In 2004, HOST’s inaugural year, four studio groups and 25 artists opened the doors of their studios to the public to show how they work and to discuss their inspiration.  Artists sold work, received commissions, exhibitions and workshop opportunities and made contact with other artists in the area and, in the general public, with a wealth of new potential customers.In 2005, the promotional material for Huddersfield’s second Open Studio Trail promised an arts event bigger and better than the previous year. These promises were upheld with HOST:05 witnessing double the number of venues, double the number of artists and treble the number of visitors.  Over the HOST:05 weekend, around 1000 visitors took part in the trail, paying visit to the artistic talent encased in 8 venues and 46 local artists.

Throughout HOST:05, both participating and visiting artists frequently commented on the desire and need for the artists within a community to meet and share practice and expertise and increase mutual understanding and appreciation.
This year, HOST will continue to build upon the relationship forged with the Huddersfield Contemporary Music Festival over the past two years and will take place between 17th and 19th November 2006, coinciding with the first weekend of the festival, one of Huddersfield’s long-standing cultural events, attracting around 8,000 visitors worldwide each year.