Just found out, courtesy of Culture Vultures that Leeds is a contender to be ‘UK City of Culture’. What a great idea! I think Leeds has many great qualities that its residents would be proud to shout from the hill tops about.
Here are my top 10 favourite things about Leeds:
1 Diversity: Leeds is a truly multicultural city – people with heritage from all over the world live here and each have developed thriving local communities. You can enjoy everything from authentic Jewish bagels, to West Indian music to the spectacle of the Mela and much much more in close proximity.
2 City of education: Leeds attracts tens of thousands of students each year to study everything from music to technology, medicine and teaching. This adds to the atmosphere of the city and many students choose to base themselves in Leeds after graduation, adding to its prosperity.
3 Urban space meets rural space: Even within the city centre there are green spaces and areas to congregate and relax with friends. Further afield parks such as Roundhay provide a pleasant retreat, plus you can find beautiful Yorkshire countryside within easy reach of the city.
4 Tasteful regeneration: Many projects have been completed in recent years including the regeneration of the Electric Press/Millennium Square area and the canal side area of Clarence Dock. Other exciting projects include Holbeck urban village and Temple works. The overall theme being to create an interesting use of urban space for cultural benefit, mixing restoration with modernisation.
5 Theatre: We are lucky to have some great venues in Leeds. Theatres including the WYP, Carriageworks, the Grand and City Varieties each attracting different types of performances. Plus the annual Shakespeare Festival at Kirkstall Abbey, bringing plays to life in the atmospheric ruins of the Abbey.
6 Music: We may not have an arena, but we don’t do badly! With access to great gigs at the Cockpit and The Academy; regular visits from Opera North to the WYP; International Concert Season at the City Hall, and even local performances in bandstands & parks. This year also is the 3rd year of Big City Jazz with many free performances around the city centre.
7 Art & museums: My favourites include the Royal Armouries, City Art Gallery (including the amazing Tiled Hall Cafe), Thackray museum and the newly refurbished City Museum. Most are free and not to be missed!
8 Local innovation: Notably the Northern Technology Institute have recently taken over the refurbished Old Broadcasting House building. You can learn, meet, and collaborate as an individual or as a business. They also have an interesting list of educational events & talks around media and technology. A valuable addition to the city.
9 Food: The ever expanding food scene causes a crisis of decision making every time you want to go out to eat! You can truly get a taste of anywhere you fancy from the homely to the upmarket. Whether you want a Michelin starred meal or a snack from a food stall, you will not be left disappointed or hungry on any budget. There’s also a regular farmer’s market, food festival and of course the Christmas market.
10 Cultural Calendar: Almost every day of the year you will find something interesting to see or do. From carnivals to food festivals, light night and trade expositions, concerts in Millennium square and outdoor theatre at Kirkstall Abbey. You can even catch a drive-in movie at Harewood House, or visit the Yorkshire Planetarium. Not to mention the comedy shows, and free talks from authors, artists and innovators going on at smaller venues. See Leeds Guide for listings!
Leeds is proud of all of these things already, but in a low key way. Winning the title would only strengthen existing work and open visitors’ eyes to the wealth of culture under their noses.
