Over the last six years I’ve written about 300 Poem Portraits. In partnership with Lizzie Coombes, photographer, I’ve been commissioned by choirs, voluntary organisations, library services and charities - as well as individuals for birthdays, weddings and other celebrations. A Poem Portrait is much as it sounds: a picture in words of a person at a certain moment in their lives. Usually I sit with someone for a while, chat, ask a few questions, then go away and draft a poem. I always check the first draft with the ‘subject’ and make absolutely sure they’re happy with the finished piece. If Lizzie’s...

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Sadly, Yorkshire Dance have had to postpone FRESH 2020, our annual youth dance showcase due to COVID-19, but we hope you will join us online for our FRESH Challenge!What is the FRESH challenge? We are challenging you to create your very own screen dance at home and tag us in the finished video when you share it online. Simple! What is screen dance?Screen dance is (unsurprisingly) dance which takes place on screen. It could be a film with multiple characters and an elaborate story line, or it could be a short routine of you dancing in an unusual space in...

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Although Leeds Young Film Festival 2020 has been postponed due to Coronavirus, we want to make sure that you still have the opportunity to watch and discover new films, along with some family favourites.To help you navigate the world of online streaming we will be suggesting ten films you can watch as a family each Friday, along with where to find them. Some of the films require either a Netflix, Amazon Prime or Disney+ account but we know most households have at least one of these (and all are offering a free trial before you have to subscribe). We will...

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There are so many people doing amazing things right now to help others and if there’s someone you’d like to say a, really big ‘thank you’ to, Leeds-based design studio Split has a record-breaking solution.To raise money for NHS Charities Together, Split’s creative director, Oli Bentley, has designed and printed some giant ‘thank you’ posters. One and a half metres wide and a metre tall, they are hand-printed on the People Powered Press, holder of the Guinness World Record as the largest letterpress printing press of its kind in the world. The posters have been designed using a new typeface...

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Every Friday, to help you navigate the world of online streaming, Leeds Young Film will be suggesting ten films you can watch as a family in the week ahead, along with where to find them. Most of the films require either a Netflix, Amazon Prime or Disney+ account but we know most households have at least one of these (and all are offering a free trial before you have to subscribe). We will also ensure that we include some free-to-watch films as well which only requires you to have a TV Licence.We know it can be a scary time at...

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This week in Lockdown Leeds we're drawing bumps with Henry Moore Institute, sticking zines and taking up space with illustrator Bobbi Rae, getting comfy at Little Reliance Home Cinema and going to loads and loads of gigs! Head over to our mailout to look at the Lockdown List and plan your socially distanced itinerary for the week ahead....

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