Sketchy Beats is an
arts concept combining live music, improvised dancing and life drawing.
The concept has received considerable praise and coverage in the Scottish press and in Scottish art circles.
[The Culture Trip (arts magazine): 16 December 2016]
Sketchy Beats was conceived by Cosima Canneti an Anglo-Italian philosophy student in March 2015 and initially appeared as a monthly pop-up event in the basement of the Yellow Bench concept cafe on
Leith Walk
Leith Walk is one of the longest streets in Edinburgh, Scotland, and is the main road connecting the east end of the city centre to Leith.
Forming most of the A900 road, it slopes downwards from Picardy Place at the south-western end of the str ...
in
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland and one of its 32 Council areas of Scotland, council areas. The city is located in southeast Scotland and is bounded to the north by the Firth of Forth and to the south by the Pentland Hills. Edinburgh ...
, with the support of Polish-born Monika Lisicka. The original format was split into three sections: live drawing of a live musician; live drawing of a dancer; and finally live drawing of a posed model. The latter sections were supported by a live DJ, who would often to continue to provide music for those who remained.
Following a
crowdfunder
Crowdfunding is the practice of funding a project or venture by raising money from a large number of people, typically via the internet. Crowdfunding is a form of crowdsourcing and alternative finance, to fund projects "without standard financial ...
event in late 2015,
the concept removed to a new premises at 208
Great Junction Street
Great Junction Street is a street in Leith, on the northern outskirts of Edinburgh, Scotland. It runs southeast to northwest following approximately the southwestmost line of the old town walls around Leith.
History
The road was planned c.18 ...
in
Leith
Leith (; ) is a port area in the north of Edinburgh, Scotland, founded at the mouth of the Water of Leith and is home to the Port of Leith.
The earliest surviving historical references are in the royal charter authorising the construction of ...
and was specifically rebranded as Sketchy Beats Cafe.
The arts events then moved to a weekly rather than monthly cycle.
The specifically non-profit cafe also houses other activities such as poetry slams and music jam sessions.
With a strongly international flavour, notable models include the Italian, Eve Casini, the French jazz performance artist, Ariane Mamon, Slovakian Theresa van Wald, and the Lucrezia Paterno Castello from Sicily.
In 2017 the range was expanded to include Stitchy Beats a knitting class held within an atmosphere of contemporary music.
On 30 May 2018 Sketchy Beats took over the abandoned State Cinema (attached to the rear) for a day of music, interpretive dance and sketching for the day as part of the Hidden Doors event in Leith (which also incorporated the old Leith Theatre).
References
Dance music
Music scenes
British art movements
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