WX Wakefield Exchange

Union St, WF1 3AD
Step-free Food/Drink Toilets
WX (Wakefield Exchange) is an exciting city centre destination in Wakefield where work and play converge. Sited on Union Street next to the bus station, it opens in 2025 with a whole array of events.

Coming up at the next Artwalk on 24th Sep

The Marks We Make
Marie Keen

This piece was created using oil on a stretched canvas 1.5M x 0.5M in size.

Based on some of the buildings and architecture around Wakefield; this piece hopes to question what we see and ignore.

Main Room   
Open 5pm-8pm   

Imagined Realities - Reimagining what it means to create in a digital world
Neurohive CIC

In Imagined Realities, young people from across Wakefield transform Minecraft's digital landscape into a collaborative canvas. Through play, experimentation, and shared imagination, simple blocks become structures, spaces, and stories that reveal new ways of seeing and creating. Visitors are invited to explore the evolving build and witness live creation projected onto a giant screen, where connection and creativity come to life.

This project is delivered by Think Cre8tive Group with funding from Live Well Wakefield.

Main Room   
Open 5pm-8pm   

Tammy Downey

Tammy will be sharing a selection of her photography work.

Main Room   
Open 5pm-8pm   

The perfectly imperfect heARTist and R&H Creations
Bonita (The perfectly imperfect heARTist) and Jayne at R &H Creations

Art pieces, sculptures, paintings, craft and decoupage.

Pieces made from reclaimed wood, upcycled Items and objects saved from landfill.

Inspired by nature, the natural world, and the love of all things weird and obscure and gothic.

Main Room   
Open 5pm-8pm   

Poetry Walk - Central Words
Hosted by Robert P. Clarke

Rob C's 'Central Words' will be hosted by Robert P. Clarke and will headline Jasmine King, Susan McCartney and Trevor Wainwright in the poetry section, a live podcast from Not : Art interviewed by Matt Art and additional entertainment from singers, musicians and sound artist Tom Carroll. There will also be Open Mic Slots available bookable in advance at create@artcollab.co.uk.

Main Stage   
Open 6pm-7:30pm   

Mills in Colour
Kirstie Williams

In Mills in Colour, Williams explores the use of natural colour and plant-based printing inks, whilst delving into Wakefield's rich industrial textile history, and historic mill buildings.

Over a 6 month research and development period, Williams looked at sustainable and environmentally friendly alternatives to screen printing inks to create imagery and textile pieces which raise awareness of the many lost or repurposed mills across the Wakefield area.

Mills in Colour was supported with a Culture Grant by Wakefield Council as part of Our Year - Wakefield District 2024. Original imagery and sources from Wakefield Libraries Photographic Collection and the West Yorkshire Archive Service Collections.

Mezzanine   
Open 5pm-8pm   

Unlimited at WX

This month we’re thrilled to host Maddie Morris, a musician we’ve previously commissioned, described as leading the next generation of socially conscious songwriters. Bold, insightful, and refreshingly unique, Maddie takes traditional song in new directions to shine a light on contemporary issues, offering fresh perspectives on the world we live in today.

Pop in, see where we work, explore our portable rest kit, and see some of our past commissions on display. Chat with the team about how we work and commission. We’re throwing the doors open to welcome you in and share the space with our community.

Unlimited Hub   
Open 5pm-8pm   

 

Previously at WX Wakefield Exchange

  • CANCELLED Jason and the Wakefield Adventure Wed 30th Jul 2025
    Unfortunately, due to unforeseen circumstances, WX Wakefield Exchange will be unable to open for this event. Please check out the rest of Artwalk!
  • Flower Power Wed 28th May 2025
    Welcome to "Flower Power", an exhibition that brings the vibrancy of nature into the heart of the gallery. This captivating collection of paintings, explores the symbolism, beauty, and energy of flowers through diverse styles and mediums. Each piece in this series delves into the power of blooms, from their aesthetic appeal to their deeper connection with life, growth, and transformation. The exhibition invites viewers to celebrate the resilience of flowers, their role in the cycle of life, and their profound influence on our emotions and the world around us. Step into this world of botanical beauty, where every painting is an invitation to explore and be inspired by the power of flowers.
  • Chris Teal Wed 28th May 2025
    Doncaster-based artist, Chris Teal has developed her artistic career over 20 years from studying with the Open College of the Arts and taking on commission-based work to teaching all ages and abilities. She has also undertaken group demonstrations, and Wellness Workshops, along with many solo exhibitions in her fully equipped Fenwick studio. Many of her works are featured at the D31 Gallery in Doncaster and she has an award for her painting ’Nolyaplya’. Chris's work mainly focuses on nature in all its forms using watercolour, acrylics and mixed media collage. More recently her work has been showcased at the Doncaster Corn Exchange Creative Market, The Fox Gallery, Mexborough, the WOW Festival Rotherham Art Trail, the Wakefield Art Walk (Sept 24) The Danum Gallery, Library and Museum with her 40th Anniversary of the Miners Strike Championing Change commission, plus she has published an article for The Yorkshire Post titled "My Yorkshire".
  • Lawrence Turner Wed 28th May 2025
    Lawrence came to art as a form of therapy, with a view to allowing the sub conscious to reveal itself. With most pieces being made around 3am, expect abstract expressionism with a playful tone.
  • Wellbeing from Wildlife and the Natural World Wed 28th May 2025
    Join Bonita and Jayne for a look at art pieces, paintings, decoupage sculptures made from rubbish that would have gone to landfill. Their collection is focused on mental wellbeing from being in the natural world.
  • Alison Wadkin Wed 28th May 2025
    Sea scapes by Alison Wadkin, featuring 'Beginning of the barrel' (charcoal), 'Safe haven' (oils), and 'Grey breakthrough (charcoal).
  • Poetry Walk - Central Words Wed 28th May 2025
    Rob C's 'Central Words' will be hosted by Robert P. Clarke and will headline Susan McCartney and Angie de Courcy Bower in the poetry section with singer Dannyella and sound artist Tom Carroll. There will be Open Mic Slots available bookable in advance at create@artcollab.co.uk
  • Mikey3D Wed 28th May 2025
    I'm an abstract artist who creates all my work live on stream, inviting my online community to take the reins. Every piece is shaped by collective decisions—viewers choose the colours, the style, and even the tools I use to paint. I never use a brush. Instead, I work with spoons, sponges, and whatever random household objects are within reach. This way of working turns each painting into more than just a finished product—it becomes a shared experience. The process is unpredictable, collaborative, and full of energy, and that’s exactly what I love about it. For me, art isn’t just about expressing myself—it’s about opening the door and letting others in.
  • God the Devil & Love Wed 28th May 2025
    I work in the pursuit of many ideals and concerns, creating paintings drawn from life and my imagination. "God the Devil & Love" is the title for my first body of work. "God the Devil & Love" is a retrospective exhibition reflecting on my creative journey and life. This exhibition brings together a lifetime of creativity and a spiritual quest. A selection of past and present artworks from the countless hours spent developing traditional skills and navigating the evolving landscape of new technologies. I’m a multifaceted creative and proficient self-taught computer user, through my art I endeavour to share my thoughts and emotions.
  • Letterpress Scripts Wed 28th May 2025
    My background is in creative writing and scriptwriting. I have always tried to come up with innovative ways to showcase my work and I came across letter pressing. I'm intrigued by the imperfect aesthetic of letterpress pieces and the sense of history they create. The process consists of compiling the words using either woodtype or metal type, fixing them into place so they are sturdy for inking. Paper is then laid over the top and it is placed onto the press. Lifting the arm of the press and pulling back the paper to reveal the print is very exciting, the prints are completely original and there are always imperfections, depending on the age and condition of the wood or metal letters and how much ink was applied. I have combined this with my love of art and the written word and created some prints of dialogue excerpts from my scripts and displayed them. The scripts showcased here are 'Protection' a drama base on the scenario of the death penalty being reintroduced into the UK and 'United' a historical drama about the miners strikes, set in 1984.
  • Chan Sze Nga Wed 28th May 2025
    SzeNga Chan is a Hong Kong-born illustrator and artist currently based in Wakefield, UK. Her work captures the quiet poetry of urban life by focusing on overlooked elements such as neon signs, electric meters, junction boxes, and cables. Objects that reflect the everyday reality of working-class communities. With a background in sculpture and fine detail painting, she previously worked as a wax artist at Madame Tussauds Hong Kong, and has been involved in community art projects with organisations such as St. James’ Settlement and Hong Kong Disneyland. Her current practice blends memory, cultural history, and architectural decay to explore themes of identity, displacement, and the passage of time.
  • Graham Riding Wed 28th May 2025
    This is an opportunity to see the print works of Graham Riding. Using a variety of etching techniques he has created a series of prints exploring the timeless Bass Rock and the experience of walking between the sea defences of St Bees in Cumbria. Graham will be on hand during the Art Walk exhibition at Wakefield Exchange.
  • Claire L. Jones Wed 28th May 2025
    Two pieces on display. One is called ‘Hunter’ and is the head of my youngest sister’s black Labrador, and the second is called ‘Pandora’ and is the face of a friend’s Chinese Crested dog. Both pieces are coloured pencil on Clairefontaine Pastelmat paper.
  • Synthesia Wed 26th Mar 2025
    My paintings are a visual depiction of what I imagine music would look like in a physical form. I have made them by listening to different genres of music and instinctively creating shapes and patterns that represents different elements of the music. I have also included some portraits that show my journey with my bipolar disorder and how it changed how I perceive my body depending on my mental wellbeing.
  • Ryan Baxendale Wed 26th Mar 2025
    I am a young artist who has been interested in art for years now. I like to try a range of subjects in my work from architecture, landscapes and animals but this exhibition is mainly based on my travels and places I have visited. My work is created mostly from photographs. I use a range of media including: acrylic, gouache and water paintings, pen and pencil work, lino printing, screen printing and collage.
  • Wakefield Art Club Wed 26th Mar 2025
    Wakefield Art Club meets every Tuesday between 7pm and 9pm at West Wakefield Methodist Church on Thornes Road. They welcome artists of any level, style and medium and offer a full calendar of suggested themes, events, demonstrations and workshops, plus a chance to work outdoors in various locations. Contact wakefieldartclub@wixsite.com for more information.
  • The Fitzwilliam Art Group Wed 26th Mar 2025
    The Art Group based in Fitzwilliam meet every Wednesday morning to be creative, catch up on news, have a cuppa and support each other. They are all self-taught and relish learning new skills and techniques as well as working in familiar mediums such as watercolours and sketching. Recently they have, through a grant from Wakefield Council - Our Year, started exhibiting their work again. If anyone wants to know more or join the group they can contact Karen on karen.watson61@googlemail.com.
  • Hope in Wakefield Wed 29th Jan 2025
    The windows of disability arts commissioner Unlimited's new home at WX displays a vision of hope at a time when global challenges - from military conflicts to the climate crisis to the cost-of-living pressures - feel overwhelming. Artists Katherina Radeva (originally from Bulgaria, now living in Scotland), Alister Lownie (Scotland) of Two Destination Language, along with Nadia Sokolenko (Ukraine) worked with The Art House’s Studio of Sanctuary to craft this series of banners. They invite us to reflect on hope in all its forms. What do we hope for? What might hope look like? How do we nurture it in ourselves and others? The installation transforms these shared visions into an artwork that celebrates hope as a vital force. From everyday aspirations to dreams for a better world, it’s a moment to pause, reflect, and connect. The exhibition is to be viewed from the outside so wrap up warm - cupcakes will be available to entice Artwalkers to brave the January temperatures! (standard, vegan and gluten free available).