Enchanting audiences in true Dickensian style, Dr Oliver Bray will recite the timeless Christmas tale to gathered crowds as the sun sets over City Square. Everyone is welcome to join this one-off live performance. The architectural forest of LEEDS 2023s Making A Stand installation will be festively adorned, creating the perfect surroundings for this well-loved and magical story. Dr Oliver Bray, Dean of Leeds School of Arts, said: I look forward to seeing the people of Leeds gathered within the impressive Making a Stand installation to listen to Charles Dickenss A Christmas Carol read in a live setting. I am delighted to deliver this performance as a Christmas gift to the city, inviting everyone to a magical event with a festive atmosphere, to experience this beloved story in the heart of Leeds. The performance will close a rich and diverse programme from Leeds School of Arts at Making a Stand, concluding a strong celebration of culture and talent within a unique location. Dickens himself is thought to have read A Christmas Carol more than 150 times to enraptured audiences, and it was the book he read at his last public performance in 1870. Dr Oliver Bray is a Leeds-based performance maker and the Dean of Leeds School of Arts at Leeds Beckett University. Leeds School of Arts is a key educator of artists and creatives who go on to enrich and transform all sectors of arts and culture with their limitless ambition and innovation. Their talented students are actively making a difference across art, design, fashion, music, theatre, film, architecture, and creative technologies. The expert support of their academics, who are renowned regionally, nationally, and globally, allows their expertise and individuality to shine on a prominent stage. This event is part of the partnership between Leeds Beckett University and LEEDS 2023 and runs during LEEDS 2023's final season: Dreaming. The reading of A Christmas Carol will begin from 13:30 at City Square, Leeds, LS1 2ES.
The festival marks a new and significant partnership between Leeds School of Arts and Transform, consolidating the schools position as a state-of-the-art events venue and performance space in the centre of Leeds. Transform 23 is bringing a diverse and exciting line-up of events from across the world into the city, with artists from countries including Iceland, South Africa, and Brazil set to perform across 12 days at Leeds School of Arts. The partnership comes during LEEDS 2023s Year of Culture, a city-wide celebration of arts. Leeds Beckett University is a Principal Education Partner of LEEDS 2023, showcasing the diverse talent of students, staff, and alumni on a prominent stage. Dr Oliver Bray, Dean of Leeds School of Arts, said: We are delighted to host Transform at Leeds School of Arts this year. This marks a significant partnership for the school, as we continue to showcase our contribution to arts and culture during LEEDS 2023s Year of Culture. The festival has created outstanding opportunities for our students to gain industry experience working in live performance and is an unmissable chance for theatre and live-art enthusiasts across Leeds to experience 12 days of powerful performance in the heart of the city. We are honoured to lend our world-class facilities at Leeds School of Arts to this incredible line-up of international artists. Amy Letman, Creative Director at Transform, said: Transform 23 is our most ambitious festival yet bringing extraordinary performance, dance, theatre, club culture and public encounters to Leeds. Leeds School of Arts, Leeds Beckett University is a significant new partner for the festival. They are providing access to a world-class venue and technical capability to key productions in the programme, enabling us to expand on the scale, creative and technical ambition of the festival and ensure that exceptional international performance can be seen in the city. Our partnership with Leeds Beckett University enables Transform to develop a learning culture around the festival, offering opportunities for students and academics to be deeply embedded in a major international festival programme. Transform 23 runs from Wednesday 11 to Sunday 22 October at Leeds School of Arts, Leeds Beckett University City Campus, Portland Way, LS1. For more details and to book, please visit the Leeds Beckett University website.
The public can come along and watch the performance live at Making a Stand, Leeds City Square, on Thursday 5 October, at 15:00 and 17:30. The students will be dancing within the Making a Stand installation, a unique piece of urban architecture commissioned by LEEDS 2023 for its Year of Culture. The ensemble dance work Kinematic Forest was created by students across all levels of BA (Hons) Dance and MA Choreography from Leeds School of Arts alongside Course Director, Beth Cassani, and lecturers, Lisa Kendall and Rachel Krische. Leeds Beckett University lecturer and musician, Dr Tenley Martin, will offer musical accompaniment through live percussion, as the dancers inhabit the sculpture in a vibrant expression of social intelligence. Making a Stand was inspired by the Forest of Leodis and will offer the student dancers an exclusive and prominent stage to showcase their talent. Beth Cassani, Course Director for BA (Hons) Dance and MA Choreography at Leeds Beckett Universitys Leeds School of Arts, said: This is a stunning performance opportunity for the students, in a public space with the people of Leeds as their audience. Kinematic Forest gives the students an exceptional experience of working in partnership with a large cultural festival, learning about collaboration and creativity in a professional public context. These are the kinds of partnerships and collaborations we see our students forging with industry in the future and it is fantastic that they have the chance to learn about it at Leeds School of Arts. The students have collaborated with each other, the staff team and live musician Tenley Martin to create a work in response to the sculpture. Audiences can expect a dynamic, innovative, energetic performance with live percussion that fuses the dancer's athleticism with their personal physical responses to the unique environment the sculpture offers. Leeds Beckett University is a Principal Education Partner of LEEDS 2023, playing an active role in the city-wide celebration of culture which offers its 28,000 students the opportunity to showcase their talent on a prominent stage.
Ellie Herrick, a second year BA Product Design student at LBUs Leeds School of Arts, took part in Challenge Week, a creative competition launched by Beckett Careers in partnership with LEEDS 2023, which led to her winning the creative brief. Her design went on a collection of limited-edition tote bags which can be purchased at the LEEDS 2023 store in Trinity Leeds. The tote bag design is the latest example of the partnership between the university and LEEDS 2023, and the excellent student opportunities it has created. Shortly after her success in Challenge Week, Ellie went on to work as an intern at LEEDS 2023 over the summer, in the marketing and communications team. Ellie said: Winning the competition was so exciting, from finding out I won with my sister by my side, to watching the bag come into fruition. I also completed a summer internship with LEEDS 2023 and loved every second. It was very fulfilling working in a welcoming environment which has increased my confidence and inspiration for the arts. This experience drove my passion for my small business called Ellies Critters, where I create jewellery and accessories. My experience studying Product Design at LBU has taught me many useful skills I was able to use for the tote bag brief. Nicola Porter, Experiential Learning Team Leader at Leeds Beckett University, said: Ellie has done such a good job winning Challenge Week, our pilot scheme from Beckett Careers. This is a testament to her creativity and one of the many ways that students can get involved with Beckett Careers, getting a lot of experience in a short space of time. Niamh Byrne, Head of Placements and Student Opportunity at LEEDS 2023, said: Ellie has been an absolutely fantastic student to join in with our competitions and programmes. Its been fantastic to have her involved in multiple aspects of LEEDS 2023, as part of Leeds Beckett, one of our cultural partners. Leeds Beckett University is a Principal Education Partner of LEEDS 2023, playing an active role in celebrating the arts and culture scene in the city. Over 250 students from Leeds Beckett University have so far taken part in opportunities with LEEDS 2023, including volunteering, placements, internships, and freelancing. To find out more about getting involved in the yearlong celebration of culture, please visit our website. To find out more about placement and work experience opportunities with Beckett Careers, please visit the student information pages.
MA Fine Art students from Leeds Beckett Universitys Leeds School of Arts are exhibiting their works in an exclusive public event this September. The exhibition, titled Leopards in the Temple, is inspired by Franz Kafkas Parables and paradoxes. The 12 student exhibitors explored questions of paradoxes rising between traditional art and new technologies. Visitors are invited to interpret the collection of multimedia works, ranging from video, sound, painting, and sculpture, to photography and spoken word. Peter Lewis, Senior Lecturer at Leeds School of Arts, said: This exhibition offers a great opportunity for our MA Fine Art students to display their work in the public sphere and showcase their artistic vision in relation to social, political, and aesthetic debates. Come along to experience a modern take on Kafkas storytelling, from our up-and-coming artists. Visitors will experience encounters with televised streams of images and projections illuminating the open spaces casting shadows of unknown skylines. A collection of figures made of scraps of clothing are displayed amid Victorian decor. Cardboard makeshift shelters are covered in handwriting, pages are torn from newspapers, a writers leather armchair is surrounded by books as if the writer has mysteriously disappeared. The exhibition runs as part of LEEDS 2023s Season Three: Dreaming showcase. Leeds Beckett University is a Principal Education Partner of LEEDS 2023, playing an active role in celebrating the citys creative industries and communities. The partnership offers students and staff the opportunity to showcase their diverse talent on a prominent stage. Nicole Dodds, exhibitor and MA Fine Art student at Leeds Beckett University, said: Im excited to share my work with the people of Leeds. I have a keen interest in the experience of cultural phenomena and with a particular emphasis on the virtual and Japanese popular culture, including games and cuisine. From me, the public can expect films that include non-physical and physical elements, prints of self-produced texts and appropriated imagery. My practice currently resides in a form of lucidity, offering navigation of the lack of a definitive border between space and its objects. The Leopards in the Temple exhibition is on from Thursday 7 until Sunday 10 September at Leeds Beckett Universitys Leeds School of Arts (Broadcasting Place B, second floor, City Campus, Woodhouse Lane, Leeds, LS1 3HE). The public can register for the preview on Thursday 7 September between 18:00 20:00 or the public exhibition from Friday 8 September until Sunday 10 September, between 10:00 - 18:00.
The success of the new Leeds School of Arts building underpins the powerful rise of our city as a capital of culture and a thriving creative economy. In the past year alone, renowned artists and partners have worked with the school and used the state-of-the-art facilities, while also creating opportunities for students. From supporting established artists, like Leeds rapper Graft, on recording and producing upcoming music, to hosting an industry-standard fashion show with top names such as Burberry in the front row, and welcoming Northern Opera Group for rehearsals and live performances, LSA has rapidly established itself as a cultural hub in the city. The LSA building is fast becoming an integral part of the growing arts and culture scene in the city and has helped to secure the future of the arts in Leeds. It offers the ideal platform for the filmmakers, artists, architects, and musicians of tomorrow. With state-of-the-art technical equipment, bright studio spaces, and places to showcase and perform, it nurtures home-grown skills and ideas. Dr Oliver Bray, Dean of Leeds School of Arts, said: We are delighted to see the Leeds School of Arts building shortlisted for the Leeds Architecture Awards. Leeds School of Arts has an unbelievably rich and powerful history that dates back 170 years, and it is now one of the largest higher education art schools in the North. This is not just a building. It is a symbol, it is us shouting loud and clear that culture matters, it transforms lives, and it makes the world better. I am proud to see our investment in the talent and innovation of our students and staff recognised by the city. The state-of-the-art building, which is located on Portland Street, Leeds Beckett University City Campus, helps cement the universitys presence in the heart of Leeds and has been the new home for many of the creative arts subjects offered by the university. The building supports more than 2500 students and 100 staff studying, teaching, and producing research in: film, TV, technology, sound, music, drama, dance, and fashion. It has been designed by the internationally renowned architectural practice Hawkins\Brown and was constructed by development partner Downing. Facilities include a professional standard recording studio, 180-seat performance theatre, a 220-seat Dolby Atmos movie cinema, as well as dedicated TV, film, green screen, and black box studios. There are also multiple editing suites, rehearsal and make-up rooms, and performance spaces. The winners of the Leeds Architecture Awards will be announced in November 2023.
Graduation ceremonies are in full swing at Leeds Beckett University, with students from the School of Events, Tourism and Hospitality Management crossing the stage today. Students in the school have been actively working to develop their skills and experience across a range of industries, getting recognised across the city for their talent, enthusiasm and energy. Their contribution has been particularly impactful on a range of activations for LEEDS 2023s Year of Culture. From facilitating workshops, to creative sessions with school children, and raising the WOW barn, our students have been busy helping to bring the celebration of culture to life this year in Leeds. Alexandra Bell chose to study BA (Hons) Creative Event Design to follow her dream of becoming a creative producer for live events. Throughout her time at Leeds Beckett University, she sought out opportunities that aligned with her career goals, while also keeping an open mind to more diverse experiences. This is how she took on the challenge to become a barn raiser with LEEDS 2023. The project gathered 300 women and non-binary people from across Leeds to construction and engineering workshops in preparation for a 24h building project where they raised a barn to house the Women of the World festival. Being a part of something in Leeds with all these women and non-binary people to build something that represents everything that everyone can do is an opportunity that most people wouldnt normally have access to. I decided to step out of my comfort zone and do it, especially in the city that I absolutely love. It was great to be a part of it and to provide a space where people could go and see inspiring events, like live music and poetry, Alexandra said. Getting involved in a wide range of placements and volunteering opportunities helped Alexandra discover what part of the events industry she wanted to pursue. Her advice to current and prospective students looking to get into events, is to be as actively involved as possible. Don't put pressure on yourself or narrow yourself or your opportunities down straight away, because for me it changed countless times. The whole university experience for me was about finding myself. Keep an open mind. The university gives you the practical skills to go out there and speak to industry professionals and see the places where they actually. It's a step forward from just teaching in the classroom. Its networking but then also just learning to do a job in real time which is I feel like gets my cogs turning a lot more and I feel like that's happened for a lot of other students too. The Events, Tourism and Hospitality Management subject group at Leeds Beckett University offers world-leading expertise and opportunities for future leaders of events, tourism and hospitality industries. Based in the thriving city of Leeds, the courses work with external industry partners to encourage practical work experience for students, which supports and develops their learning.
Leeds Beckett Universitys first Graduation ceremony of the year celebrates students from the School of Events, Tourism and Hospitality Management. Miranda Markham studied Creative Event Design and is planning to build a career in music events. Looking back on her university experience, Miranda explains that two of her lecturers had a strong impact on her: Dr Jonathan Moss and Michelle Lanham made my time at university so much better. Having them teach us has been my favourite thing about Leeds Beckett. Jonathan was so supportive and approachable and Michelle sparked my whole class to creativity and imagination. She took us on field trips and events, which gave us the experience and insight we needed for the future. Already working full time as a marketing executive, Miranda is also freelancing on the side, working to build her dream career in events. She has been proactive and confident in working her way up, pitching to clients, and delivering high-standard work across a range of events in Leeds and Manchester, including Parklife Festival and Chowdown. Miranda said: Those events were an opportunity to meet high-profile clients. The more Im doing, the more I get invited into event manager roles in the music scene. I learned so much on the spot and climbed my way up. Her lecturers advice played an important role in Mirandas development. Dr Jonathan Moss, according to Miranda, stood out through his openness and honesty. He told us that were allowed to lose motivation. He was honest with us and he reassured us that our work is all about creativity and even if we lose motivation, it will always come back. Michelle Lanham helped especially when her students were struggling with uncertainty about their course and industry of choice. I cannot explain into words how amazing she is. She is one of the most creative people I know. When I had doubts about working in this field, asking myself if I really want to do this, Michelle showed me that I do. She helped us through a pitch for one of our modules, it was the most nervous Ive ever been. But I really wanted to impress her because of how much shed done for us. It was the most rewarding experience, Miranda said. Her advice for current and prospective students interested in a career in events is simple: never miss an opportunity and actively look for work experience. Your career depends on how much space you make for yourself in the industry. The Events, Tourism and Hospitality Management subject group at Leeds Beckett University offers world-leading expertise and opportunities for future leaders of events, tourism and hospitality industries. Based in the thriving city of Leeds, the courses work with external industry partners to encourage practical work experience for students, which supports and develops their learning.
The RSA Student Design Awards are a global competition encouraging students to use their creativity and skills to tackle current social and environmental challenges. This years brief ranged from empowering communities, to creating better building solutions. Satch Kulangaras project, ShellStyles, won the award in the Building Better category. The design uses eggshell waste to create building tiles designed to replace traditional ceramic tiles. Satch said: I am incredibly proud and honoured to win this award, which is the culmination of three years of hard work at Leeds Beckett University. I believe this achievement is a great start to my journey as a life-centred designer. I am immensely grateful to my tutors who have played a significant role in shaping me into the designer I am today. Their guidance, expertise, and unwavering support have been crucial to my personal and professional growth. Reuben Riddioughs project, Solar-Charged Communities, was Highly Commended for the Powering People category. His design involves a portable charging system and service for community centre users to help raise awareness and participation of renewable energy transitions in the cost-of-living crisis. Reuben said: Im delighted that my project has been recognised at the RSA Student Design Awards. To be shortlisted, and then win alongside my course mate, Satch, and many other great student designers, is a very proud and exciting moment for me. For the past three years at Leeds Beckett, I have tried to take on every opportunity that came my way. Alongside the RSA competition, I also had the chance to work with the LEEDS 2023 Year of Culture to deliver product design workshops to people in the city. My university experience has developed my knowledge and skills and encouraged me to follow my goal to work as an industrial designer. Lauren Moriarty, Course Director for BA Product Design at Leeds Beckett Universitys Leeds School of Arts, said: We are immensely proud of Satch and Reuben for this fantastic achievement. They have both worked incredibly hard and produced high quality, socially and environmentally responsible design work in response to the RSA briefs. We wish them the best of luck building careers in the design industry going forward. The RSA Student Design Awards offer successful students a free, one-year fellowship and the chance to join the Society, meet and work with key names in the industry, and access resources and events to help develop their careers. The BA (Hons) Product Design course at Leeds School of Arts registered a 100% student satisfaction rate and offers exciting opportunities for placement and work experience within Leedss thriving creative sector. To find out more about studying Product Design at Leeds Beckett University, visit our website.
Graft, who is actively involved in the Leeds cultural scene, came to Leeds School of Arts during two weeks in June, where he recorded new songs, to be released next year. Students from Music and Sound courses joined the rapper in the Leeds School of Arts studios, to support with hands-on tasks like recording, editing, and preparing the final tracks to be sent to Grafts producer. Xanthe Sparke, a third-year Music Production student, said: I enjoyed the opportunity to work with Graft on this project. It was fun to learn about creative process and find ways to enhance this in my role as a producer. Getting to meet students from other courses and build connections in the Leeds music scene is very important and I hope to work with them again. Jacob Shipley, a second-year Music Production student, said: To work with an established artist and with fellow students on music that others will get to listen to and enjoy is really exciting. Graft is great to work with and I look forward to hearing the final result of our work together. Ben Foden, a third-year Music Production student, said: This is a great opportunity for us. Its been a pleasure to work with Graft, hes a really talented artist. In the future, Im planning to do a lot more studio work, which is why working with Graft has given me some great experience. Sam Langman, a third-year Music Technology student, said: I chose Leeds School of Arts because it offered great lecturers and guest lecturers, as well as exciting external opportunities, like working with Graft over the past two weeks. Its been really interesting to work with a well-known artist, it gave us a real sense of working as professionals. Graft, who is an award-winning Leeds-based rapper, commended the students skills and the facilities at Leeds School of Arts: Its been amazing to be in the studios over the past two weeks, working with these amazing engineers. Weve been recording new songs, working with a drummer, trumpet player, vocalists, and a poet. Its been great to meet the students, work with the musicians, and get the songs done. The facilities are amazing, and hopefully I can come back to Leeds School of Arts more often and use the space again. Leeds Beckett University is a Principal Education Partner of LEEDS 2023, contributing to the yearlong celebration of culture taking over the city. Students across the university, and especially at Leeds School of Arts, have had a chance to work with professional artists, or within industry settings, to prepare them for careers across arts and culture. Alex Stevenson, Course Director for BA (Hons) Music Industries Management and BA (Hons) Music Performance and Production at Leeds School of Arts, said: Projects like these offer incredible opportunities for our students to put their creative and technical skills into practice, as well as make full use of our fantastic recording studio facilities. These real-world experiences allow our students to apply their knowledge and network with musicians across the vibrant music we have in Leeds and help us bridge the gap between education and professional creative practice, supporting our ethos of our students being active participants within the creative industries from the moment they enrol on our courses. Graft is an incredible young artist who has been working with our alumni community, so he had confidence in our ability to both provide professional recording facilities and student engineers who would be able to support his creative vision. We are delighted to collaborate with him on this project. Music and Sound students at Leeds Beckett University benefit from state-of-the-art facilities, such as recording studios, performance studios, production suites, dubbing theatres, acoustics testing labs and more, all kitted out with the latest industry-standard equipment. Here, anyone who is passionate about music and sound will be able to create, innovate and develop the skills required to unlock a range of exciting career paths within the industry. To find out more about studying Music and Sound at Leeds School of Arts, visit our website.
The new training course in Music Leadership offers an opportunity to learn from the knowledge and skills of Musicians Without Borders trainers alongside individuals from a variety of arts-based practices. This is part of the Cohesive Harmonies research project, which investigates how artistic interventions can facilitate social cohesion and network building between people experiencing displacement and host communities. There are 25 funded places open to emerging or well-established arts practitioners, as the programme welcomes applicants with a range of experience levels within the community arts sector. Those who have a desire to bring music practice into their existing community work are also being encouraged to apply. The project is a collaboration between Leeds School of Arts researchers Dr Tenley Martin and Hannah Butterfield and Musicians Without Borders. Project co-lead, Senior Lecturer Dr Tenley Martin, said: I've been working on developing this project with Musicians Without Boarders (MWB) for several years now. Having taken their training in 2020, I know the impact it can have for music outreach practitioners in furthering their practice. Through this research project, trainees will have the opportunity to have an even more in-depth experience of MWB's Leadership Training, thanks to our offer of guided practical work between training sessions. Participants will be given tasks to reflect and complete between the sessions, including the opportunity to work alongside Hannah Butterfield and Dr Tenley Martin, alongside local Asylum Seeker groups. Musicians Without Borders is an organisation that pioneers societal change through the power of music, working with communities affected by war, conflict and displacement around the world. To apply, send your responses to the application questions in a personal statement to Dr Tenley Martin by 10am, Monday 31 July 2023. For more information contact Tenley Martin or Hannah Butterfield, or view the Musicians Without Borders webpage.
The RUN graduate fashion show was the finale of the LEEDS2023 programme from Leeds School of Arts and highlighted the industry-standard teaching, research and practice within the universitys fashion course. The graduate fashion show saw students presenting their end-of-year collections within a professional and industry-standard setting. A panel of judges from key names in the fashion and luxury industry, including Burberry, Cunnington Sanderson, and Yorkshire Post Fashion Editor, Stephanie Smith, awarded four prizes to students at the show. The prize for the Most Technical Collection went to Lottie Blankstone, for her designs inspired by cultural Judaism. The prize for the Most Creative Collection went to Ali Gohari whose collection covered themes of imperfection and life experience. The prize for the Most Responsibly Designed Collection went to Kiera Tarpey for her collection designed entirely from upcycled and sustainable materials, including recycled sports equipment. And the prize for the Most Inclusive Collection went to Lori J Briggs, for her commitment to diversity and inclusivity through her designs. Sam Hudson-Miles, Head of Fashion at Leeds School of Arts, said: We are incredibly proud of our final year students and the high standard of work theyve shown. The RUN graduate fashion show was a key opportunity for them to meet key names in the industry and build their network, as they work to develop successful careers in fashion. Our Fashion course is renowned for its high employability rate, with 100% of our graduates working in the industry or being in further study 15 months after graduating. We are one of the best Fashion courses in the North, and pride ourselves in actively creating opportunities for students to engage with the creative sector in Leeds. Matthew Cunnington and John Sanderson, co-founders of award-winning Yorkshire brand Cunnington Sanderson, said: The RUN graduate show offered a great insight into the future of fashion in Leeds and the North. We were excited to see the unique and innovative talent at Leeds Beckett University and would like to congratulate the four award winners on their outstanding collections. Leeds School of Arts is a key educator of artists and creatives who go on to enrich and transform all sectors of arts and culture with their limitless ambition and innovation. Their talented students are actively making a difference across art, design, fashion, music, theatre, film, architecture, and creative technologies. The expert support of their academics, who are renowned regionally, nationally, and globally, allows their expertise and individuality to shine on a prominent stage. To find out more about studying Fashion at Leeds School of Arts, visit our website. RUN is an exciting line-up of events overseen by internationally acclaimed Yorkshire designer, and Leeds Beckett University Professor, Matty Bovan. RUN is a fashion-first for the city which opened with a photoshoot takeover of Trinity Leeds and saw Professor Matty Bovan present his inaugural performance.