Art B&B first opened its doors in 2019 after Blackpool Council purchased the former Ocean Hotel on the promenade between Banks Street and Springfield Road for £203,000 in 2016. The traditional Blackpool B&B has been transformed and reimagined by over 30 established and emerging artists, who have curated the 19 rooms and communal spaces to offer a truly unique stay. As a community business, Art B&B reinvests its profits into arts and community projects, making it a distinctive boutique hotel designed to engage and inspire guests.
The team behind Art B&B took a tired seafront hotel and entrusted its decor and design to a range of artists, allowing them to reimagine each space creatively. Every room functions as a piece of art, offering a distinctive guest experience while also reflecting Blackpool’s rich history and entertainment legacy. One notable room, the Welcome Inn, was designed by disabled artist Christopher Samuels to be intentionally difficult to navigate, providing guests with insight into the accessibility challenges faced by many disabled individuals. The Art Deco Mugonyi Cinema Room features a mini cinema and holds a film licence from the British Film Institute, while the Willy Little Suite pays homage to the town’s theatrical seaside entertainers.
Spearheaded by LeftCoast, an organisation dedicated to delivering arts, culture, and creative activities in the area, this ambitious project aims to promote art within Blackpool’s tourism economy. Beyond attracting cultural tourists, Art B&B also features a cocktail bar and event space that is open to the public. Michael Trainor, formerly the artistic director of LeftCoast, became the creative director of the hotel, selecting contemporary artists and overseeing the complex integration of their artistic visions into the refurbishment.
To help bring the project to life, Unlimited – an arts commissioning programme that supports disabled artists in reaching new audiences – was also involved, introducing artists Kristina Veasey and Christopher Samuels. Veasey’s design was an adaptation of her existing touring exhibition, while Samuels’ concept, based on his personal experiences, has attracted significant media attention.
Now fully operational, Art B&B has become a community interest company. While staff members are paid, the board of directors serve on a voluntary basis, and all profits are reinvested into the hotel, as well as arts and community projects. This means visitors can support the arts simply by staying overnight. Each of the 19 rooms in the seafront hotel has been carefully commissioned, curated, and installed to create a one-of-a-kind experience. A tribute to Blackpool’s heritage, Art B&B incorporates elements of Victorian and Seaside Moderne architecture, celebrates its entertainment legacy, and acknowledges the town’s historical significance to the LGBTQ+ community. The result is a vibrant reflection of the eclectic and electric nature of Blackpool’s seaside culture.
Text source: from the following: Art B&B’swebsite Chad Global’s website
Images by © Deeper Blue Marketing & Design Ltd
