By Noelle Williamson
The banner is on the railings at Bramley Shopping Centre and we’re counting down to the third independent Bramley Community Arts Festival, this weekend, May 16-17.
On Saturday morning there will be music, story and crafts for the little ones at the Teddy Bear Party, in the garden at Bramley Baths.
followed by the Bramley Mermaids taking on Bohemian Rhapsody!
Next stop on Saturday, is Trinity Methodist Church from 2pm to 4pm for an Open Afternoon full of good things!
Friends of Bramley Park and Incredible Edible Bramley will be there for the green-fingered. Whether you have a garden, a yard full of pots or a window box, stop by and talk to them. If your only growing space is a windowsill but you yearn for more than a supermarket herb pot and a spiderplant, ask about volunteering in the park, or with community planters and raised beds.
For foodies and the budget-conscious, Recipe Station are bringing their cookbook, their latest recipe cards and a Recipe Station giveaway: ten lucky people, chosen at random between 2pm and 4pm, will go home with a bag of ingredients for a tasty and nutritious meal. One lucky family will take home the raffle prize: a hamper with five meals to make at home, and the recipe sheet.
Creative Communities Leeds and Hookers & Clickers do it for charity will be there with their makes.
There will be art from the pupils of Christ the King and St Peter’s primary schools and from West Leeds Men’s Network. The BEA Fun with Words poetry group and Leeds Young Creatives’ Drama Division both have stalls this year.
At the Friends of Photography stall, you can see the three winning images from photography competition, In My Backyard, (new this year) and vote for the People’s Choice.
Theever-popular Dance Action Zone return in the entertainment lineup. The String of Beads Ladies Choir, the BEA Singing Group and Christ the King children’s choir will all sing for us. In the first Wordsmiths open-mic, three local writers will share their material, live.
Lastly, Bramley and Stanningley’s first Community Selfie will be shown during the Open Afternoon. The compilation video features some 140 people from Bramley and Stanningley, aged from seven months to 84. Spot your friends and family among the runners, firefighters, community volunteers, support workers and birdwatchers.
The grand finale of Bramley Community Arts Festival 2026 is the Community Concert on Sunday at Bramley Villagers, from 4pm to 7pm – an early evening slot to suit a family audience, so bring the family!
Leeds stand-up comic Maxine Wade introduces a remarkable showcase of local amateur talent. Musical theatre groups Bramley Parish Theatre Players, Class Act and Leeds Young Creatives can be relied on to deliver talent and energy in spades. Yorkshire Rosettes majorettes will be appearing for the first time. Between the ukulele ensemble, Shapeshifters – yourukuleletutor@gmail.com – and Vivo Jazz Band you can look forward to some singable and danceable numbers.
The amazing thing about the line-up and quality at Bramley Community Arts Festival, every year, is that it’s all local and all amateur – fitted around work, school and family commitments.
Another remarkable thing is that most groups welcome people of different levels and experience, recognising that passion and commitment matter as much as, if not more than, raw talent or formal training. Adult groups and children’s groups alike tend to be welcoming, fun and nurturing.
Taken together, these two things mean that, if you live in Bramley and Stanningley, and you’re into gardening or singing or knitting or photography; or you want to do theatre or learn to play an instrument or become a community reporter, you could actually give it a go.
Bramley Community Arts Festival comes and goes in two days, but the groups and volunteer opportunities are there all year round. Come and see what’s on offer. Enjoy the entertainment. Chat with the stallholders. Click on the links above to find out more about the groups performing at this year’s festival, or the ones who were too busy to take part this weekend, like Tutti! Community Concert Band, or Prima, the beginners’ band, or the Daytime Choir or the Musical Theatre Choir. And there are others.
Bramley Community Arts Festival is both a celebration of local community groups and creativity, and an invitation to join in.
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