Adjusting The Temperature - Magazine Work

Joanne Philpott meets a Leicester University graduate who saw a massive gap in the market and took the chance

When Yasmin Rix was approach­ing the end of her Master’s degree, she spotted a chance opportunity: to set up her own business.

Going into an ordinary 9 to 5 job just wasn’t what Yasmin had dreamed of when she was growing up; it is quite apparent that she is one who oozes crea­tivity. Her flat is filled with various knick-knacks and prints by artists such as Dead Evil, all perfectly arranged to brighten up the rooms and make you feel as comforta­ble as you can be.

June of 2013 was when Yasmin applied to turn an idea she had in her head into a real life opportunity through Leicester University; the place in which she had undertaken both her undergraduate and Master’s degree. “It was one of those mo­ments where you think to yourself, ‘what if?’” explains Yasmin. It seems that the hesitation which was described has turned itself around into something which is changing Leicester’s art and culture scene for the better. 

Being someone who knows plenty of people involved within the arts and cul­ture scene within Leicester, Yasmin could see the clear gap in the market to which she launched Nineteen Degrees. Feel­ing that Leicester is already culturally diverse, furthermore stating she thinks more so than Manchester, quite possibly London. But what was missing for Yas­min was the audience; whilst the oppor­tunity was there, not many people were realising it was. “I think what Nineteen Degrees adds to Leicester’s arts and cul­ture scene is that it represents emerging artists who are starting up their career in their chosen path. It’s about bringing in the fresh talent alongside the more established, and from there seeing what happens” she says enthusiastically.

So what exactly is Nineteen Degrees? The concept is based around workshops, aiming to support the arts communi­ty within Leicester. Nineteen Degrees hosts workshops with help from various graduates of both Leicester University and De Montfort University. Describing those involved in the business as ‘almost a close family’, you can see that Nineteen Degrees provides that natural connection of like-minded people who are all interested in teaching their love of the arts to a new generation of people who might not get that chance to learn due to various reasons.

Nineteen Degrees, although a business, it is not one in the sense where it drives out other companies. Hoping to fit around the already existing art organisations in Leicester, Yasmin hopes to share and boost the already prominent arts scene in the city. “Where I fit is not in direct com­petition with anyone, but enhancing what already exists and giving local artists a platform to show the rest of the country what Leicester can do”, Yasmin tells me with enthusiasm.

Carrying on, Yasmin said, “There are already some really respected arts or­ganisations in Leicester such as Leicester Print Workshop, Two Queens and Art House in Clarendon Park, just to name a few” explains Yasmin. She carries on: “For most businesses, it’s about growth and dominating the market, but in the arts I think it’s more about sharing the market and what I set out to do is work with these organisations to simply get more people interested in contemporary, digital or traditional art.”

“Leicester has more potential than it realises,” Yasmin quickly adds in.

Yasmin’s aim for Nineteen Degrees is to inspire the creative side to young people, allowing them to have a go at something which they might not have had had chance to do before. She explains “It’s about educating a new generation of young adults; giving them opportunities and a new skill to have in their life, and at the same time supporting independ­ent artists in Leicester and representing them. “

2014 is the year in which Yasmin really sees Nineteen Degrees kicking off. Although keeping Leicester as the home­town of her brainchild, Yasmin wants to see it expand it more cities, in particular Nottingham, and to help it grow through an online presence. Ever optimistic, Yasmin tells me “It may be a slow process, but I hope we gain some more momentum and get involved with some interesting projects.”