Tate Liverpool invited a youth art group called Tate Collective Liverpool to collaborate on a project in 2016. They agreed to work with design collective Assemble to support the process. Assemble staged a "kidnapping" of the art gallery to ensure Tate Collective had independence from the institution. This launched the project "We Have Your Art Gallery", where Tate Collective acted as captors of the gallery and its expectations. Through research and discussions, Tate Collective developed demands to challenge Tate Liverpool's established ways. After negotiations, the demands were narrowed to focus on creating an open art school called Art Gym, as a place for creative activities rather than just viewing art.