Culture of Leeds facts for kids

Leeds is a big city in Yorkshire, England. It's famous for its amazing culture, including art, buildings, music, sports, films, and TV shows. Leeds is a major hub for TV channels like BBC, ITV, and Channel 4. It's also where many regional newspapers are based.

In 2015, Leeds wanted to become the European Capital of Culture. Even though the UK couldn't bid for it anymore, Leeds decided to have its own big cultural celebration called Leeds 2023. This showed how much the city loves art and culture!

Art in Leeds: A Creative City

Leeds has been home to many famous artists and sculptors. These include Barbara Hepworth and Henry Moore, who are known worldwide. The city has always been a place where new and exciting art ideas grew.

In the early 1900s, a group called the Leeds Arts Club was very important. They brought new art ideas, like German Expressionism, to Britain. This meant showing art that focused on feelings and ideas, not just what things looked like. Artists like Jacob Kramer showed their work here very early on.

Leeds College of Art: A Hub for Talent

Leeds College of Art helped start the careers of famous sculptors like Barbara Hepworth and Henry Moore. Later, in the 1950s and 1960s, it became a top place for art education. Teachers like Harry Thubron and Tom Hudson encouraged students to think differently about art. One artist even said it was "the most influential art school in Europe" after the famous Bauhaus school.

The University of Leeds also played a big part in art. It was home to Herbert Read, a leading thinker in modern art. The university also had a special program called the Gregory Fellowships. This allowed artists like Kenneth Armitage and Terry Frost to work and create art there for up to two years.

Leeds was also important for feminist art. The Pavilion Gallery, one of Britain's first galleries for women photographers, opened here in 1983. The University of Leeds was a key place for studying feminist art history.

Today, you can visit the Henry Moore Institute in Leeds. It's a major center for studying and showing sculptures. Also, The Tetley is a modern art center that opened in 2013 in an old brewery building.

In 2017, The Times newspaper even called Leeds the number one cultural place to live in Britain! This was because of places like Opera North, the Northern Ballet, and the Leeds Playhouse.

Top Art Galleries to Explore

Henry Moore Statue outside Leeds Art Gallery

Leeds has a long history of art. The city's main art gallery, Leeds Art Gallery, opened way back in 1888. It has a fantastic collection of British art, especially from the 20th century.

Right next to it, the Henry Moore Institute is all about sculpture. They have new exhibitions from around the world all year. The Tetley is another cool spot for modern art. It's in a striking old building that used to be a brewery. You can also find an art gallery inside the Mansion Conservatory in Roundhay Park.

Architecture: Leeds' Stunning Buildings

Leeds has many different kinds of buildings. You'll see lots of beautiful Victorian architecture from when the city grew fast during the Industrial Revolution. Famous examples include the Leeds Town Hall and the Corn Exchange.

Older buildings are rare, but you can still see St John the Evangelist's church and the ruins of Kirkstall Abbey.

Leeds is also known for its amazing Victorian shopping arcades. These include Queens Arcade, Thornton's Arcade, Grand Arcade, and the grand Victoria Quarter. Other iconic buildings are Leeds Civic Hall and the Leeds Central Library, which looks like a gothic castle with its grand staircases.

Don't miss Europe's largest indoor market, Kirkgate Market. Also, check out the historic Leeds Grand Theatre and City Varieties.

Leeds also has some interesting 20th-century buildings. These include the art-deco Queens Hotel and the unique Roger Stevens Building at the University of Leeds.

Carnivals: A Burst of Colour

Leeds hosts the Leeds West Indian Carnival every August in its Chapeltown area. This is where a large West Indian community lives. It's the longest-running West Indian carnival in Europe, starting in 1967. In 2017, about 250,000 people came to enjoy the event!

Literature: Writers from Leeds

Many famous writers and poets come from Leeds. One of the most well-known is author and screenwriter Alan Bennett. Other notable writers include Helen Fielding, who wrote Bridget Jones's Diary, and Keith Waterhouse, famous for Billy Liar. Poet Tony Harrison also wrote about his connection to the city.

Museums: Discover History and More

Leeds has several interesting museums. The Royal Armouries is a national museum with a huge collection of weapons and armor.

Other museums include the Leeds City Museum, the Thackray Medical Museum (about medicine), and the Leeds Industrial Museum (about the city's industrial past). You can also visit the Abbey House Museum. Leeds is also home to the Middleton Railway, the oldest working railway in the world!

Smaller local museums in Horsforth and Otley show off the history of those areas.

Historic Houses: A Glimpse into the Past

Within Leeds, you can find several beautiful historic houses. These include Harewood House, Lotherton Hall, and Temple Newsam. Just three miles from the city center, you can explore the ruins of Kirkstall Abbey. This is one of Britain's most complete medieval 12th-century Cistercian Abbeys.

Music: A Lively Scene

A busker on Briggate

Leeds is a big center for music and dance. It's home to Opera North, Northern Ballet, and The Northern School of Contemporary Dance (NSCD).

The Leeds International Pianoforte Competition is a very famous event. It happens every year at Leeds Town Hall and the Great Hall at the University of Leeds. Leeds also has its own symphony orchestra.

Many popular bands and artists come from Leeds. These include bands like Kaiser Chiefs and Soft Cell. Famous musical artists from Leeds include Corrine Bailey Rae and Mel B (from the Spice Girls).

Leeds has many places to enjoy live music. These include the O2 Academy, the historic City Varieties, and the large Leeds Arena. You can also catch concerts at Leeds Town Hall and the Leeds University Students' Union.

Music Festivals: Big Events

Leeds has hosted many music festivals over the years. The most famous is Leeds Festival, which has been held since 1999. There was also the Leeds Classical Music Festival for many years.

Theatre and Performances: Stage and Screen

Leeds is one of the few English cities outside London to have its own professional theatre, opera, and ballet companies. The city has some of the best theatres in the UK. You can see everything from old-fashioned music hall shows and pantomimes at the City Varieties to big West End plays and musicals at Leeds Playhouse and Grand Theatre, Leeds, Grand Theatre. Leeds is also home to the world-famous Opera North and Northern Ballet.

In the summer, you can enjoy outdoor performances at places like Harewood House and Kirkstall Abbey. There are also shows on Millennium Square.

Playwright Alan Bennett, who wrote many famous plays, is from Leeds. Many of his stories, like Talking Heads, were set in Leeds or nearby areas.

For movies, you can visit the historic Cottage Road Cinema, one of the oldest cinemas in the country. Or check out the Hyde Park Picture House, which is believed to be the only cinema in the world still lit by gas!

Sport: Home to Top Teams

Elland Road, the city's main football stadium

Leeds has teams in all the major national sports. Leeds United A.F.C. is the city's main football club. The city is also home to Leeds Rhinos (for Rugby league), Leeds Tykes (for Rugby Union), and Yorkshire County Cricket Club.

Leeds is known for hosting big international sports events. These include the Grand Départ of the Tour de France cycling race in 2014. It also hosted matches for the Rugby World Cup in 2015 and the ITU World Triathlon Series in 2016, 2017, and 2018.

Football: Leeds United

Leeds United is the main professional football team in Leeds. They were formed in 1919 and play at Elland Road. They currently compete in the Premier League.

Rugby League: Rhinos and Hunslet

Leeds has two professional Rugby League teams. Leeds Rhinos play at the Headingley Rugby Stadium and are in the Super League. In South Leeds, you can also find Hunslet R.L.F.C.

Rugby Union: Leeds Tykes

The main Rugby Union team in Leeds is Leeds Tykes. They play at The Sycamores in Bramhope, which is about 9 miles (14 km) outside the city center.

Cricket: Yorkshire County Cricket Club

Yorkshire County Cricket Club plays its main games at the Headingley Cricket Ground. This ground is right next to the rugby stadium.

Swimming: John Charles Centre

Leeds has a large Olympic swimming pool at the John Charles Centre for Sport. This modern facility replaced older swimming pools in the city.

Film and Television: Made in Leeds

The Leeds Studios, home to Yorkshire Television

Leeds is home to both BBC Yorkshire and ITV Yorkshire (which used to be called Yorkshire Television). Many TV shows have been set in Leeds. These include At Home with the Braithwaites, Fat Friends, and Married Single Other. Several films have also been set in the city, such as The Damned United.