The whole city is a stage, emerging and exciting, vibrant and energetic with a vibe you won’t experience anywhere else. As Visit Leeds launches its ‘Culture Around Every Corner’ campaign, we shine a spotlight on Leeds’ arts and culture community… There’s culture wherever you are in Leeds.
Written by Visit Leeds.
Leeds’s cultural venues are uncovering culture like never before as they come together to celebrate the diverse offering of the city and encourage residents and visitors alike to join in with the cultural fun.
Named as the UK’s most vibrant city and placed in the top 100 places to visit in the world, Leeds will see its cultural institutions come together this spring as part of its Culture Around Every Corner campaign.
Home to over 40 cultural institutions representing the very best of culture in the UK, this campaign is led by Visit Leeds in collaboration with Culture Consortium Leeds (CCL) and other organisations such as Art Hostel, East Street Arts, Phoenix Dance Theatre and Chapel FM Arts Centre which together create the unique landscape of Leeds’ cultural scene.
An experience like no other, Leeds is a leading centre for culture, boasting a scene of international food & drink, street art, country house estates, ground-breaking new performances, legendary music festivals and shows and renowned global sport.
Highlighting the Leeds experience with the message that culture in Leeds is open, Culture Around Every Corner is challenging residents to explore and rekindle a love for the great culture that is on their doorstep, whilst visitors have an immense opportunity to try something new and uniquely ‘Leeds’.
“As a city that’s in demand, Culture Around Every Corner has been designed to bring the cultural venues of our city together and show visitors the breadth of cultural experiences there are to enjoy. We’re extremely excited for the launch and our venues working more closely than ever before to celebrate this incredible, culture-rich city.”
Edward Appleyard, Director of Engagement at Harewood House Trust and Co-Chair of CCL’s Marketing and Communications group
“We’re delighted to be working with a variety of our cultural venues in the city and we can’t wait to reveal what Leeds has to offer as part of this campaign. There’s a real appetite for venues to work in collaboration with one another and support each other and this demonstrates how fantastic the Leeds cultural community is.”
Hannah Hughes, Marketing & Communications Director at Leeds Playhouse and Co-Chair of CCL’s Marketing & Communications group
Cultural highlights this season (April to June)
City centre
- The riotous Hedwig and the Angry Inch is at Leeds Playhouse in April; directed by Jamie Fletcher and starring drag queen Davina De Campo
- The Tetley hosts a solo exhibition of new work by Nigerian artist Bubu Ogisi
- The Henry Moore Institute celebrates the UN Year of Glass with an exhibition of contemporary glass sculpture
- Leeds Museums and Galleries host workshops, trails and activities alongside exhibitions including ‘Eileen Agar: Angel of Anarchy’
- Opera North’s version of Wagner’s most mysterious drama Parsifal opens in June at Leeds Grand Theatre
- Howard Assembly Rooms present the best in eclectic and international music every weekend and host musicians and singers from the asylum community for Refugee Week in June
- Leeds Grand Theatre’s stellar line-up sees Broadway hit School of Rock, the National Theatre’s award-winning The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time, plus a bit of razzle dazzle in Chicago.
Outside the city centre
- Harewood House Biennial this year is Radical Acts: Why Craft Matters, an exhibition showcasing how small radical acts can have a massive impact on the world
- Yorkshire Sculpture Park present David Nash: Full Circle until June
Family activities
- Family favourite The Gruffalo is at Leeds Playhouse in April
- Royal Armouries’ present jousting tournaments and Medieval Easter, with the chance to try some sword skills
- Leeds Young Film Festival 2022 at the Carriageworks combines games with film screenings
- Explore dark and murky disease ridden streets, and ask ‘Can Robots Care?’ at the sometimes gruesome but always fascinating Thackray Museum of Medicine
- At the First Direct Arena, The Masked Singer comes to the live stage, plus a host of full-pelt live music and more
- As part of their On The Road programme, Hyde Park cinema presents several family-friendly screenings at Heart, Headingley and Leeds University Union. Film titles include The Dark Crystal – 40th Anniversary screening, Princess Mononoke and Encanto
Culture Around Every Corner precedes Leeds’ Year of Culture: Leeds 2023. Designed to ‘let culture loose’, Leeds 2023 will see 12 signature events alongside a multitude of creative experiences take place across the city in a celebration of all things culture. Made for everyone, local, national, and international artists and communities will be coming together to create a year-long celebration unique to Leeds. Gearing up to the Year of Culture, the Culture Around Every Corner campaign is just the start of what’s to come.
To find more about Culture Around Every Corner and to plan your next trip, visit www.visitleeds.co.uk/culture-around-every-corner.
