By Damon Cooper
Residents across West Leeds will be celebrating creativity on our doorstep with summer events to showcase local talent as part of Leeds 2023 year of culture.
Community activities range from Armley Extravaganza, LS28 LIVE and Kirkstall Festival to summer events in Calverley and Farsley, Bramley and Stanningley plus Farnley and Wortley.
Individuals, voluntary groups, community and arts organisations have an opportunity to apply for a grant until Monday, 6 March at 9am with a maximum of £3,000 available for each ward.
Bids for each individual grant are expected to be between £100 and £500 to give as many performers as possible a chance of securing cash.
Applicants might be someone with a unique party trick, a group of gymnasts wanting to show off your skills, a dancer, a performer, someone who can teach creativity, a musician, a poet or a group of footballers that want to share their love of the game.
Everything and anything within reason will be actively considered in what are set to be mini-Awakenings not too dissimilar to the Leeds 2023 launch event last month, where even Kirkstall Road-based Manjit’s paneer wrap took the spotlight centre stage at one point.
Leeds 2023 community grant information sessions are taking place on Zoom on Tuesday 14th February, 5pm. Register here.
Alternatively, you can meet your neighbourhood hosts in person during drop-in sessions across West Leeds. Your local hosts for Leeds 2023 events will play a part in deciding on successful bids but opportunities to volunteer might be possible too.
Kimberly Frangos – Armley
New Wortley Community Centre
Date: Monday, 13 February 2023
Time: 10am–12pm
Strawberry Lane Community Centre
Date: Wednesday, 15 February
Time: 11:00am – 2:00pm
Travellers Rest, Armley
Date: Friday, 17 February
Time: 5pm–7pm
Dean Patrick – Bramley & Stanningley
BARCA-Leeds (Manor House, 259 Upper Town St, Bramley, Leeds LS13 3JT
Date: Tuesday 21 February
Time: 10.30am-12pm
E: bramstanhost@leeds2023.co.uk
Ian Thursfield – Farnley & Wortley
New Farnley Community Centre (Low Moor Side, Leeds LS12 5EA)
Date: Thursday, 16 February
Time: 6pm–8pm
New Wortley Community Centre (40 Tong Rd, Armley, Leeds LS12 1LZ)
Date: Monday, 20 February
Time: 12pm – 2pm
Alaina Dunne – Calverley & Farsley
Farsley Library (Old Road, Farsley, Pudsey LS28 5DH)
Date: Monday, 13 February
Time: 10am–12pm
Calverley Old Hall (10 Woodhall Rd, Calverley, Pudsey LS28 5NL)
Date: Tuesday, 14 February
Time: 10am-12pm
Nathen Shipley – Kirkstall
Kirkstall Valley Development Trust Community Hub (St Stephen’s Church Hall, Norman Street, Kirkstall)
Date: Monday, 13 February 2023
Time: 9am–12pm
E: kirkstallhost@leeds2023.co.uk
Kate Frazer – Pudsey
Pudsey Wellbeing Centre (Robin Ln, Pudsey LS28 7BR)
Date: Monday, 13 February 2023
Time: 6.30pm–8.30pm
More information
More information on the grants can be found here.
