base: a former tax office behind Spark, since demolished, became the first studio. From there, they began exhibiting, reaching out to local groups, and slowly building momentum.

“Nothing like us existed. So we invented it.”

Navigators Art is not a gallery, nor a traditional collective. It’s an art project in its own right. And it’s exactly this holistic, do-it-yourself ethos that has attracted both creatives and audiences alike. Their work straddles the visual and the performative, the established and the experimental.

Their YO Underground series, in particular, stands out. This regular event features music and spoken word that pushes boundaries, giving a stage to both seasoned performers and those just beginning to find their voice. “Outside-the-box creativity,” as BBC Upload once described it, seems to be the perfect label.

On the visual arts side, the Micklegate Arts Trail captures the spirit of community-led curation. Artworks appear in shop windows, pubs, and public spaces, chosen not by panels but by local traders. “It’s grassroots in the truest sense,” Richard explains, and it’s grown to include workshops, performances, and exhibitions.

While many arts organisations struggle with funding or exclusivity, Navigators pride themselves on remaining volunteer-run and fiercely inclusive. “Everyone is welcome to join us,” Richard told us, but this inclusivity is more than lip service. They actively seek out artists and performers from underrepresented backgrounds, prioritising diversity and ensuring gender balance and accessibility.

“Giving a platform to emerging artists, writers, musicians and performers is how we sustain ourselves.”

Despite running on passion more than money, performers are still paid from door takings. That commitment speaks volumes. One young artist, mentored early on in their journey, offered a reflection that sums up the collective’s impact: “This has been invaluable for helping me realise where I want to be in life. Amazing work and an escape from mundanity! It’s helped shape me as a professional and a person.”

Looking ahead, the group has no plans to slow down. YO Underground will continue monthly throughout the year, drawing in performers not just from York but further afield—Newcastle, Leeds, Sheffield—cities with more established alternative music scenes. “For York, it’s quite a new venture,” Richard admits. “But as word gets out, I think we’ll gradually grow an audience thirsty for something a bit different.”

They’re also keen to expand the Micklegate Arts Trail into an annual fixture and deepen collaborations with York Festival of Ideas and local initiatives like the StreetLife project. Hopes for the future include involvement in green and archaeological projects—ventures that, like everything they do, blend art with place, people, and meaning.

Venues have played a key role in their story too. City Screen Picturehouse offered not only exhibition space but helped them relaunch its Basement venue after Covid—a significant moment marked by a sold-out show. “Cath Sharp, the manager, has been tremendously supportive,” Richard notes. The Black Swan, with its ancient upper room and regular folk club nights, plays host to their annual “dark Christmas” show, A Feast of Fools, which is apparently “very ancient and very atmospheric.” (We can’t wait to go this year!)

For anyone in the North looking to build something similar in their own town, their advice is disarmingly simple: “Believe in yourself, your creativity and your goals. Start small but think big… You don’t need money or to know the ‘right’ crowd: just make good contacts and be good people.”

Navigators Art proves that grassroots doesn't mean small in vision or limited in impact. From humble beginnings and a demolished workspace, they've created a platform, a community, and a new cultural map for York. For others hoping to bring creativity out of galleries and into streets, shops, basements, and bars, Navigators show exactly how it’s done: with heart, with hustle, and with room for everyone at the table (or on the stage, in this case.)

Thank you to Navigators Art for sharing their work with us. You can see more of who we're talking to over on instagram @UPNORF_

Follow Navigators Art on Facebook and Instagram @navigatorsart. Full event listings are available at bit.ly/nav-events.

If you'd like to get in touch with Navigators Art, you can email them at navigatorsart@gmail.com.