SKESH: The creative duo backing Hull’s grassroots music scene

Somewhere between rehearsal rooms, sticky-floored venues and late-night gig chatter, SKESH was born. Founded by two long-time friends, SKESH isn’t just another design studio or merch supplier. It’s a creative partner for the unsigned, the under-heard, and the just-about-to-blow-up. 

They’re here to give Hull’s music scene the visuals and momentum it deserves, and we were lucky enough to chat with them about how they “make noise look cool” for the bands, artists, promoters and venues who “give a shit.”

How did Skesh come about, and what inspired you both to start it?

e have been close friends for over 10 years, meeting through playing in bands and our shared love of music. We’ve grown from teenagers in rehearsal rooms to adults with full-time careers. Alex as a professional graphic designer, and me, George, in sales. Over the years, we’ve both built skills in different areas, and we realised they’d work really well together. Alex came up with the concept for SKESH, and we both jumped at the chance to create something that supports the music community we care about. We know first-hand how tough it can be for artists, and we wanted to do our bit to help.

Can you walk us through the different services you offer for bands, artists, and venues?

We support unsigned and emerging artists with social media and marketing, content creation, merch design and production and any other general graphic design needs.

SKESH is all about bridging the gap between grassroots talent and the professional music industry, giving artists the tools and visuals to stand out.

How do you make sure your merch and collateral options are affordable for artists?We both have a background in printing, and we’ve built strong relationships that help keep our paper printing costs low. With merch, our philosophy is slightly different. We want it to be the kind of high-quality gear that fans will wear even when they’re not at a gig. That said, we still keep our margins low so the prices are fair for artists.

Chatting with Skesh, it’s clear their energy is rooted in community. Every story they tell circles back to the people, places and moments that make Hull’s music scene what it is. Which is why, when asked about their favourite project so far, they don’t just talk about design work, they talk about being part of something bigger.

So tell us, what’s been your favourite project so far?

We recently sponsored HU5 LIVE, a day-long celebration of live music along Princes Avenue. Each venue hosted performances, creating an incredible atmosphere from start to finish. We were proud to contribute by designing the event posters, capturing the exact feel the organisers were looking for. The day was a huge success, and it felt great to be part of such a vibrant community event.

That sounds so sick. What do you think excites you most about Hull’s music scene right now?It’s absolutely packed with emerging talent, and there are some fantastic champions of that talent pushing things forward. The energy feels really positive at the moment and for us, the most exciting thing is simply being involved.

Do you collaborate with promoters, venues, or other creatives in the city?Yes! Our first real partnership was with Spit it Out events, and that’s still going strong. We also work closely with Arthouse on Princes Avenue and with Loose Lips, the open mic they host there.

Do you see SKESH staying focused on merch and design, or branching into other parts of the music industry?We’re just taking things one day at a time. The traction we’ve had so far has been amazing, and the support from Hull’s music scene has been phenomenal. Who knows where we’ll be in five years?

What’s your dream project for SKESH?Someone once suggested turning SKESH into a record label which is a really exciting thought. But for now, we’re happy focusing on what we’re doing and seeing where it leads.

How can bands or venues work with you? And how can people support SKESH?

Just drop us a message! We’ve had enquiries for all sorts of things, even stuff outside our usual remit and we’ll always try to help if we can. The best way to support us is to follow our socials and share our work whenever possible.

Skesh isn’t just in it for the work, they’re in it for the people. And they know what it’s like to grind for every gig. That’s why each poster, merch run and asset is designed to give artists the kind of spotlight they deserve. They stay true to their slogan: they’re making noise look cool. 

And as for the meaning behind their name,  they told us that’s a secret… you’ll just have to guess. 

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Check out SKESH’s work here.

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