Skippko
About Skippko
Skippko Arts Team is a Leeds based charity which aims to make a positive difference to people’s lives through engaging in creative participatory arts throughout Yorkshire. Skippko develops exciting and creative arts projects with community groups, bringing people together through workshop programmes, events, exhibitions and training. Skippko arts workers act as facilitators within a group setting, using a wide range of visual arts techniques to increase people’s confidence, skills and sense of self-worth. Skippko’s way of working allows the direction and content of a group’s work to be directed by the participants, so for example one group could make a giant walk-in box representing a community centre where people tell stories about what makes a healthy community using photographs and textiles, another group made decide on jewellery boxes which may contain personal treasures telling of individual identity and culture. Or a group may even decide to use shoe boxes with sculpted shoes decorated in poems about future aspirations, exhibited to create a sense of achievement and pride; the possibilities are endless. Skippko’s method of working has proved to be empowering for people who may not have the same control over other aspects of their lives; enabling them to grow in confidence and gain a huge sense of achievement.
How can you work with Skippko? Projects are initiated in response to being approached by community groups and/or their parent organisations. All of Skippko's work is group based. The team can access a wide range of resources, with a focus on planning, preparation and development of projects. Skippko also raises funds in order to be able to work with target groups identified during our own development and research work. Skippko regularly work in partnership with other arts, voluntary and statutory organisations and believes that partnership working offers greater potential for achieving aims and creates greater benefits for the communities worked in.
History of Skippko Skippko Arts Team was founded in 1988. Over the years the company has expanded into a regional arts organisation that plays an important role in Leeds and the region by providing high quality participatory arts projects. The team currently consists of two arts project managers, a finance manager and a development manager. There has also been conscious decision to involve and employ freelance artists who bring additional skills. Skippko has charity status and is a company limited by guarantee. Skippko has a Board of Trustees, which the core team works closely with. The Board meets regularly to oversee strategic planning, financial accountability and employment issues.
Where does Skippko work? Skippko Arts team have an office base in Bramley, where there is a large store of new and reclaimed materials. Workshop projects take place where community groups meet, such as in hospitals, day centres, adult training centres, probation hostels, family centres, hospices and community centres. Exhibitions and events take place in accessible public spaces such as community centres, arts centres, galleries or churches and in the venues where groups meet.
