We hope you enjoy the festive period. We’ve worked with some amazing artists and performers this year. THANK YOU to all our members, partners and supporters. And a special mention to artist Sue Bird who provided the image used on the home page.
Arts & Minds is closed from 19th December until 2nd January 2019 – if you have any issues or queries we’ll get back to you in the new year.
We know that this time of year isn’t easy for some people. If you’re struggling, you might find some of these numbers useful. USEFUL PHONE NUMBERS. Thanks to Forward Leeds for these.
Meanwhile, we hope you get a chance to be creative over the next few weeks. See you in 2019!
Our first CONNECT & CREATE session will be Monday January 7th, 2pm – pm at The Tetley. See you there!
Linda, Jane and Tom
Arts & Minds Network
Love Arts Festival is over. Thanks so much to all who took part and attended events. It was a great success!
You can check out some brilliant photos of key events on Facebook and a gallery of images will be available on the Love Arts site very soon.
5 – 22 JULY 2018
BEYOND is an arts festival that celebrates the fantastic work of creative people with learning disabilities in Leeds. There are lots of organisations in Leeds supporting artists, performers and musicians with learning disabilities. BEYOND brings them together to celebrate and highlight the great work being produced.
2018 is the second BEYOND festival and this year the team is putting the spotlight on several individuals. BEYOND was able to award 12 grants to artists and groups to produce work for this year’s festival. The funding helped film-makers, choreographers, photographers, sculptors and other artists with learning disabilities create and show their work.
There are around 30 events or exhibitions taking place throughout July. The festival features all art forms: visual art, film, dance, theatre and more. There will be a clowning performance, wandering robots and giant sausage sandwiches at Leeds Kirkgate Market; comic books, installations and visual art at Studio24 and the Central Library; a brilliant gig at Wharf Chambers; and much more besides! Lots of different venues across Leeds are hosting events and exhibitions over the fortnight.
For full details go to www.beyondarts.co.uk or pick up a brochure from Leeds Visitor Centre on the Headrow.
Paul Wilshaw, co-producer on the BEYOND festival says, ‘There are 1.4 million people in the UK with a learning disability but sometimes our voices are unheard and we are not seen on television, or in theatres and arts festivals. BEYOND helps get our art and performances out there!”
James Hill is director of Pyramid of Arts, one of the organisations involved in running the Festival. He says, ‘There is a wealth of talent and creativity represented across all the events in the Festival this year. This is a fun and exciting way to find out about loads of amazing work in the city that you might not otherwise get to see’.
Events to look out for:
Expressions at Northern Ballet
Wed 11th(1pm and 7pm) and Thursday 12thJuly (7pm) at Northern Ballet
A selection of the best dance performances by groups and individuals with disabilities.
BEYOND @ Kirkgate Market Event Space
Saturday 14th July, 11am – 4pm
Clowning, robots, sausages, animations, virtual reality, dance and more. A cornucopia of films, love performances and interactive installations.
BEYOND Belief at Wharf Chambers
Friday 20thJuly, 7.30pm
A night of live music featuring Ultimate Thunder, Jez Colbourne & the MTG Band, Sky Fallers and Demented Dave
Arts & Minds’ big summer event is on Tuesday July 10th, 1 – 4pm at Leeds Central Library. We’ve teamed up with Room 700, the Drawing Room, NS70 and the BEYOND Festival to bring you an event packed with creativity and good cheer. You are welcome to join us to take part in arty workshops, or simply just have a chat to like-minded, creative people.
Collective Joy Workshop
Artist Samra Mayanja will lead this workshop between 2 and 3.30pm
Samra says: “We’ll be focusing on body image and mind. I’ll be using poetry and performance, sound, words and movement in ways that spread joy. It’ll be a personal and collective experience.”
Reserve your place at this workshop by contacting us using the details above
NHS 70th
It’s the NHS’s 70th birthday, and we’ll be celebrating in a creative way. Come and add your message as a piece of writing, a drawing or something more imaginative…
BEYOND Exhibition
A selection of work from the BEYOND Festival with be on show. The artwork is by people with learning disabilities and some of the artists might be at the event in person.
Please come to meet us at the event – all welcome and it’s all free! Don’t worry if you’re not yet an Arts & Minds member. You can join us on the day.
Arts & Minds Summer Special
Tuesday10th July, 1 – 4pm
Room 700 and Leeds Drawing Room
Leeds Central Library
Calverley St
Leeds
LS1 3AB
(image of BIG MONSTER IN A LITTLE CITY: AGE OF KAIJU by Specialist Autism Services Multimedia Workshop – showing at Room 700 in July)
Your chance to get creative, meet other Arts & Minds members and drink good coffee.
We’re teaming up with the Playlab for some creative play. Slime, pom-poms, games, arty fun and more in the new pop-up Playlab next to Leeds Kirkgate Market. Also featuring Open Mic poetry and performance.
All welcome!
The Playlab has taken over a shop on New York St for several weeks. It’s a pop-up creative, playful space. It’s just over the road form the post office. There is disabled access.
Arts & Minds Spring Playtime
Playlab, 23 New York Street, Leeds LS2 7DZ
Monday 30th April
1.30 – 5pm