By Jim Corah
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With months to go until Kirkstall Art Trail returns in July plenty of planning and organisation is going on to put on the annual art in the community. There will be many different ways to get involved.
As the trail is primarily an event to encourage engagement and education in art in all its forms, Kirkstall Art Trail is looking for artists to contribute.
Building on last year’s success with increasing the art forms exhibited, KAT is would like submissions from many different artists.
This could be the finest of fine art, the most chiselled of stonework, perfect porcelain, or perhaps photography and poetry. All submissions come through the KAT page on CuratorSpace.
The deadline is Sunday, 6 April 2025 but keep an eye on Kirkstall Art Trail social media channels and their website on whether this is extended by another week.
The project has had funding from Leeds City Council’s Inner West Leeds Community Committee to run two neighbourhood specific projects.
These were launched in 2024 and Kirkstall Art Trail is looking to repeat the projects in the Glebes and Vicarages areas of Kirkstall. For 2025 KAT are looking to recruit an artist facilitator with skills in digital arts to work with residents in the Glebes, while the Vicarages is open to all types of artist facilitators. Details on the KAT website.
The art trail is an excellent way for visitors and residents to engage with art and artists. This year will mark a decade since the initial event in 2015, and since returning following the pandemic the “friendliest event on the calendar” has steadily re-established itself in terms of artists, volunteers and venues.
Kirkstall Art Trail is nothing without venues who give up their spaces to help exhibit art and host workshops.
Venues can be residential homes, businesses, community organisations and public spaces like the Kirkstall Abbey. KAT is hoping to encourage new venues to help host artists, ideally for both Saturday 19 July and Sunday 20 July 2025 though they are flexible and work with the hosts. Venues interested in potentially hosting should contact Kirkstall Art Trail via the contact form on their website.
Earlier in March 2025 the first ever Pancakes and Poetry event was held by Kirkstall Art Trail at the Kirkstall Educational Cricket Club, raising funds for the art trail while providing poetry, pancakes, and arty activities for visitors.
Returning for a second year will be the Poetry Trail, which will be formally launched in April along with the Kirkstall Art Trail Poetry Competition. Also returning will be the Kirkstall Art Trail Photography Competition and the upcycling fashion show.
With the growth in volunteer organisers, Kirkstall Art Trail has been able to run a more consistent approach to their website as well as their social media output.
Later in Spring Kirkstall Art Trail will begin looking for new volunteers to help during the event weekend. If you are available for a couple of hours or more there will be tasks that will ensure the smooth running of the art trail. Interested people can contact via the KAT website.
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