Arts Lodge

A beautiful Victorian Park in the city centre of Portsmouth on the south coast of England.

Short promo video by our European work placements, 2016.

He was our lucky squirrel in the park for a few years.

A monthly music night at the Arts Lodge in Victoria Park.

A typical creative day at the Arts Lodge with sisters Hollie & Marie on their work experience.

A funny animated tomfoolery day in the park and Arts Lodge

One of the most beautiful and creative spaces this side of the Cosmos!

A few clips of one of our music nights

The daily goings on at The Arts Lodge in Victoria Park England.

The Arts Lodge, often controversial, fiercely independent yet never disappointing

A artistic look at the guy behind the scenes A film by Tom Rawding

Captains Log: Star date 2016 in a park far far away...

An inspiring art project at Farmside Gardens, Portsmouth UK with workshops with the local kids who play in the park, first we ran drawing classes then they could paint or spray their names on the wall.

Local musicians come together for a Trash Arts event at the Gatekeepers in the Park. (Directors cut 1 hr)

A quick fun video out in the park and Southsea seafront England

If you know you know about our legendary events

Graffiti street art workshops in Holbrook Gosport Portsmouth UK

After the previous year's festival in 2003 we thought we would risk everything for another one:)

Another successful art workshop with the local community on hoardings around a development site in Portsmouth England UK.

Mission Statement Art and Soul Traders Ltd is a not-for-profit-driven CIC (Community Interest Company) CO-OP that exists to provide access to the arts for all, encouraging and promoting learning for life. History & Background The Art and Soul Traders founder, Mark E.W Lewis is a ‘visionary’ mural artist, who at the age of 21 was responsible for the first business of painting designer satellite dishes, presenting Prince Charles with one disguised as his High Grove home at the NEC trade fair, which resulted in National press coverage, Sky TV, Radio and articles in European magazines. After building up extensive recognition and requests for his murals along the South coast of England, in 1997 Mark initiated The Art & Soul Traders group, primarily to provide the means for the development of artists and the community at large but also to create one of the largest murals on the South Coast. This vision came to fulfillment in 1998 with the production of the ‘Strand City Map’ mural. A 60 x 50-foot map of Portsmouth (Portsea Island), painted on the gable end of a building on the Strand junction, Southsea. The mural took a year to complete with some help from the local community and was unveiled by the Lord Mayor subsequently winning the ‘Best Landscaping’ award in 1999 from The Portsmouth Society. The Art & Soul Traders continued to evolve, establishing a premium position as leading muralists, embellishing principal areas of the city with large-scale, long-lasting vibrant community-based murals. After saving from certain demolition and renovating the gatekeeper's lodge in Victoria Park in 2002 Art and Soul Traders became a not-for-profit social enterprise and Art in the Park was born. The Arts Lodge has been a hub of the local creative scene for 13 years now and has organically developed into an extensive independent and primarily volunteer-run community arts centre. Whilst creating over £2 million for the City including micro businesses, commissions, community development, volunteers hours, and funding. The artists and band of volunteers affectionately called the ‘Artful lodgers’ proactively help not only to enhance the quality of lives in the community but also promote equality, diversity, and community learning. The Art & Soul Traders is a not-for-profit-driven CIC and the purpose of the Lodge is to facilitate art projects, cultural events, exhibitions, creative workshops, and courses while offering a café service to park users in a beautiful unique green open space. The renovation of the Lodge The old gatekeepers lodge in the idyllic award-winning Victoria Park, has seen innumerable transformations since it was built over one hundred years ago in 1878. The lodge fell into desolation in the early 1990s and was left relinquished after 2 fires. Recognising the potential for this building, Mark Lewis secured a £50,000 capital grant (for the building, no wages) from the SRB (Single Regeneration Budget) and £10,000 from the city council (landlord) in the year 2001. The Lodge was then elevated from the embers by ‘Project Phoenix ‘with the help of dozens of enthusiastic volunteers. Whilst winning the best restoration award from the Portsmouth Society in 2003 unveiled by Lord Mayor Tom Blair since then the arts lodge has attracted much attention from the cultural and volunteer sector yet also from the media locally and regionally. It has been home to a gallery, fair-trade café, multi-media suite, studio, office, workshop, and licensed bar situated in its enchanted private garden. With disabled access and toilet, broadband throughout this quaint little gatekeeper’s cottage has been transformed into a state-of-the-art creative hub and one of the most unique venues on the south coast with various organizations lovingly replicating our model and ethos.

Arts Lodge Victoria Park Portsmouth South Coast England

The first festival in The Peoples Park Portsmouth since WWII organised by The Art & Soul Traders at the Arts Lodge Aug 2003

Early days at the Lodge

The Art & Soul Traders Ltd BUCKLAND Stairwells Project Summary of Aims • To create a series of aesthetically pleasing murals on the Stairwells and ramps in Buckingham Green area of Buckland • To encourage young persons in furthering their drawing, painting and design skills in a supportive and positive environment regardless of background, status, age or sex • To encourage exploration of creativity and subsequently identity through a visual medium whilst building on previous successful projects tackling crime and vandalism on the local estate. • To install a sense of goal achievement by developing a project from conception to completion, therefore learning about personal potential and team building. • To provide a concept of community pride and to understand the importance of self and responsibility in the local environment. • To promote group activities, community spirit, artistic expression and to show the benefit of on going learning resources. Summary of the Programme Consultation will take place over the designs with local residents and housing estate officers then over two weeks our artists will paint a series of murals whilst facilitating various workshops with the local community. The main aim of the project and workshops is to produce exterior murals on x 3 stairwells, 1 ramp and glass panels using various mediums and styles following ideas of previous workshops designs, recent consultation and popular images. It is important that we involve the young persons and senior citizens themselves by incorporating their ideas and allowing them the chance to work hands on with the guidance of professional muralists. The workshops are aimed at the residents getting involved making interesting and dynamic artwork that they will enjoy creating, making and even revisiting later to show friends and family. Our aim is to highlight what interests them most and provide a place for them to express those ideas and creativity. The Structure In week 1 After several consultation sessions we would have finalised various themes and styles for the mural designs. We would also confirm and advertise a series of workshops times and dates for people to help paint their designs or just join in the fun. Week 2 Continuation of painting murals and workshops