Connect & Create
We’ve started a new monthly meet up!
Connect & Create meets on the first Monday afternoon of every month at the Tetley. The aim is to get together with other like-minded, creative people. We want you to share ideas, be artistic, and find out about all the great things going on in Leeds.
Every month we’ll have:
Sharing – a chance for you to bring along a piece of artwork or some writing – or a song or a dance and share it with an enthusiastic group of Arts & Minds members
Discussion – we’ll choose an important topic and gather a group to talk about it. It could be a new idea, or an event that’s coming up we need help with – or something completely different.
Creative Space – every month a new volunteer will try out a different creative workshop. No skills necessary, just have a go.
We’ll also have the Arts & Minds team on hand to answer your questions, and plenty of leaflets and brochures with information on lots of different things going on. It’s ideal for people who’ve never been to an Arts & Minds event before – you can find out all about what we do. And we particularly welcome people who’ve had experience of mental health issues.
Join us on
Monday August 6th / September 3rd/ October 1st / November 5th/ December 3rd
Connect & Create
Monday Afternoons, 2 – 4pm
The Learning Studio on Floor 2
Hunslet Road
Leeds
LS10 1JQ
BEYOND Festival 2018
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
Summer Special at Leeds Central Library
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)
MADE – Dance Group – Yorkshire Dance
Yorkshire Dance would like to introduce their new mixed ability dance class:
This new class is called MADE (Mixed Ability Dance for Everyone) and is a beginners level, fun, social dance class that includes gentle exercises to improve mobility, flexibility and balance. The class is open to any adults with or without a disability that is interested in dance. The aim of the class is to provide people that may have barriers to engaging with physical activity with an opportunity to express themselves and be physical in an open, friendly and fun group that promotes independence.
When: Wednesdays between 5.30-7.00pm
Where: Yorkshire Dance in Leeds city centre
Yorkshire Dance
3 St Peter’s Buildings
St Peter’s Square Leeds
LS9 8AH
Cost: £3.50
Contact: 0113 243 8765
Arts and Crafts Group – Oblong
Oblong hosts a free weekly arts & crafts group every Monday between 1 and 2.30 pm.
More details can be found by clicking on the link below.
https://www.woodhousecommunitycentre.com/whatson
Where:
Oblong – Woodhouse Community Centre
197 Woodhouse Street
Leeds
LS6 2NY
When:
Mondays 1 – 2.30 pm
Cost :
Free and materials are provided
Contact:
0113 245 9610
https://www.woodhousecommunitycentre.com/findus
Adult Art therapy Groups & 1:1 Sessions – The Art Room @ The Digital Lounge
The Art Room offers a range of art therapeutic support including adult groups and 1:1 sessions with client and therapist and also parent and child therapy.
This is a free service for Leeds-based adults, however priority will be given to residents who live locally (i.e within a three mile radius of The Digital Lounge).
Please contact The Digital Lounge to find out about dates and availability.
What is Art Therapy?
Art Therapy can help people to express their inner feelings when words alone are either just too difficult or hard to find.
It Can help people to understand why they are feeling the way they do by creating an image to express and explore their emotions.
A person’s willingness to join in and try something new is more important than how good they think they are at art making.
When:
Group sessions – Tuesdays and Thursdays 10.30 am – 11.30 am
1:1 sessions available Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursdays
Where: The Digital Lounge
45 Ramshead Hill
Seacroft
LS14 1BT
Contact: 0113 318 0522 or email [email protected] to request an application form
Oblong Arts and Craft Group
Weekly group – Oblong Arts and Craft Group – beginners welcome.
This group is FREE and materials are provided
When? Every Monday between 1 pm and 2.30 pm
Where? Woodhouse Community Centre, 197 Woodhouse Street, LS6 2NY
Cost? Free and materials are provided
Contact? telephone:0113 245 9610 email: [email protected]
East St Arts Adult Learning Programme
We offer a yearly rolling programme of informal learning by providing short ( 10 Week ) course in a variety of community and city-centre venues. Work work with experienced and qualified artist/tutors, who are used to working across lots of different art and design disciplines with small diverse groups of participants. Courses include: drawing, sculpture, painting, jewellery, ceramics. See Courses Starting Jan 2017-2
When?
Term One 26th September to 9th December
Term Two 16th Jan to 31st March
Term Three 18th April to 30th June
We deliver weekdays and daytime, with one late afternoon to early evening course running at in Term Two ( this may be extended to Term Three).
Where? Citywide and central.
Cost? We have 3 set rates per 10 week term, dependent upon personal circumstances. £60/ £16 / Free
Contact? Please call East St Arts for more information: 0113 262 2233 and ask for Linda.
“this course has been life changing, I felt really isolated before I joined and now I look forward to it each week, it is a life line”
“The tutor makes us feel really comfortable and has encouraged us to try new things with gentle guidance, you don’t have to do anything that you don’t want to do”
Inkwell Arts
We are a creative mental health service based in Leeds 7 offering a range of classes and activities for the community, users of mental health services and their families. We offer classes on a referral only basis and also open classes available for anyone to join: art and crafts, ceramics, dance and music, and a weekly Craft Cafe session. See our website for current groups
Inkwell is a safe, creative and accessible space where passion and skills entwine, challenging the stigma of mental health and celebrating the diversity of its participants. It seeks to engage, stimulate and absorb all abilities through creative activity. Users develop life skills such as teamwork and problem solving leading to increased confidence and improved wellbeing.
When? Varies depending on group
Where? 31 Potternewton Lane, Chapel Allerton, Leeds, LS7 3LW
Contact: Telephone: 0113 3070108 / email: [email protected] / www.inkwellarts.org.uk
“..it’s such a positive place for people who are struggling with their mental health, it helps to build confidence and setting yourself little goals is sometimes better for a person than self-analysis”
“It’s a chance to learn new skills and have the freedom to express yourself. I’ve done a bit of volunteering here too which I’ve really enjoyed”
Craft Cafe
We welcome people of all ages, abilities and background providing a fully inclusive craft session. Here at Inkwell we have a warm, friendly and welcoming environment, in fact, everything you need to feel and be inspired! Crafts available to try range from Jewellery Making, Pottery, Sewing, Felting, Card Making, Glass Painting, Batik and much more. Whatever you want to create, we will do our utmost to help.
When: Every Thursday afternoon 2-4pm
Where: Inkwell, 31 Potternewton Lane, Chapel Allerton, Leeds, LS7 3LW
Costs: Your entrance fee of just £3.50 will buy you all your materials for the session.
We have a wide range of art and craft materials available to use and you get to take home whatever you make on the day.
Contact: Telephone: 0113 3070108 / email: [email protected]