Chapeltown Arts Festival 2015

Chapeltown Arts Festival is an annual arts programme in Chapeltown that aims is to give voice and a platform to artists whilst promoting community participation. The programme demonstrates that Chapeltown is a leading and vibrant hub of artistic excellence. 

Leeds Inspired's £10,370 grant supported 11 free participatory workshops, led by experienced and emerging artists/makers. The workshops included Printing and Bookmaking workshop with Ellen Burroughs; Digital Photography with Jonathan Turner; Spoken Word with Saju Iqbal Ahmed; Singing with Stella Litras; Painting with Marcia Brown; Arts and Crafts with Carol Sorhaindo; Theatre Improvisation with Lladel Bryant; Carnival Masks with Rhian Kempadoo; Contemporary Dance Workshops at Northern School of Dance; African tie-dying with Dr Seyi Ogunjobi; and a Djing workshop with Life Force. 

The funding also supported other festival events include Word Junction - celebrating the literary achievements of Chapeltown Writers and publishings; Visual Art Exhibitions at Union 105 and other venues; Chapeltown Sound Clash - working with young people to revive the local soundsystems of the 70's and 80's by making speaker boxes and hosting a soundclash; an evening of live music with Vanessa Rani Quartet, SAA - UK, DJ and local reggae band, Ras Fidel and the Harbingers; a programme of events and workshops at Northern School of contemporary Dance; Yarn Bombing with contributions from anyone that knits or crochets to decorate lamposts, bollards and trees; and LAB in a Van: a Luton van with live art performances travelling throughout the area.