LEEDS 2023 is a year-long celebration of culture in one of northern England’s biggest cities, lying halfway between London and Edinburgh, and the world is invited to experience the excitement!

Leeds will be a furnace of creativity, as the city lets culture loose and shows off its artistic strength in a year-long programme that features major new commissions with world-renowned artists alongside celebrations of everyday creativity. From dance to design, art to architecture, poetry to pop, sculpture to sport, grassroots community theatre to performances in the city’s varied venues, Leeds is set to be centre stage of the UK's cultural scene.

LEEDS 2023 begins © Lorne Campbell, Guzelian for LEEDS 2023

‘Awakening’ is the theme for Part One of Leeds’ Year of Culture, running from January to April. Inspired by the artist in everyone and the hidden stories of the city, Leeds will be the backdrop to an original programme that invites the world to experience the city afresh. Through commissions and exciting national and international partnerships, residents and visitors alike will have the opportunity to discover the wealth and diversity of the city’s culture. 

The Awakening – JMA Photography

Leeds 2023 kicked off with The Awakening, a huge concert at the beginning of January at Headingly Stadium, the city’s well-known cricket and rugby complex, which celebrated Leeds past, present and future in a collision of Leeds’ best and brightest talent.

Carnival dancers at The Awakening – credit Tom Joy

Highlights from Part One of the programme for LEEDS 2023 include Waking the Artist, which takes place until April and sees thousands of artworks submitted by the public displayed all over the city; Making a Stand, a bold new public artwork in Leeds by renowned artist Michael Pinsky which will be on display from March, and the first WOW - Women of the World Festival in Leeds.

Leeds Literature Festival runs from 25 February to 5 March and, in April, Leeds will become the first city in the UK outside London to host the European Union National Institute for Culture Film Festival. The Magician, a new film set in Leeds, will be screened at the beginning of March; 1001 Stories celebrates the lives of Leeds’ over-60s and RUN, from April to June, will showcase fashion design from Leeds School of Arts.

Rising phoenix and carnival dancers at The Awakening – credit Tom Joy

Kully Thiarai, Creative Director and CEO of Leeds 2023, said: “With the kind support and the true grit of the whole city, along with the help of partners, colleagues and peers, from the very local to the global, we have together dreamed up a year of creativity that we hope will provide much needed joy, delight and extraordinary experiences for everyone.”

Councillor Jonathan Prior, Leeds City Council’s Executive Member for Economy, Culture and Education, added: “We’re absolutely thrilled to be supporting LEEDS 2023 and to be seeing this hugely imaginative and exciting programme of events taking shape across the coming year.

“Culture has a unique ability both to enhance and empower our communities, giving them the platform to showcase exactly what makes Leeds such a special place. It also makes a massive contribution to our local and regional economies, attracting visitors, businesses and inward investment.”

Leeds-born singer Corinne Bailey Rae performs at The Awakening - credit Wisdom Makubile

LEEDS 2023 is run by the Leeds Culture Trust, an independent charity, with support from Leeds City Council, Arts Council England and National Lottery Heritage Fund.

About Leeds

Leeds is the biggest city in Yorkshire and is home to many popular visitor attractions including The Royal Armouries, the UK’s national collection of arms and armour; Roundhay Park, one of the largest city parks in Europe; and Temple Newsam, a Tudor Jacobean house with fabulous gardens landscaped by Capability Brown and a rare breeds working farm.

Situated on the edge of the Yorkshire Dales National Park, Leeds is a perfect base for those looking to explore the wild and romantic Yorkshire countryside on a Walking Tour or an Adventure Tour, as well as those looking to discover Brontë country and James Herriot’s Yorkshire. Nearby Harewood House, which also boasts a Capabiilty Brown landscape, is one of England’s finest stately homes.

If you or your group would like to visit Leeds as part of a tailor-made Culture Tour of England, either for a short city break or for a longer stay to explore the surrounding area of Yorkshire, please do contact our friendly team today.