Urban Studio Sessions CIC is an arts and urban sports organisation focused on improving the mental and physical wellbeing of young people through high-quality creative and physical programmes.
Established in 2017, we have engaged over 4,500 participants and became a Community Interest Company limited by guarantee in 2023.
Founded by an industry artist and designer, our organisation operates at the intersection of professional creative practice and community-based delivery. This dual perspective allows us to bring industry-informed artistic or sporting approaches into accessible, trusted environments, creating meaningful opportunities for young people who may not otherwise engage with the arts or urban sports (which can also be described as an expressive art).
Our work is rooted in:
- Place-based delivery, meeting young people where they are
- Global Majority, Artist-led practice, ensuring quality and integrity
- Inclusive Engagement, supporting young people across all backgrounds and experiences
We are committed to developing grassroots talent, creating pathways into creative practice, and supporting young people and people to build confidence, skills, and a sense of identity through the arts and urban sports as a mechanism or device to improve health and well being both physically and mentally.
We believe the arts are a vital form of communication in todays world and an imperative device to help interact and interpret the world us, imparting hugely transferable skills which create internal benefits can only be a force for improvement. One of the main proponent of the arts is varying ways of seeing or perceiving, recognising patterns and breaking down things to their basic components be it visual, audible, conceptual or movement based, mastery of every aspect is required to exist in the highly communicable space in which the arts rest. Understanding this notion goes some way to understanding our founding principles, if we can improve someones outlook, physical fitness mental resilience and or skill level any of these things will have a positive effect. The younger this process begins the easier it is to learn and the more benefits received but by no means are the benefits only restricted to the young.
Why the Arts and Urban Sports?
We have been asked on a many occasions Why Arts and Urban Sports?, How did that come about?
The answer is again rooted in how we came to be. Our founding director is a multi-disciplined
Artist and Urban Sports enthusiast, this is where the seed perspective originates form. When we think urban sports no matter which one we think of first, we innately associate that discipline with an aesthetic, we can all picture what we believe a skateboarder or skater etc. looks like inclusive of their equipment which is an irony when searching for link between urban sports and Art as every aspect of their image has an intrinsic link to many different artforms from sneaker design right through the apparel, to the board design/colour, bike colour, skate design/colour and even brands, these links are in separable from the idea of the activity, that is the first direct connection which is based in the aesthetic.
Subsequently another of the other visual aspects that are the actual lifeblood of all urban sports industries beyond the physical skill is the framework, the structure, the vessel which the industry survives on which is the videography and photography, given that the industry at a talent level can be pretty buoyant for some, but only some ( a very small %) have access to film crews and photographers to follow them around while they skate, this creates an industry wide environment whereby the majority of the skaters and riders also have to be talented videographers and photographers in order to stay current and relevant to the brands to document themselves in situ, as having an ability to produce and provide high quality dynamic content has become an expected requirement for any competitive professional urban sports athlete.
The second is based in movement just as ballet, dance and gymnastics urban sport depends heavily on mastery of balance control and creativity all require repetitive and intensive training and honing in the pursuit of pushing the boundaries or what we believe is possible through control, creative flair, originality, difficulty and execution. Urban sports as a genre is wide and varied, it can be produced and displayed in purpose built environments or on the streets or public spaces, it seeks new perspectives and original delivery, it rewards difference, it has different styles and varied manifestations just as the arts. In part we see urban sports as an expressive art that has a high skills bar of entry due to the proficiency levels required a certain level of mastery or understanding is required before you can enter the realm of creative expression again another strong conceptual correlation between arts and Urban sports.
The third notion that really stuck with our founder is the audible aspect of urban sports culture, Music plays such a large part in urban sports even down to the influence of the aesthetics not only because a large amount of urban sport enthusiasts have a strong connection to music not only on a high profile level like Pharrell Williams on BMX, Greenday, Sonic Youth and Nirvana Skateboarding the list could go on however even on a small scale. The creative energy seems to bleed and manifest in to creatively express physical movement the concept is even present in certain stereotype such as "surfers being in a band"
Possessing such perspectives can only lead to a natural symbiosis and the synthesis of an entity that embodies this which is what we have in Urban Studio Sessions.
Impact
Urban Studio sessions has achieved the following:
We have delivered Urban Sports & Art sessions to over 4500
children, young people and adults.
80%
of those who have participated have never participated in inline skating or Skateboarding before.
70%
of participants have pledged they will continue with the activity and develop upon the skills they have learnt.
80%
of individuals say they will use their new skills as recreation or as a form of transport.
As an organisation we have provided 27 free skateboards and a number of padsets
to children through funded programmes.
We have also given away over £2000. Worth of Art supplies to participants to facilitate their continued practices in art.
We have delivered Urban Sports & Art sessions to over 4500
children, young people and adults.
80%
of those who have participated have never participated in inline skating or Skateboarding before.
70%
of participants have pledged they will continue with the activity and develop upon the skills they have learnt.
80%
of individuals say they will use their new skills as recreation or as a form of transport.
As an organisation we have provided 27 free skateboards and a number of padsets
to children through funded programmes.
We have also given away over £2000. Worth of Art supplies to participants to facilitate their continued practices in art.
Funders & Supporters
