Abstract

In 2017 Hull has been designated UK City of Culture, a bid it won on the promise of 'coming out of the shadows'. But in its recent past Hull has been very much in the spotlight in the area of time-based art. This article looks at the emergence of this activity in Hull in the late twentieth century, and in particular the role of the artist-led organisation Hull Time Based Arts. Examples of Hull Time Based Arts’s programme are discussed in order to understand the significance of this organisation and in particular its programming of political, formal, and community specific artworks. The wider issues of community, funding, and arts education are also discussed as crucial factors underpinning artist-led activity in a city.