The promise of WARMTH draws you in. Enter barefoot. Leave ‘usual’ at the door. Throw a log on the fire. Listen to the crackling and low conversation. A glowing space.

Woodsmoke; timber; benches; the contrast of the traffic outside with the crackling of the fire inside; a hearth to gather round, extending each day quietly into the evening; WARMTH.

The sauna is a rexlaxing, sensory + disarming space. Temperatures vary between 80-100c, with humidity adjusted by adding water to the stones, producing a light steam. 

Sauna-bathing stimulates circulation, stimulates the release of endorphins, relieves stress, relaxes muscles, soothes aches and can induce deeper sleep. The negative ions released by the stove into the air are also beneficial… I’ll write more when I’ve properly researched negative ions (bit confusing). Basically, life always feels great when you’ve had a sauna.

We've been to yards, streets, fields, live art festivals, music venues and artist residencies all over the UK, and now we’re setting up a permanent home in Sheffield as WARMTH Community Sauna.

We were trendsetters back in 2016 when Bethany built the UK’s original wood-fired horse box sauna. Since then there has been an huge expansion in sauna culture around the UK!

WARMTH is built in a converted horse trailer using top quality Finnish thermo-Aspen timber and a powerful Estonian wood-burning stove. The stove heats the sauna up to 80-100c, with hot stones + fresh water to create the perfect löyly - Finnish for sauna-steam.

- fully timber clad, with two tiers of benches
- wood burning stove with peridotite rocks
- logs drying under the benches
- bucket/scoop to splash water on the rocks
- a selection of oils [eucalyptus, camphor, pine] to scent the steam
- a fire-resistant felt roof
- wipeable black rubber floor
- slatted wooden floor decking

🌿🔥 What an amazing opening day yesterday - the first day of our public sessions! We were fully booked with lovely people, who all had a glorious time and several who have booked again already 🫶 so heartwarming. Next week is currently fully booke
We’re initially opening on Friday afternoons while we get going, but if the available times don’t work for you, please let us know via our session user survey. We are aiming to add more times and days as soon as possible and would love to
Wow!! Thanks to all of you who have booked a session so far - we’re now already fully booked for our first sessions this Friday! 🫶 Looking forward to seeing you all there. Sessions still bookable for the next 6 Fridays
We’re open and ready to welcome you to our first public sessions in our new home at @nomadmaison in Sheffield! Slots are now available to book for the next 6 Fridays starting this week 14th Feb - book via our website, link in the bio. We&rsqu
Bethany was one of the initiators of contemporary mobile sauna culture in the UK, founding WARMTH in 2015. Bethany is a designer and creative entrepreneur, passionate about creating immersive spatial and sensory experiences, whether through sauna-bu
Nat is the driving force behind finding WARMTH a permanent home in Sheffield. Nat has been a sauna and cold water enthusiast for many years and particularly enjoys the sauna as an alternative community third space. Nat is passionate about making the
Roanna is a fine artist based at Yorkshire Artspace in Sheffield. Her practice involves detailed, meticulous drawing and hand embroidery, and it’s this care and attention to detail that she will be bringing to WARMTH. She has experience runnin
Step out of your day and into the WARMTH. Take your time. Listen to your body. Put a log on the fire. Learn the art of Löyly. WARMTH is yours. Enjoy.
One of our favourite sounds. A ladle of fresh water splashing onto the hot stones above the stove. The steam vaporises instantly, filling the air with a wave of heat. The Finnish word Löyly doesn’t have an equivalent translation in Englis

GUEST BOOK:


Comments from our Visitors' Book:

So great, transcendent. Don’t think I’ll experience anything like this again.
Isobel, sauna visitor at Compass Festival, Leeds

a perfect + empowering afternoon
Caroline

One of very few things that can *actually* chill me out. A safe space to sit in alone and be with your thoughts. And full of chatter and joyous naked laughter when it’s full. What a treat, and a bold act to take time out to relax.
Christie

Warms you though to the bones
Anthony 

Not only cleansing for the body and spirit- such a wonderful vehicle for community and social cohesion. How can you not strike up conversation when 5 people are sat in swimwear in a horsebox! Blissful!!
Leann 

Surreal moment on a rainy November evening.
Lucy 

An important pitstop in the centre of a city - important to connect and especially in this way given so much unrest, disconnection and fractions. Moments + events such as this remind us of the significance of interventions which invite us to connect with strangers, those who are unfamiliar and to realise what we have in common.
Rommi 

To take a break away from the everyday and sit in a sauna in the city you might think you will not hear anything but the city remains, the trains go by, the traffic behind and the cold, damp rain outside, but it’s a secret place of your own where you feel free of the world and anything is possible.
Terri 

Gorgeous experience, blood pumping, thoughts flowing, eucalyptus steaming. Feels beautiful. Thank you!
Katherine

Made me feel real good about my body. 
Micky

PRESS and listings for WARMTH:


The F Word Stage Blog on WARMTH at Compass Festival 2018
https://thefword.org.uk/2018/10/the-f-word-stage-blog-october-2018/

The Culture Vulture, podcast on WARMTH at Compass Festival 2108
https://theculturevulture.co.uk/cultures/compass-festival-warmth/

Leeds City Magazine on WARMTH at Compass Festival 2018
http://leedscitymagazine.co.uk/compass-festival-returns-to-leeds/

Artlyst on WARMTH at Compass Festival 2018
https://www.artlyst.com/previews/compass-2018-live-art-interactive-encounters-across-leeds/

TLM Magazine on WARMTH at Brighton Fringe [Brighton Fringe residency organised by Katie Bracher]
https://www.tlm-magazine.co.uk/out-and-about/p321969-warmth:brighton.html

Leeds Inspired on WARMTH at Arctic Bazaar, 2017
https://www.leedsinspired.co.uk/events/arctic-bazaar-0

Creative Tourist on WARMTH at the Arctic Bazaar, 2017
https://www.creativetourist.com/event/arctic-bazaar/

Art Hostel blog on WARMTH at Compass Festival 2016
https://arthostel.org.uk/category/past-projects/

Leeds Inspired on WARMTH at Compass Festival 2016
https://www.leedsinspired.co.uk/events/warmth-mobile-sauna-bethany-wells

WARMTH mobile sauna at the Antiuniversity, June 2017
http://www.antiuniversity.org/Other-Acts-of-Public-WARMTH

HISTORY OF WARMTH

Since 2011 WARMTH has been evolving collaboration with many sites, artists + supporters. Starting with experiments at the RCA with Department 21, and then in 2016 with funding + support from Arts Council England + Compass Live Art to develop the sauna as a site for performance + installation. Thank you to everyone who has supported us + collaborated with us so far:

Eden Project North
For commissioning WARMTH to run a pop-up in Morecambe in November 2019, in collaboration with More Music and Creative West End.

SKINT International Dance + Music Weekend
For inviting WARMTH to their annual festival in Derbyshire in Autumn 2017, 2018 and 2019.

Basin Bathhouse
For inviting WARMTH up to Glasgow as part of their Basin Bathhouse installation in May 2019. Curated by Nikki Kane and Clara Weale, with bathhouse design by Jennifer Argo.

SYLLABUS
For inviting WARMTH to their artist residency at S1 Artspace, Sheffield, April 2019.

The Culture Vulture
For creating a podcast about WARMTH, Compass Festival 2018

Compass Festival, North Star Coffee, Primal Gym + Leeds Dock
For partnering with WARMTH during Compass Festival 2018. Special thanks to Anna Turzynski + Rochyne Delaney McNulty for support in running the sauna at Compass Festival 2018.

North Star Coffee, Leeds
For hosting a screening of Steam of Life, Compass Festival 2018.

Brighton Fringe
For hosting WARMTH during May/June 2018. Thanks to Katie Bracher who initiated + ran this pop-up under the title of WARMTH Brighton. There was a great local response to WARMTH Brighton, and Katie has now established another horse-trailer sauna: Beach Box Brighton, inspired by the design of WARMTH.

Islington Mill, Salford
For hosting WARMTH in July 2018. Special thanks Olivia Glasser who initiated, co-ordinated + ran this event under title of WARMTH: Encore Room Residency.

Arctic Bazaar, at the Art Hostel, Leeds
For inviting us to be a central part of their winter festival. The Arctic Bazaar was a collaboration between &/or Emporium and Imaginaria, in partnership with East Street Arts and Art Hostel. December 2017.

Lakes International Comic Arts Festival
For inviting us to their Finnish Village + festival of Finnish illustration, in partnership with Finnish Institute, October 2017.

Art Hostel, Leeds
For partnering with WARMTH during Compass Festival 2016. Special thanks to Robyn Haddon for support in running the sauna at Compass Festival, October 2016.

Slung Low, Leeds, Stocksbridge Community Leisure Centre, Sheffield, + Islington Mill, Salford
For hosting our WARMTH artist residencies + test sessions in April 2016

Antiuniversity, London
For hosting WARMTH, June 2016

Bones + Pearl Studios, London
For hosting WARMTH, April 2016

CADS, Sheffield
For their support during the build process for WARMTH, Dec/Jan 2015/6

Arts Council England + Compass Live Art
For commissioning + supporting the development of WARMTH in 2015/6.

Special thanks to all the artists + performers who took part in our initial Compass artist residency, April 2016:
Top Joe, performer
Tim Shaw, sound artist
Nick Cassenbaum, performer + writer
Viccy Adams, writer
gen doy, performer + artist
Alice Malseed, performer + writer

Hilda Törmänen + Ross Hvidsten, Helsinki
For hosting WARMTH research trip + tours round Helsinki's public saunas, January 2014

Finnish Sauna Society, Helsinki
For a guided tour around the 6 saunas at the Finnish Sauna Society, January 2014

Hanna Pasanen, CSM
For hosting a discussion around Finnish sauna at the Finnish Church in London, May 2014

Kulttuurisauna, Helsinki
For sauna stove recommendations

Royal College of Art
For hosting WARMTH, at the Work in Progress Show, Februrary 2011

Department 21, RCA 2010-11
Special thanks to all D21 artists who contributed to WARMTH in February 2011:
Anthony Bowles [sauna construction]
Afonso Martin [furniture construction]
Alkesh Parmar [sauna construction]
Aloka [hosting SilentRCA day]
Andrew Willson [facilitator [SilentRCA]
Bianca Elzenbaumer [sauna construction, D21/Brave New Alps]
Deniz Johns [installation + workshop host]
Deshna Metha [photography + illustration]
Grant Mcraig [sauna construction]
Karolina Raczynska [installation]
Rob Bellman [sauna stove construction]
Sophie Demay [D21 co-ordinator, furniture construction]