What should I bring?

• water bottle

• swimwear

• two towels (one for sitting on, one for drying off after)

• flip flops / crocs for the yard (we have some to borrow on site if you forget)

What should I wear?

• the yard is a shared space so we are asking everyone to wear swimwear

• we are hoping to add more privacy and offer textile-free sessions at a later date

• we advise removing metal jewellery as it can get very hot in the sauna

How long is a standard session?

• standard sessions are 1 hour long

• you can arrive up to 15 min before to get changed / lock bikes / chill out :)

Will my belongings be safe?

• we have lockers on site for valuables

• you can keep your key with you while in the sauna

• NB: we are not responsible for your property while you are on site

What facilities do you have available?

• 1 x sauna (capacity 6 people at a time)

• cold plunge

• cold shower

• 12 x secure lockers

• communal changing area

• 1 x gender neutral toilet (with free sanitary products)

How hot is the sauna?

• the sauna will be between 80-110 degrees inside!

• we have a sand timer and thermometer in the sauna

• the top bench is always hotter than the bottom bench

• we will check the fire during your session to keep the sauna at a great temperature!

• the cold plunge temperature varies with the weather but is generally around 4-9c

Do you have a shower?

• we have a cold shower to spray down after the sauna

• we do not currently have a warm shower but it’s on our wish list as we get more established

How should I use the sauna and cold water? 

• we recommend to alternate between hot and cold experiences

• we recommend 10min in the sauna followed by a cold plunge or shower

• please shower before using the plunge to help keep the water clean

What do you do about lost property?

If you know you have left something, please message us on instagram or email us warmthsauna@gmail.com. We will take photos of anything left on site and add it to our instagram stories. After a month we will take unclaimed items to a charity shop.

Do you have parking on site?

• unfortunately we are unable to offer car parking on site

• there is plenty of paid on-street parking on nearby roads

• we now have a bike rack at the yard!

Can I book as a group? 

• if you book all 6 places in a public session you will have that slot to yourselves

• you are welcome to book all 6 slots for fewer than 6 people

• NB if you book 6 places, we can only let a maximum of 6 people in

Can I book a private event?

• please email warmthsauna@gmail.com to arrange a private hire

Can I buy a gift voucher?

• coming soon!

Do you have a loyalty card?

• coming soon!

I have a community group, can you offer sessions for us?

Building relationships with community groups is a key part of our ethos at WARMTH Community Sauna. We are not currently in a position to subsidise bookings, but we can offer private booking for community groups.

We would invite 1-3 group co-ordinators for a 30min taster session at the end of a regular public session so you can see the space and chat to us about what might work best for your group. Please email warmthsauna@gmail.com to book your taster session.

I’m nervous to come on my own, will it be ok?

We aim to create a relaxed and friendly environment on site. We give everyone an orientation when you arrive so you know what we have available and how to use the sauna. There will always be 2 members of staff on site to help you with any questions.

Is the sauna accessible?

The yard is level and wheelchair accessible, however the sauna is not wheelchair accessible, and there is a single step up into the toilet.

There is a wooden ramp up to the sauna door with no handrail. There is a small step up onto the ramp, and a step over the doorway into the sauna.

NB: It is dark and very hot inside the sauna with a risk of tripping close to a hot stove.

If you would like to visit the sauna to see if it would be accessible for you, please email us warmthsauna@gmail.com and we will arrange a time for you to come and visit before you book a session and discuss anything you might need to help you access the sauna experience.

If you need a PA ticket to help you access the sauna, please email us warmthsauna@gmail.com.

Can I take photos at the sauna?

No phones in the sauna please! We encourage you to leave your phone in the lockers + switch off from the world for an hour.

You are welcome to take photos of your own friends in the yard with permission, as long as others don’t appear in the pictures. Please don’t take photos of people not in your group.

How can I feed back / suggest improvements?

We are always looking to expand and improve our facilities and offer. Please fill in our google form to let us know what you’d like to see at the sauna yard.

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]