Community opens up for Kirkstall Art Trail, spreading enjoyment in art

By Jim Corah

During Saturday 19 July and Sunday 20 July 2025, homes, businesses, and community organisations will be openning their doors literally and figuratively by hosting artists for the Art Trail.

Over the weekend there will be exhibitions, demonstrations, and workshops encouraging visitors to engage with and learn about art.

The free event spreads all over Kirkstall, stretching into Bramley (with exhibiting artists in Lilacs), up to the Kirkstall Educational Cricket Club and Queenswood Social Club, across to Eden Crescent, and over to Hawksworth.

Maps are freely available from the Hub on Norman Street during the event, as well as from venues and on the website. 

Growing every year since the first art trail in 2015 (with the exception of 2020 to 2022 with the impact of the pandemic), the number and variety of local and West Yorkshire artists has increased to a “dazzling” level (2024 visitor comment).

Kirkstall Art Trail aims to support artists who are starting out with their art as well as those who are more established. Just as it is free to visit, it is free for artists to make a submission to exhibit. 

For visitors there are workshops and demonstrations (some of which may charge for participation to cover material costs), offering the opportunity to try something new and learn new techniques. 

Returning for a second year, the upcycling fashion show will be held in the Abbey Nave at 2pm on Saturday 19 July 2025. Also in the Nave on Sunday 20 July 2025 will be a dance exhibition.

In terms of activities and demonstrations, these include portrait drawing taster sessions, paper animal masks, wood-based art, gelli plate printing (always a visitor favourite), stone carving, and needle felting illustration.

There will be a camera obscure in Kirkstall Abbey and a topographical emotional landscape of Kirkstall and West Leeds. Children will have a scavenger hunt to collect stamps from venues across Kirkstall Art Trail.

Continuing to explore the written word, the Poetry Trail has grown in number with 40-odd poems attached to street furniture for visitors, this year with an online map to view details of the poets, and there will be a spoken word event with open mic at the Queenswood Social Club on Saturday, 19 July 2025.

The whole weekend would not be possible without funding from Leeds City Council’s Community Committee as well as donations from members of the public and businesses.

Kirkstall Art Trail also benefit from support from our volunteers, members of our community who give their free time to ensure Kirkstall thrives and comes together to celebrate each other.

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