Independent Leeds Magazine: Issue 08 by Independent Life

Independent Leeds Magazine Issue 08 www.independentleeds.co.uk

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Issue 08

~ Wine Bar ~ Kitchen serving seasonal small plates ~ Wine Shop with unique range of small production, ethically sourced wines ~ Food Hall & Deli with cheese room and large selection of exciting produce ~ Regular Tastings & Classes

Sound and Vision The character of every city is defined by the collective sound and vision it relentlessly emits. From peace and space to noise and movement, Leeds can be listened to and viewed in many forms. In this issue, we explore the sounds of silence, music, vibrations and voices; the visions of art, image, cityscape and architecture; to discover the wide-ranging emotions and effects that this city brings to its people's eyes and ears. Intro Cover Story Benjamin Craven  @benjamincraven_ With photography thanks to :  @brutal_architecture and  @liam.gawry Contributors This magazine is shaped by an amazing community of contributors who are each credited at the beginning of their feature. We are open to all, so if you would like to write, illustrate or photograph in future issues, or have ideas for future content, please get in touch with our Editor John to join our growing collective. Editor John Barran : john@independentleeds.co.uk

Our new wine bar, food hall & restaurant from the guys behind Friends of Ham. Featuring walk-in cheese room by George & Joseph and the new home to Yorkshire Wine School.

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~~~~ Ham & Friends 7 Merrion Street Leeds LS1 6PQ

Independent Leeds provides an independent finger on the city pulse. We dig out and share what makes Leeds different, showcasing its people, places, communities and what’s on, through our magazine, website and social media.

Contents The Sound of Silence �� 6 Leeds Eye View �� 8 A Slice of Noise �� 11 With These Hands �� 14 Stories of Struggle

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Radio Roots ��20 Digger's Island Discs �� 21 For the Love of Leeds �� 24 Independent Cornerstones �� 28 The Vision of Sound �� 31 Creative Rehab ��40 The Female Gaze

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Wonderwall �� 46 Paint it Black. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Lights! Camera! Action! . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52 Sunshine and Love . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56 Rhythm is a Dancer. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59 The Eyes and Ears of Leeds . . . . . . . . . . . 62

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Words: John Barran Illustration: Sophia Watts  @sophia_watts

The Sound of Silence

Vibrational sound can be explored further through Solfeggio frequencies, a scale of six pure tonal notes, which understand sound as a vibration of air, and vibrations as a primal energy. The effect of each note is felt by everything, including mankind, whose relationship with these precise frequencies is proclaimed to liberate, facilitate, transform, connect, awaken, and return to spiritual order, all of which creates the potential for healing through sound. Such ancient methodology is evident in other ways today, arguably controlled by leaderships and consumed passively in promotional music and manipulative audio, to cause a desired human reaction to a specific sound. Whilst this ideology may be exploited, it can more so remain a force for good. "Using sound is a method of focussing the mind on one thing," says Holly. "It brings us into the present moment, which is calming, empowering, energising." Zeenat agrees; "These are meditation methods to clear and transform our minds, and to rest in its natural state of spaciousness and ease."

“And the vision that was planted in my brain still remains within the sound of silence” Listen. What do you hear? Everything, always. Sound and noise, noise and sound, surrounds. And with every tomorrow, the unrelenting audio only increases. Presented as pleasure, seeping into our unconscious, and regurgitated back ever louder, demanding more, more noise, more sound. And it’s great; the sounds that evoke joy, the noise that affirms life. Music, voices, nature. And it's powerful; the tones that distort thought, the rhythm that affects mood. But with power comes manipulation; adverts, campaigns, stress. If only we knew how to control all the noise, process all the sound, and enjoy. "Silence is golden!" exclaims Holly Mcfee, founder of Leeds' Yoga Hero. "The more sensory assault we have to deal with, the more time we need for silence, to process this information. To get rid of what’s extraneous and deal with what’s important." The engulfment of technology has created a demand for its opposite, and Yoga Hero are one

of many supplying the balance. Zeenat Cameron's Insight For Wellbeing is another providing Leeds' meditational antidote. "Silence is crucial, it is the background state of the mind," she explains. "When we identify too much with our thoughts and emotions, we think this is ‘who we are’ instead of really experiencing our lives, right now as they are happening!"

The most famous mantra sound is 'OM', or as Holly explains its meaning, 'AUM'. "It is three sounds: ‘ahhhhh’, ‘oooooohhh’ and ‘mmmmmmm’. 'A' represents the start - the creation of the universe, the awakening of oneself. 'U' comes inwards, towards preservation, less identified with the ego and more with our true self. 'M' is about connectedness, the sense of oneness. Om rises up through the body, it encompasses all sounds that we can make, and is a simple yet complex symbolism of creation, being and realisation."

“We can work with mantras to develop our inner strength and clarity of mind," continues Zeenat. "To help us see our path in life, to overcome emotional obstacles, to helps us communicate better, for physical healing, and for intelligence. In terms of developing our full potential as humans to live consciously, lovingly and wisely, I have yet to discover something there is not a mantra for!” As much as their focus is on silence and positive sound, both agree that other extremes, such as a primal scream, can occasionally be of equal benefit. "Release is important," says Holly, and Zeenat expands. "We tend to repress a lot of our emotions. It might not be all we need to do to move on, but a good scream can have its place!" For all the reasons to embrace our understanding of sound and silence, for many, practicing such concepts appears impenetrable. "Silence can be scary," Holly suggests. "Hence the feeling of need to have noise; chat, music, something to distract the mind. Silence offers a chance to rest, which we tend to not allow ourselves much of in modern life." And yet in a world where we can't escape noise, it may be more necessary than ever to prioritise some time for a forgotten silence. As Zeenat concludes; "Without silence we can’t touch the really meaningful things in life, like love, beauty, presence. We open to these things when our mind is naturally silent, still and at rest. The key to living a balanced life is to find that rhythm, that dance, that harmony between the silence and the sound."

Holly first took to yoga to escape her stressful city job; "I started going several times each week and really noticed a huge improvement in my wellbeing, it was like a light being switched on; ‘Oh, you don’t have to feel like you’re living on a knife edge every day, there is another way!'" Zeenat had already a strong interest in the mind, practicing clinical psychology, before delving deeper, beyond its perceived limitations; "Meditation gave me a way to explore the vast space, silence and emptiness of the mind, its intelligence and natural capacity for peace, awareness and creativity." All of which the origins of sound intended to enhance. It is widely believed that the first documentation of chanting is in the Vedas, thought to have been put together as far back as 3200BC. From there, sound was developed for positivity through mantras; "Each mantra has its own frequency of vibration," Zeenat explains. "Mantras open the potential of the mind for stillness, silence, beauty, compassion, happiness, connectedness, love; all the good things in the emotional life!" 7

Photography: Words and photography: Howard Parker  @wycameras

Leeds Eye View

Howard Parker, owner of the exclusively analogue camera shop West Yorkshire Cameras in the Corn Exchange, showcases some of the Leeds photographers he regularly meets. "Everyone I’ve met has a different style of photography, which I’ve tried to showcase in these photos. The more eagle eyed of you might even have noticed a sneaky digital camera in with the mix! In photography, there really is something for everyone, and if ever you feel like diving into the world of analogue photography, come and say 'hi!'"

Row 1 Liam Gawtry  @liam.gawtry Andrew Sanderson  @andrewsandersonphotography Steve Boylin  @steve.boylin Row 2 Adam French  @kamick1212 Mike Medlock  @vibrant_leeds Tony Jacobs  @thewrongspeed Row 3 Michal Drygalski  @michaldrygalski James Horrobin  @jameshorrobinphoto Tim Brown  @fotografo_uk Row 4 Stan Dixon  @stan.dixon Nigel  @unevenedits Robin May  @robin_may_photographyuk

Words: Ryan Morgan and Julia Morgan  @pizzaforthepeople & Jamie Lockhart  @mi.mye Illustration: Tony Jaycott  @2tontony_j

Open Mon 8-3 Tue 8-3 Wed 8-5 Thu 8-5 Fri 8-5 S a t 1 0 - 4 S u n 10 - 4

A Slice of Noise: the Leeds DIY music scene

The promoter

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Leeds' DIY music scene has always been a little beast in the underbelly of the North’s ever-growing music heritage. This little beast has paved the way to some household names we know today, from the likes of The Cribs, to Cowtown and Eagulls. As we sit here thinking of what the DIY scene means to us, we can’t help but have the theme tune from ‘Cheers’ running through our heads. Many of its words run true; we aren’t bothered whether 'everybody knows our name' or not, but whilst we’re at it, we are Ryan & Julia from Pizza For The People. What we are bothered about is being part of something that we feel strongly enough to stand up and be counted for. To have that sense of belonging you get from being around likeminded people, the type of people that chip in when things aren’t going your way, the people that drag you back up when you’re having a bad day, the creative network that supports its own infrastructure of independent clubs, promoters, fanzines, artists & musicians. 'Our troubles are all the same'; this is what we want to be part of.

The Leeds DIY scene, like many others, hasn’t always been plain sailing, and never will be. It’s just the nature of the beast. It has certainly had some blows to its existence in years gone by. We live in a world where money and politics can dictate budgets and councils and the pay that people come home with at the end of each month. These are always going to be contributing factors to the hard-hitting reality of monumental artistic-centric closures around the city, none more so than when legendary venue The Cockpit closed its doors. This was a thriving underground space for many years, seeing the likes of The Libertines, The White Stripes, Coldplay and Queens of the Stone Age step on its stage. On 10 September 2014, after 20 years, the Cockpit closed its doors for the final time due to the dwindling number of people prepared to go to club nights and gigs during the week, along with rising costs of building repairs. Yes, The Cockpit needed some work to it, but was an integral part of Leeds music, and it was a major blow to gig-goers across the city, as was that of the great Joseph's Well, which had suffered the same fate only a few years previous. As with all things in life, you have to brush yourself off and start again. Leeds' music scene didn’t have to start from scratch, but did have to find some new homes for up-and-coming bands and promoters. 11

These days you don’t have to walk far around Leeds to witness venues closing and new ones opening. There’s a buzz and a demand for culture in the city. Whilst no doubt a good thing, many of these fail at the first hurdle, often due to being too businessoriented. Then every so often there are a few that blossom and stamp their mark for their artistic nature, such as Wharf Chambers and Hyde Park Book Club. They do things the right way. For them, it’s less about financial gain and more about providing a bubble of culture. They’re interested, full stop. It’s not so much about margins, figures and marketing galore, it’s about providing an organic and supportive space, which people inevitably want to hang out in and give back to. These guys have not only filled a void, but have filled it with morals and firm principles that support the DIY scene. In our experience as promoters, they’ve been there to offer us help, lend equipment, listen to new ideas, give bands a platform, and fundamentally, share the same ethos. This is something that we will always remember from our first few gigs. It gave us the chance to make sure all the bands were fed and watered... and paid! For us, the scene is about sharing and celebrating seriously brilliant independent talent and giving people a great experience.

Leeds has recently been voted the UK’s best cultural place to live; years ago people would just look to London for inspiration, but in recent years Leeds has really started to shine. There is an evergrowing amount of things to do and it’s becoming a real hub for people to build their trades and have a go at new possibilities. The arts and music scene is thriving and there’s an abundance of interesting places popping up in and around the city, which are complimented by Leeds staples such as The Brudenell Social Club, Oporto and The Wardrobe. When you combine these places with some of the cool record labels that are operating within the city, like Clue Records, Healthy Eating Records and Hide & Seek Records, you can’t help but get the feeling that it’s the start of something special and that the city is beginning to get the recognition it deserves. This no doubt raises one question – how does Leeds continue to maintain its new cultural reputation? For us, it’s simple - by supporting the DIY scene, the cultural glue of the city. People are always grateful for your support, 'and they’re always glad you came'.

The studio and the band I co-run an analogue sound studio called Greenmount Studios, which started when my friend Lee and I came across a wonderful falling down house in Wakefield called Greenmount Villa. We were about to finish studying music and we were looking for a fun place to live that was super cheap, where we could have lots of parties. We only had one neighbour to make noise complaints, but actually he never did, despite the parties and noisy band practices and hide-andseek in the dark, playing really loud music. So we thought, ‘hey, let's start recording here, we won't need to sound-proof!’ My mum and dad gave me some money to learn to drive, but instead I bought a massive 3M-M56 tape machine that had recorded everyone in the late 60s, and it made us believe we could make records just as good. After years of recording in the Villa we moved to the basement of an old church in Leeds which we call Greenmount, and our friend Rob started to work with us too. Although I'm mostly in a small room with no windows, I get to hear records for the first time, and meet wonderful musicians, and I think it's a lovely way to spend my life.

I'm also in a band, Mi Mye, which started as just me. I took a small tape machine to the north of Scotland where I grew up and recorded a bunch of songs. I had no band though, so when I got back to Wakefield I began hassling people to play shows with me. There have been lots and lots of totally ace people involved with Mi Mye, but since summer 2015 Mi Mye has been the same five people. They are all in one or more of my favourite bands: Emily is in the awesome Crake along with Rob, Rob is also in the amazing Spills with Chad, and Morgan is in Buen Chico and sometimes Post War Glamour Girls, as is Rob, who also runs Greenmount with me and Lee. Since making my own record on the north coast all those years ago I wanted to do it again but with loads more people. What would recording a band be like with practically infinite space, extreme weather, the sky and sea always changing, and being together 24/7? So my dad and I built a mixing room in one shed and a live room in the other, and Lee and I recorded Post War Glamour Girl's third album, Swan Songs. It was all unbelievable and I think we recorded a great album. At the end we celebrated my mum's birthday with a gig to everyone who lives in their tiny village. It's great to be doing all this ourselves. We feel we can do anything, we can make each other’s records and we can play in each other’s bands and, as well as our own music, we are all invested in what our friends are doing.

Words: Christie Hendry  @christierosestudio Emily Edwards  @emilyedwardsdesign Olive Fortune  @olive_fortune_designs Illustration: Charlotte Curnick  @charlottecurnick

With These Hands Christie Hendry As a designer, colour is at the heart of everything I create and is the most important part of my practice. I find that a confident and solid colour palette is the one thing that can continue to drive and inspire me throughout the entire progression of my ideas.

Olive Fortune I am a student print designer originally from rural Northumberland and now in the big city of Leeds! I study Printed Textiles and Surface Design at Leeds College of Art. My design aesthetic comes from a love for nature and a passion for illustrative drawing. My practice has a strong focus on skilled drawing, taking time to produce fun and characteristic illustrations which are placed into designs suitable for multiple markets, from fashion to interiors. Being an aspiring designer in a generation focused on technology advancements has its advantages and disadvantages. I’m a designer who draws by hand and designs digitally using Photoshop. I like the contrast between hand drawing and the flat and professional appearance that can be achieved with digital design. Digital fabric printing allows me to translate my detailed design ideas on fabric, which wouldn’t be possible to achieve using hand-printed processes such as screen-printing, because the detail within the designs would be lost. Although we live in a technology focused world, in the design market clients still look for hand craftsmanship and skills you perhaps can’t achieve with a computer. This is why a recognisable drawing style is very important, and it allows me as a designer to have my own identity..

I love combining unusual and exciting colour ways that are sometimes daring and imaginative, as it can be a great way to portray the main concept in my work, which focuses on playful and fun design. I try not to think too much about what I am doing whilst drawing so that my approach stays expressive and becomes very quick, illustrative and loose, as this creates an exciting, abstract and unrealistic portrayal of my intended imagery. During my time at LCA I have discovered that I am a very hands-on and tactile designer, who works best being able to portray my ideas through drawing, painting, collage, and screen print. I tend to focus my practice around the process of screen print, as I aim for my designs to look and feel authentic and individual, which I think screen printing truly embodies. I believe that there is real value in screen printing, as you have to give a large amount of time, effort and dedication to the process if you want a successful end result. From exposing screens, through mixing colours, to printing each separate layer, there is always an edge of unpredictability and a risk within the process as it’s so easy to make a tiny mistake during any stage of development, which could offset for the whole design. Although I’ve now come to realise, after lots of trial and error, that you can never fully control screen printing, and you shouldn’t try to either. These small mishaps give your design character and simply become a new unintended part of your design.

Emily Edwards I’m a big believer that you should fill your life with as much colour and pattern as possible; it spreads happiness and can really brighten up a dull day. Colour is very important to me, and everything I do is bright and bold. Surface Pattern Design was something I became interested in a few years ago – I loved art, but was starting to think about how I could apply my paintings to real-world objects. For me, the tactile nature of textiles was perfect. In the past year I’ve become really interested in more analogue processes such as screen-printing. Our industry is very fast paced - something which can be quite overwhelming - so I’m enjoying being able to slow things down during this hands-on process. Textiles is so accessible and important; it’s something we make considered decisions about daily – what to dress ourselves in, how to decorate our homes - there are so many opportunities for colour and pattern to be applied and explored. I’ve been somewhat creative from an early age - I have a twin sister who’s actually now an illustrator and have fond memories of us ‘collaborating’ on large scale, very imaginative drawings throughout our early childhood. Imagination is something that still plays a big part throughout my work. My designs always have a surreal, abstract quality; there are often elements of fantasy and, in reality, I’m still a bit of a dreamer.

With:  @northern.craft

Extra-ordinary ideas. Extra-ordinary experience. Extra-ordinary work. Leeds College of Art End of Year Show 2017 19 - 24 May & 10 - 15 June www.leeds-art.ac.uk/extra-ordinary 17

Words: Rod Dixon Illustration: Sophie Ellis  @sophieellisillustration

S T O R I E S O F S T R U G G L E

For nearly half a century, Red Ladder Theatre Company have been making and touring theatre ‘to places other companies can’t or won’t reach’. Rod Dixon has been Red Ladder's artistic director now for over a decade, during which time he has aimed to bring visual arts to a wider audience. Here, he discusses the difficulties and importance of using theatre to bring people together and put struggle on stage.

Only this week, the new chair of Arts Council England, Nicholas Serota, stated that there are still a high number of people who do not engage with the Arts, especially in places on the outskirts of cities and in areas of social deprivation. A few weeks earlier, Red Ladder took a one woman musical written by Leeds playwright and songwriter, Boff Whalley, to Grove Hall in South Kirkby and played two shows to full houses – a combined audience of over 180 people. I was puzzled. I asked an audience member if she ever visited one the three regionally strong theatres a short drive from her village. “Oh no,” she replied, ”I don’t like theatre”. I told her I witnessed her giving our show a warm applause, which might suggest she had indeed just enjoyed a piece of theatre. She smiled and said, “Well that’s different, it’s in my place”. Here is something we need to address in the Arts. How do we reach audiences who feel the Arts is not for them and still give them a positive experience? I think the key is in the stories we tell – stories that people can ‘relate to’ and yet still feel the magic of being entertained in a different and exciting way.

When I took over Red Ladder in 2006, in my first week I was helping load a theatre set into the van after a show in Leeds when a rather merry drunk fellow staggered past and shouted “Red Ladder! You lot still going?” I was determined there and then to make Leeds aware that not only does Red Ladder live in this city, but that we are a company which can make a difference and that Leeds can be proud of. As Article 50 is signed and the UK prepares to cut itself off from the rest of Europe, one can’t help feeling that this is the very time when we need to bring people together. The shared experience of sitting in a theatre space, or a pub with theatre being performed in the corner, or a working men’s club (there are a few left, clubs, not working men), it is more important than ever that we engage in the same space, and not just through social media online. Red Ladder is a company that wants to bring people together in this way and in their own spaces. As well as remounting The Damned United (which played last year at The West Yorkshire Playhouse) we are making an immersive production called The Shed Crew to be performed in a Leeds warehouse. This is a true Leeds story about life on the streets and, through theatre, acts as a reminder that we are all connected, no matter how different are our lives.

For us, theatre has always been that powerful tool for galvanising people. Someone once described this to me as 'theatre activism', so much had a play inspired her to create positive change. If theatre can effect society, it is by agitating and provoking little changes of attitude or awareness. The play isn’t what's important, it is the conversations and actions afterwards that really move things.

Words and Photography: Adam Sinclair  @chapel_fm

Radio Roots

As streaming did come into its own, we were at the cutting edge of online broadcasting by having a website with live listening and listen again functionality that pre-dated the BBC iPlayer. With a full time digital home, our band of trusty volunteers yearned for a full-time physical home, for training, broadcasting and more. We took on a derelict rent office above the Ramshead Hill shops, built a studio, and continued to increase our broadcasting output. All true to the spirit of the first ever ELFM jingle, coined by a 13-year old school pupil and recorded by Ed Heaton: "From the people to the people.” Leeds is a great city with a strong music heritage and feisty independent music scene. But the reality was that there were no music venues in East Leeds; even the working men’s clubs were struggling and if they put on anything at all it was karaoke or tribute acts. Most of the young people we were working with had never seen a band play live, let alone be inspired to write some songs and start gigging themselves. The radio stations they listened to only served to distance them from music made by celebrities a million miles away from Seacroft.

Chapel FM is an arts centre housed in a beautiful converted Methodist Chapel in the heart of Seacroft. Home to online community radio station ELFM, it is also the first ever arts venue in East Leeds. Creative Director Adrian Sinclair explains its rise and radio's connection with the community. Back in 2003 I was working with community arts company Heads Together Productions at John Smeaton High School out on the edge of East Leeds. We were tasked with coming up with creative ideas to overcome some of the issues at what was a struggling school, recently criticised by OFSTED for having poor levels of interaction and communication with the families of their pupils. How about making parents’ evenings more exciting, it was suggested? But, with a lot of Smeaton students bussing out to the school from Seacroft, parents without their own means of transport struggled to get there on an evening. So we thought about doing something completely different; what about setting up a community radio station?

So, alongside our community broadcasting work, we pushed live music. We invited bands to come and play in our live room, the aptly named 'Disco Dungeon'. We started the Next Generation courses for local young musicians, and then developed an Associate Bands programme to take those musicians on into the worlds of gigging and recording and more. In 2010 we were offered our latest derelict building - but this one was different in scale. The former Seacroft Methodist Chapel, built in 1874 but unused for the last fifteen years. A beautiful building but with a tree growing out of one of the gutters! To save it and to create something useful we would need to raise the best part of a million pounds… in a recession with public funding cut to the bone.

That’s how East Leeds FM was conceived. Radio is a fantastic medium because it crosses all kinds of boundaries and is listened to by all ages. For us, so it proved. A few months later we were sat in the ELFM studio (an empty store cupboard in the back of Tesco's!) with the Chair of Governors at the school and some very proud Year 8 pupils taking phone-in questions from parents on 107FM. It worked and more… it was truly exciting for the young people involved, and too much fun to leave just to the kids as lots of parents wanted to get involved themselves. Remember this was back in 2003 and broadcasting was a lot different then. People still used dial up internet, and streaming audio (let alone video) was very much in its infancy. The only option was to pay OFCOM to get a temporary FM licence which you couldn’t apply for more than twice a year. So we raised the money and every 6 months went on air from a different venue in East Leeds; Seacroft, Gipton, East End Park, Lincoln Green… mostly from derelict buildings that we could usefully use and bring to life, at least for a short time.

We opened Chapel FM in 2014. Two radio studios and a beautiful radio theatre with restored original organ! From the people to the people was now created in stained glass as an audio waveform across the front of the building. Last year 10,094 people came to the Centre. ELFM broadcast live on 152 days and we ran 846 training sessions. And as for live music in East Leeds, well, 1255 musicians played live in our radio theatre and 18 bands recorded 67 live tracks and 6 music videos… in Seacroft… East Leeds.

Coffee. Juice. Food. Stories is an independent café in North Leeds. Inspired by Scandinavian design and nordic cuisine, we’re offering some of the best artisan coffee in Leeds, along with a menu of small, delectable plates and cold-pressed juices.

There are many things I enjoy about running Chapel FM. I love it about 3.30pm every day when the first trainees turn up after school. I love the musicathon; 24 hours of music, all live, all local, non-stop. I love the sound of the Open Voices choir singing Mama Mia on a Thursday. I love when our original Year 8 band come back to visit, now aged 27. And I love it when people come to Chapel FM, look in awe, and always ask the same question: in Seacroft? I want to be part of a city that encourages everyone to sing and play music because it’s just a lovely thing to do. And I want Leeds to celebrate the rights of its citizens to enquire and reflect and to communicate with each other, wherever they happen to live.

storiescafe.co.uk • @storiesinleeds 454 Roundhay Road, LS8 2HU

Maybe I mentioned it before but it still feels worth repeating. From the people to the people.

Words: Vicky Hollingworth  @girlsthatgig Photography: Kirsty Garland  @kirsty_garland

Digger's Island Discs

Digger's Island Discs explores the collections of Leeds' most prolific vinyl slingers and groove bringers to present us with the records they could not live without... This time Vicky Hollingworth of Girls That Gig chooses 4 Leeds DJs to choose a favourite each. Welcome Sally Rodgers, Netanya Pilikian, Stephanie Pullen and Nicole Raymond...

Sally Rodgers

Netanya Pilikian

Ennio Morricone - Come Maddalena

Bonobo - Black Sands

I chose a record that’s been in my box lately as it's too hard to pick a favourite record ever! But Ennio Morricone’s Come Maddalena (versione 12” maxi Disco 78) is an amazing record. I’ve always listened to a lot of instrumental music, which is maybe odd for a lyricist and singer. But I remember playing Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue over and over aged about 7. Then later I had a spell of listening to lots of great soundtracks and film music, Lalo Schifrin, Quincy Jones, Gerry Goldsmith, Miklos Rosa… and of course Ennio. What I love about this record is that whenever you play it out people always assume it’s a remix by Giorgio Moroder or Tom Molton or some great disco producer. But it isn’t, it’s Ennio’s own arrangement. A whopping great beauty of a disco 12” with drops and breaks and a driving bass line. With all his spaghetti western stylings and that amazing choir it has so much drama AND it’s super-funky. To me that just proves what a totally class act he is, as a composer, arranger, producer. Bavissimo!

"Bonobo’s fourth album Black Sands is my goto record. The arrangement and instrumentation throughout is genius and I love the fact that most of the live instruments are played by Simon Green himself. The album’s ‘Prelude’ begins with clean and compelling Chinese strings and gradually layers up sounds evocative of vast, fantastical landscapes. It flows right into the first album track ‘Kiara’ which brings a thumping beat and more electronic sounds. Overall the album’s quite jazzy and the addition of Andreya Triana’s soulful vocals for tracks ‘Eyes Down’, ‘The Keeper’ and ‘Stays the Same’ vary the listening experience. These songs implore more attentive listening whereas I love to put relaxing tracks like ‘Animals’ or ‘Black Sands’ on in the background whilst studying. And then there are tracks like ‘1009’ and ‘We Could Forever’ which have a bit more groove and go nicely in a mix. An album for all moods!"

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Stephanie Pullen Blood Orange - Freetown Sound I've chosen Freetown Sound because I'm obsessed with it at the moment! It has a super funky, disco / r'n'b / jazz tinged sensibility that's amazing. Tracks like "Desiree" slot straight into my sets and you can't help but dance. A big reason I love this record is the commentary that runs throughout. In the first track, you're hit with this powerful poem by Ashlee Haze, that goes "Feminism says as a woman in my arena, you are not my competition, as a woman in my arena, your light doesn't make mine any dimmer". The whole speech is incredible but that message is especially important. We do it well here - with collectives like Girls That Gig, Girl Gang and Yorkshire Women in Sound championing Leeds' creative hub and the women who make it great. Everything about this record the music, the words, the photography - makes it a piece of art and I love it.

With:  @jumborecords

Nicole Raymond (Nik Nak) Burial - Archangel This was a really hard task but I’d have to say Burial’s “Archangel” is my favourite record. I think that the album itself overall will always be relevant. I stumbled onto Burial during college where I was making some atmospheric music, and there was a YouTube video someone had done where they put “archangel” with some anime clips and the way it all fit together was so beautiful, I had to hear Burial’s library on repeat. I even wrote stories to it too, a really precious and emotive album to me.

Words: Sharon Watson Illustration: Ellie Heywood  @elettr Photography:  @martinleodis

Born in Leeds, I find there’s so much to admire. For most my life my address has been an LS8 postcode. Anyone familiar with LS8 would agree that so much has changed and evolved - and for the better! The growth of culture in the city and surrounding areas fills me with hope, as we as a country look at fostering new relationships with the wider world. My world has been seeped extensively in dance. From Harehills Middle School at the age of 9, to becoming Artistic Director of Phoenix Dance Theatre and Chair of the Independent Steering Committee bidding for European Capital of Culture 2023, culture has played a significant part in defining who I am. However, despite my busy schedule, it's always a pleasure to step away from the intensity of the dance studio and head inquisitively into the city, my home, Leeds. I venture all over the city, discovering and reacquainting with new and familiar spaces and places. The Reliance on North Street, Arts Café on Call lane, and Mrs Atha’s coffee shop have all served me well. Beautiful spaces that are, if nothing more, inviting and friendly.

I’m able to explore options and be stimulated by new ideas. The Tetley, a mix of new and old, heritage and modern. This recently transformed space has certainly added new colour to the pallet of Leeds' contemporary cultural landscape. Back on the outside, Gledhow Valley Woods gifts me the opportunity to walk and think and find space in my life to take in and admire nature on my doorstop. It's 1.5 km of beautiful woodland in a suburban area of North Leeds. Once a month I'll find myself enjoying the culinary offers at the Oakwood Farmers Market. Great local produce brought to our corner of Leeds from all over the region. Space and time are interconnected, so it is in my life. I dream of Leeds becoming a 24-hour city, a little radical maybe and may not be realised in my working life! It’s fair to say this is nothing new. Our hospitals, police forces and taxis have this locked down. Who knows, there’s so much consistently evolving. You can feel the independent thinking taking shape and re-shaping what we traditionally know and have come to expect of our existence. I’m loving this evolving profile, everything about where I reside connects with my senses, its tangible and sits within the fabric of this ambitious city, Leeds.

Returning to north Leeds, a place that feels like it’s always been there is Seven Arts in Chapel Allerton. It’s my local and social hub, which offers me more than great food and drink. I often enjoy the ad-hoc mix of theatre, live music and exhibitions. Music has always been an intrinsic part of my life. The Howard Assembly Rooms enables me to escape the business of running a company and allows me to romanticise with the musical offer programmed in this venue. In contrast is Outlaws Yacht Club, giving me a little bit of New York right here in Leeds. Feeding me physically as the music is infectious. 29

Words: Alan Priest  @leedsarchitecture Illustration: Ellie Chappell  @ellie.chappell

Independent Cornerstones

Through city streets across the world, millions of feet rush frantically, as moving bodies dodge moving bodies, with heads downturned towards pavements, and eyes with only eyes for phones. Yet if the people pause for just a moment, to look up and look out, the story of each city reveals itself, through the history, the architecture, and the millions of feet, bodies, heads and eyes that have been creating these visions for centuries past. Architect Alan Priest has done just that in Leeds, and tells us about these great buildings that still stand strong as the city’s glorious independent cornerstones.

Thornton's Arcade Thornton’s Arcade was the first arcade in Leeds. It was built by Charles Thornton to the designs of George Smith and opened in 1877. Thornton was the owner of the White Swan Inn on Swan Street and proprietor of the City Varieties Music Hall. The arcade runs between Briggate and Lands Lane and is built on the site of the former Old Talbot Inn and Coachyard. It has a glazed roof supported by cast iron gothic cross arches and slender shafts. In 1878 an animated clock built by William Potts & Sons was added, showing characters from Ivanhoe by Sir Walter Scott, and with a bell which strikes every 15 minutes. Thornton’s Arcade was refurbished in 1990-2 and is now a bright and airy delight, home to unique independent retailers such as OK comic shop and Tall Boys beer market.

Queen's Arcade

Briggate

Queen's Arcade also runs between Lands Lane and Briggate. Designed by Edward Clark and completed in 1889, Queen’s was built on the site of the Rose and Crown Yard as a 2 storey galleried arcade with wrought iron balconies, which still exist. On the upper floor on the north side was the Queen's Arcade Hotel, which had offices, a bar, two billiard rooms and a smoke room. On the upper floor of the south side is a separate ‘street’ of small shops, each with kitchen and bedroom above the level of the arcade roof. This is no longer accessible but the top of the spiral stair remains visible. The interior was returned to its former glory in 1991-2 after falling into decline, and is now lined with an eclectic mix of stores specialising in things from clothing to teddies.

Briggate – meaning the ‘road to the bridge’ – was created in 1207 to become the main street in Leeds, and is famous now for its alleys and the public houses, such as Whitelock’s, The Angel Inn, The Ship Inn and The Packhorse, which are found within. The sites of these alleyways were originally building plots, or ‘burgages’, which were given to craftsmen and traders who were also given an additional half acre of land outside of the town in Burmantofts (Burgage men’s tofts; a toft being the Norse word for a plot of land or a homestead). Thirty of these plots were laid out on either side of Briggate. Over time, houses facing onto Briggate were built on the burgages with gardens and yards behind. Only a few of these yards still exist. Some now contain the famous alley pubs, and others were transformed in the 1800’s into arcades such as Thornton’s and Queen’s.

Grand Arcade The Grand Arcade was designed by Leeds based architects Smith & Tweedale and opened in 1897. Originally consisting of two parallel arcades running between Vicar Lane and New Briggate with a cross passage opening into Merrion Street, only the southern arcade and cross passage still exist as a shopping arcade. In 1920 the northern arcade was repurposed and opened as the Tower Cinema, whose name still exists painted on the outside brickwork. The Tower Cinema closed in 1985 and since then the top half of the northern arcade has been occupied by a number of nightclubs and now houses The Brotherhood bar.

Corn Exchange At the Vicar Lane end is, like Thornton’s Arcade, an animated clock designed by William Potts and Sons of Leeds. Many older readers may still remember the Pets & Aquaria shop which always seemed to have puppies in the window, but for some time the Grand Arcade was not completely occupied. Now, with the growing independent scene in the Northern Quarter, it is thriving again as a beautiful home to impressively diverse shops and amazing world food.

Kirkgate Markets Not only is Leeds City Market the largest indoor covered market in Europe, but it has always been the heart and backbone of independent traders in Leeds. In 1884 Polish immigrant Michael Marks and Skipton shop cashier Thomas Spencer opened a Penny Bazaar in the market, and thus Marks & Spencer were born. The market has several halls built over a number of years, some destroyed by fire in the 70’s and subsequently rebuilt, but it is the 1904 Hall that delights most. Behind the amazing façade on Vicar Lane, the 1904 Hall is a forest of brightly coloured and decorated ironwork with a balcony on all four sides and a glazed roof. The market is now home to an array of local and worldwide goods, including a fabulous fish market, in a wonderfully eclectic collection of English and ethnic stalls.

The Corn Exchange is one of the most iconic buildings in Leeds and was designed by Leeds’ most famous architect: Cuthbert Brodrick. Brodrick designed many buildings in and around Leeds but not all remain. His buildings which still exist include Leeds Town Hall and the Mechanics Institute (now the City Museum). Built 1860-62, the Corn Exchange was originally where corn merchants would display samples of their grain to prospective buyers. At 58 metres long, 41.5 metres wide and 26 metres high, the Corn Exchange is an impressive sight. The central elliptical dome consists of cast iron ribs, which come together and meet at either side in a lunette featuring the Leeds civic arms on one side and symbols of the building’s purpose at the other. Below are two rows of what were originally offices but in recent decades have been occupied by a circle of independent shops and cafes. The building was refurbished in 1989 when the basement was opened up, effectively adding a third floor, which has been used over time for a number or purposes including a restaurant and exhibition space. Since then, the Corn Exchange has attracted subcultures and visitors alike by championing innovate Leeds retailers, and is currently filled with those creatives once more.

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Photography: Oliver Wheeldon ď&#x2026; @oliver_wheeldon

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Words Kim Parkinson Photography Tony Jacobs  @thewrongspeed

Creative Rehab

We are often asked what the Arts have to do with homeless and vulnerable adults. The answer is a lot!

including staff, visitors and their peers at the Crypt. Service users have attended performances and experienced opera and musical theatre for themselves. Throughout the project, they have not only developed confidence and self- esteem, but have set and achieved personal goals to overcome social isolation, express themselves positively, gain qualifications, work as volunteers or begin paid employment.

Art is an integral part of what we do to at St George’s Crypt. The benefits that creative activity offers, individually and socially, is vast. By providing an environment where change is not only possible but aspired to, it can help to provide the life skills, confidence and resilience necessary to cope with the challenges of being independent. We aim to build, restore and revive our service users mentally and physically, and using the Arts is one way of helping to do this.

Music is an important factor in creating a sense of wellbeing and giving our service users new experiences. We have all enjoyed listening to experienced musicians who have treated us to the sounds of the harp, piano, trombone, string quartet and guitar in a series of lunchtime concerts. The power of music to calm, soothe, uplift and challenge the listener is especially important in our work. The Switch On group are now recording a selection of their own songs to inspire and encourage others.

In 2013/14 the Crypt began a partnership with Opera North and together formed ‘Switch On’, which has since opened up a wealth of opportunities to the participants. The group is about enjoying singing together and so much more; the project has explored creativity in many forms, from composing songs to directing and choreographing performances. Switch On have performed at venues such the Howard Assembly Rooms and Trinity Church, to receptive audiences

The Crypt also works closely with East Street Arts to deliver therapeutic art group sessions designed to help development by exploring their creativity through different media. These sessions enable people to feel empowered, confident and capable and have improved participants’ communication skills and their ability to work collaboratively. The impact of the Arts is massive, and one service user explained how being involved in an art group affected him; “Even though I do find things

challenging I keep pushing myself every week and I feel more confident. I can escape for a while and have discovered there are things I can do well. Seeing my work on the wall gives me a real boost – I created that, wow!” The St George’s Crypt corridors highlight the talent in our midst. We created a large scale Angel mosaic using a miniature painting created by a resident as inspiration. This beautiful piece reflects a bible verse that sums up our ethos: “Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it" (Hebrews 13 2-3). Participants were fully involved in the whole process and all the mosaic tiles were individually cut. The artwork provides a great opportunity for discussion and focus; the work has come to symbolise hope and love. The Art group have also tackled more challenging subjects, using photography and photo montage to explore themes of ‘Me, Myself and I’, transformation, light/dark and different emotions. As well as searching within, the art can help visualise future progression; service users have created symbolic installations for our garden – one holds keys to represent finding a home, the other is heart shaped with encouraging messages and memorials to clients who are no longer with us.

Key factors in the Crypt’s work are its provision of food and hospitality; the group have represented these through art by making beautiful wind chimes using cutlery and by creating an impressive wall display of 20 individually designed plates that illustrate the history of the Crypt. They accessed archive material and had to work collaboratively, discuss with each other and work to a brief, focus and compromise where necessary. All these are important life skills for participants who often have multiple and complex needs and who may present with mental health issues or be struggling with addiction. Our work with the Arts has opened up a world of opportunities to the vulnerable and disadvantaged people who come through our doors. By creating a welcoming environment that values their work and celebrates their diverse talents, we hope to inspire others.

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Words and Illustration: Louisa Foley  @louisafoley and Buttercrumble: Abigail and Chloe Baldwin  @buttercrumblecreative

I feel like there are constantly new groups and collectives springing up, venues always wanting to put on shows and new publications seeking creative contributors. With three universities’ worth of art students in the city there’s always going to be new people joining the scene and wanting to do stuff, which is great. I think because Leeds is smaller than other cities in the UK the scene here is probably a lot more close-knit than most, and platforms like &/or Emporium tie us all together. Sometimes it can be hard trying to keep up, but as long as you keep involved and interested, it’s all good!" Joanna Simpson (Illustration)

Illustrators Abigail & Chloe Baldwin (Buttercrumble) and artist Louisa Foley introduce their favourite female creatives rising through Leeds' art scene

Louisa Foley After graduating from College of Art, Leeds seemed like a pretty daunting place as a solo creative. But it’s safe to say after a year of meeting some amazing like-minded creatives, it’s definitely my fellow females who have helped to me grow and develop as an artist in this city. I’ve chosen the following three girls to focus on in this piece for their passion and dedication to the art scene here. Jenna, Suzie and Joanna all play an important part in the creative growth in the city, and if you haven't already checked out their work, you should, because they're great! Here's their take on our city...

Jenna Coulthard (Textile and print design) "Women currently play such a large role in my life in Leeds; I have pretty much surrounded myself with fabulously creative females. With my freelance roles at the minute, I am solely working with women; they are my co-workers, friends and role models. I also live with Lou, and the rest of my female peers are all killing it in terms of creative stuff. I wouldn’t say it’s a conscious decision; I just admire other gals that are pushing boundaries and doing their own thing. I guess that in itself makes it deliberate, and it has been these connections that have helped me to establish my practice.

"I create illustrations of things which happen in the day to day, things that people can easily relate to, and mix my own personal experiences in with that. As I get most of my inspiration from overheard conversations, all my drawings tend to have northern slang embedded within them; I tend to focus on the positive, humorous and 'it is what it is' attitude whilst I’m drawing, and they mostly carry a female- empowering, look after yourself messages Events such as Girls That Gig are good for networking and creating new friendships, so are the events which The Girl Gang Leeds set up. As it’s all about celebrating strong women and female empowerment, which is something in my opinion that the city was lacking, especially for the younger artist like us, it gives people the opportunity to knock about with others who have similar values, and I think that’s important."

"From studying graphics art at Leeds Met to working and living with other creatives, the scene in Leeds has inspired and pushed me to work hard and make as much work as possible. Most of the events and shows I've been part of have been female-led! My gender is key to a lot of the work I produce, so it does tend to attract more of a female audience. I lived with the I AM collective girls last year, which meant I was naturally involved in their exhibitions, and also worked with Emily, who comanages Girl Gang Leeds.

“Being women has influenced our creativity hugely; in fact it's largely what our business is based on; our experience of being mothers. When we had our first children we became passionate about family spaces which drove the creative element of our business. A lot of the spaces we create are centred on our experience as mothers and the kind of places we would enjoy being in. It’s great to be in a business partnership with other women; we spark each other creatively and work in a really open and respectful place. Practically, there's an understanding of our priorities in life and supporting each across work and family life.” Lucy Jones (Freelance Content Creator) “Being a creative woman is both exciting and slightly challenging at times. There is an exceptional amount of innovative, imaginative and talented women doing great things which in one way can make me feel slightly inadequate or unoriginal, but mostly allows me to learn, create and improve. The wealth of Leeds based women pursuing a career within the creative industries has made room for a great network. Working in a creative job is rewarding and incites pride and self-belief when a project comes to completion. My biggest challenge is prioritising my personal need to feel creatively fulfilled over remaining financially stable, as creative work is often not seen to hold much value to those who do not appreciate the hours of concentration that have been put in from idea, to planning to realisation.” Hayley Mills-Styles (Thread Artist)

Last year, I spent 6 months in Portugal, and during that time I kept up with my friends’ creative happenings and Leeds-based events via social media. I noticed so much was going on! Don’t get me wrong, Portugal was amazing, but I was getting FOMO - there's a reason why I moved back to Leeds, and it has been a very positive move so far." Suzie Cichy (Illustration and graphic design)

Hannah and Lou (Pop Up & Play)

“I was brought up knowing that I could be or do anything I wanted and from an early age it was apparent that I loved making things. My efforts were not always appreciated as I took apart my clothes and soft furnishings to see how they were made!

Abigail Baldwin and Chloe Baldwin Creativity is a way of life. We’ve taken up artistic pursuits ever since we can remember and continue doing so today. Whilst following our own creative goals we’ve met many other creative women who have aided us on our journey and these are the people we want to give support back to. Girl power in Leeds is truly alive and kicking.

Through embroidery I found my strong female voice, I have a way to express the issues that matter to me and talk about my life in a way I would never have imagined when I was a shy, awkward teenager. Being creative has been my anchor when everything else is out of control. I can pick up a needle and thread and everything is right with the world.” Creativity emanates in varying forms and in mysterious ways. It’s fascinating for us to observe this in both men AND women. Everyone has the power to make; you only have to use your imagination.

Words: Chiara Amendola Illustration: Dale Crosby Close  @dalebrains Photography:  @modesofexpression

Wonderwall

Armley and Holbeck get a mural makeover... It is a windy and sunny Thursday afternoon when I get to Armley’s new mural, just off Town Street, one of the area’s main roads. There are two girls painting it, and they introduce themselves to me as Emma and Bobbi. So just what is this piece of art doing in this industrial Leeds district? Starting at the beginning of March, Emma Hardaker and Bobbi Rae hosted a collection of workshops with the Armley community, working with a range of different ages. They wanted to get a broad spectrum of people’s perspective of the area, so they worked with, amongst others, Armley Helping Hands and Breeze (a children’s arts group). The initial aim was to get the people to look at the area they live in from a different point of view, and this is why they also asked them to look for buildings that normally go unnoticed.

A week after the workshops, Emma and Bobbi were at the Bank on Town Street for a week, where they compiled all the material that came out of the classes and used it to shape the way the mural would look. This triggered an intense exchange between the artists and the community they were working with: “It’s just us two who run the project, but we got help from Altogether Armley, Leeds Inspired and Seagulls (the paint shop on Kirkstall Road). They’ve been great and the people around Armley have been amazing too; the guy who lives upstairs borrowed us the ladder, the fish and chip shop let us use their toilet... it’s been a legit social exchange”. Social exchange was, in Bobbi’s words, the point of doing it in the first instance. They wanted to do something for Armley rather than just in Armley: “Why should it be just our interpretation? This is why we asked people around here to participate too”.

But why Armley? As the project space’s director, Emma spends a lot of time at Assembly House, so there was a connection already. Assembly House is a studio at the doors of Armley, and Emma describes it as an umbrella for all sorts of art projects. It is mainly used as a site to make things and get together. Previous projects include the Armley festival in July, workshops with children and a collaboration with Unity Day. “It was only natural starting working with the area,” she says. “We made friends with a lot of people... locals here are also really appreciative of this kind of project, they think it makes the place look better, that it brightens it up”. People got so involved that they also started to suggest other buildings they wanted Emma and Bobbi to paint on. Emma and Bobbi had a shared vision for this project which they extended outwards. “We collaborated a lot with each other, but then we brought in everyone else’s ideas too. We did not know what it would look like until the last minute. It was totally inspired by the people”. They admit how daunting and intimidating it was to take over a whole wall without knowing how it was going to look at the end. There was no determined outcome, just the desire to collaborate with the local community in order to make art.

This mural became a full time job that required funding. The funding paid for the materials and for the artists’ time. It was Modes of Expression and Altogether Armley who put the bid together and Leeds Inspired put it through: “It was just a hopeful application, and when we got accepted it was very thrilling”. The project doesn’t stop here. Emma and Bobbi want to do more and expand. They already have another mural planned with The Works Skatepark, which will be 4 times bigger than the first one: “We still have no idea what the mural is going to be, but we already know there will be workshops with kids who have alternative educations”. Part of the process will also include looking at the history of the space, which is going to be the driving force to educate the people in the workshops in preparation for the creation of the artwork. Emma and Bobbi’s ultimate aim is to put together fine arts & aesthetics and the community; taking something that is small and making it big, or looking at the history of a space and transposing these elements of the past into the present and the future by using new medias of expression. “After all, Art is a language of its own, and it’s a universal one. Some people have ideas but they do not have the skills to put them into practice, and we are here to make this possible”.

Words: Ian Kirkpatrick  @iankirkpatrickartist Photography: Tony Jacobs  @thewrongspeed

Ian Kirkpatrick 'Renaissance' spans 32 windows across the historic Knight and Willson printworks on Leeds’ South Bank. Like a giant comic strip, the artwork tells the story of Holbeck’s past, present and future. It’s also an abstracted map of the area. Wander from one end of the mural to the other and you’ll recognise some familiar landmarks such as Bridgewater Place, the Candle Building, Temple Works, and the old Holbeck Railway Station. You’ll also find allusions to ancient Egypt, the hanging gardens of Babylon, and the art of Renaissance painter Giotto - all with connections to Holbeck. There are plenty of hidden references to classical artworks, poems like Kubla Khan, and even tarot cards. The artwork is a giant narrative about cycles of rebirth - symbolising the way communities such as Holbeck rise, decline, and then get regenerated. I originally hand-drew all of the artwork on paper, then scanned the drawings into the computer and re-traced them. Initially the mural was a single, unbroken picture, but I rearranged it into individual panels so that it could be printed onto 32 massive sheets of Dibond. Jamie and Mike at Dock Street Signs were incredible to work with, handling all of the printing, surveying and installation. The artwork will be on display for the next couple of years. I hope that people have fun identifying the familiar landmarks and decoding the symbolism in the work. I also hope it helps draw people down to South Bank to see all the amazing history and the stunning new development projects underway.

Words: Lucretai of Leodis Illustration: Johnny Cosmic ď&#x2026; @midnightvipers

is a very individual process and part of the fun is the DIY approach to the look. Making gloves from fishnet tights, ripping holes and adding studs is all part of the fun. My black cherries lipstick mixed with black kohl gave the vampirest of stained lips. There wasn't much choice back then. My first major piece of clothing was a floor length vintage leather coat which came from 20th Century Classics at the side of the Corn Exchange, now Ryan Vintage on Boar Lane. Another essential was to flaneur your look on a Saturday afternoon. This mostly involved popping to the Corn Exchange, ogling the silver jewellery at Outrage, and then heading to Grin to look at pvc corsets. Us goths started tight lacing long before the Kardashians discovered 'waist training'!

The journey from child to adult can be a rollercoaster, or in my case a ghost train. It is when we shape our tastes, create our sense of identity, rebel, sample firsts, and carve friendships. Being part of a scene is often a rite of passage for most adolescents. Being part of an alternative scene adds a different dynamic; especially when the scene is goth, the city is Leeds, and the backdrop is the 1980s. As a child I was always drawn to the darker things. I preferred Catra to She-Ra; I made potions of smelly old rose water then sold it to the BMX bandits as a 'go-faster' elixir; I opted for Meg and Mog, Funny Bones and The Dwindling Party as my early reading matter. These tastes developed further with the sights and sounds I was discovering. Stealing glimpses of The Hunger from my babysitter's Village Video choice created an insatiable thirst for the vampiric, the clothing, and of course Bauhaus. Reading Dracula embedded my love of gothic literature, and has given a lifelong need to make pilgrimage to Whitby.

Leeds' original goth mecca Le Phono had closed by the time I was stepping out into the centre at night. We opted for The Duchess, The Cockpit and The Fenton. It was there I was nicknamed Lucretia. Unfortunately two of these venues are in the graveyard of Leeds' goth haunts along with Fab Cafe, The Wendy House and Carpe Diem. I cannot think of the mosh pit in The Cockpit without smelling snakebite and black and patchouli oil! The journey of being gothic didn't end in the 90s, it still lives and breathes today. I still like to listen to The Birthday Party, still have jet black locks, and still (occasionally) smell of patchouli. I would love to see the city reclaim and celebrate its gothic roots, and hope that whichever sights and sounds took your teenage passion, this little tale enables others to reminisce of their journey to adulthood.

Being from Leeds and finding out The Sisters of Mercy, The March Violets, Salvation and Red Lorry Yellow Lorry hailed from my home town was pivotal. Stepping in to Jumbo Records and buying Floodland was a moment I will never forget. That's when we called them records and not vinyl! A real part of the journey was shaping the look and creating a cave to sleep in. The memories of arguments about painting my room black still give my mother nightmares. The covering of the sugary pink wallpaper to inky black put a nail in the coffin to my childhood. I chose my peacock chair on the grounds that if it was good enough for Morticia it was good enough for me. Meticulous cutting of magazine pictures from old Spiral Scratch magazines created a decoupaged wall of gothica; this was complemented by my 'mood board', or as my mother coined, the bus stop wall, which had handwritten lyrics and quotes in typex. Above my mirror it read 'Lucretia my reflection', and over my curtains hung black lace. Perfecting this vision involved hours of trialling the Siouxie eye, endless ruined towels (from hair dye), a breathing complaint from the amount of hairspray, some lost hair from crimping, and for a stage the removal of my eyebrows. Being a goth

Words: Rees Newnes  @reesnewnes Photography: Rees Newnes  @reesnewnes Elly Jones Jones Williams  @ells.jones Dylan Howell  @dylantex  @idleworkfactory

Lights! Camera! Action!

Whether you are a picture connoisseur or a movie dabbler, it is hard to ignore our society’s love of film. Since the premiere of The Arrival of a Train by the Lumière Brothers in 1896, which scared the audience out of the cinema, the film industry has grown into the multi-billion dollar enterprise that it is today. Film is everywhere; from the silver screen to music videos, short films to experimental pieces, promotional material to independent movies, and nestled somewhere in there is the DIY movement. DIY film is a world of low budget filmmakers and studios, producing a range of everything above. It is a community of people who are not necessarily full time professionals, but who use what equipment and resources they have to still produce beautiful work. Leeds is an example of a place where this practice is budding, with the thriving music and arts scenes, there is no lack of material to shoot. I myself am part of this grassroots industry, which lies in the shadow of the big screen.

My journey into film stemmed from the simple love of being behind the camera. When I was a child I used to beg my parents for the camera. I always loved looking through old albums, but it wasn’t until after winning a photography prize at school that I decided to study the subject at college. From that point on, my transition into film happened quickly. I began answering briefs with video pieces, and whenever I was out with my mates I would film everything. The latter only ever resulting in hours of footage of my friends shouting, "Rees, put the f**cking camera away!" I went to the University of Brighton to study Moving Image, then moved to attend Leeds College of Art’s Visual Communication degree. I started to film stuff for friends' bands and the more I filmed the more I was asked to film. I remember the first time I got paid to shoot a gig thinking “this is alright, getting paid to do what I love!” I had this idea in my head that as soon as I graduated the work would start flowing in and I would be able to sustain myself just from filmmaking; but that's not the case. It takes time to build up so that you have enough regular work to pay bills!

my horizons. I decided to sit down with two fellow DIY filmmakers and friends, Jordon Scott Kennedy of Idle Work Factory and Mike Connolly of MW Film, to discuss what the community of grassroots film in Leeds means to us all, and how it has helped us get to where we are. J: I never really cottoned on that I wanted to be a filmmaker until I was 22, and I felt like I had to do it. It was tearing me apart that I was so far away from what I wanted to do. I remember being a kid and all I ever looked forward to at school was getting home and raiding my dad’s video collection; it was weird that out of all my mates I was the only one allowed to watch stuff like Taxi Driver. M: My love of film started from an early age, going to the cinema with my Granddad. He was an artist and taught me to draw and paint, which set me on a path towards the arts. It wasn’t until my teens that I picked up a camera and started filming my friends skateboarding on a little Sony Handycam and teaching myself to edit using Premiere. I began to take it more seriously, studying media, and considering it as an actual career possibility.

R: What interests me is what keeps us motivated and continuing to produce work, as we all know it can seem daunting sometimes when there is no work coming in J: Well there's never an excuse to not be out filming; if you just sit around and wait for the jobs to come, you'll get nowhere. R: You've got to constantly be getting yourself out there, offering to shoot stuff. M: If I'm going to a gig then I’ll often get in touch with some of the bands playing and ask if they want me to bring my camera down; it’s a great way to practice and I'll never say no to a free gig! Also, when it comes to editing at home, all the best ideas come to you when you're sat in your pants! J: I believe in chaos, if you create chaos, people will notice you!  R: So what is it about grassroots filmmaking that you love?

For me, the beauty of DIY filmmaking is how social it is; the opportunity for collaboration and networking is incredible and I always like to get interesting characters involved to widen

M: It’s all about meeting like-minded people. I recently went on tour with some mates and shot a little music video of everything that went down that week; the people that we met during that trip were some of the kindest, and all of them were very like-minded within their own DIY communities, all just as welcoming as here in Leeds. None of this would have been possible without being a filmmaker. R: Some of the people I’ve met through projects have had a real impact on me; Tony Rimmer from my film ‘The Last Cobbler’ was such an interesting and charismatic man who shared with me his life story, some real personal stuff, and if I hadn’t made a film about him then we never would've shared that experience. I will treasure that for the rest of my life. Also when I made a short film with the Halo group at the Hamara centre in Beeston, I got to immerse myself in the lives of these adults with pretty severe learning difficulties for a month; I even got to attend mosque with them which is something that would never happen otherwise. I have been humbled doing what I do on more than one occasion J: For me it's about being able to express my artistic side. I remember as a kid I would try to direct everyone in the playground to act out cult films like Pulp Fiction. But before I discovered film making I used to hide it away, as where I'm from I thought I'd be mocked for it! I suppose I didn't realise I had a passion for storytelling. R: Leeds is a fantastic place to be at the moment in any part of the arts scene. Personally I know this through being part of the Goat Collective, and we’ve been lucky enough to meet some amazing people and gain some great work through the tight knit community. I have got work by simply filming when we’re painting a mural or running a stall at an arts market

M: The Leeds creative community as a whole, in the past couple of years the collectives that have been becoming more and more prevalent in the city, like I AM Collective, Ladyfuzz, Kalyan, you Goats, we’re all within one shared arts community in essence and that’s where these movements will begin to build and take shape from. R: Do either of you see yourself going down the more traditional route and working in big budget cinema? M: The idea of working within an industry where you’re just a faceless employee behind a camera or edit desk clocking in your hours on set to make a salary defeats the entire object of why I wanted to become a filmmaker in the first place. When it begins feeling like a job rather than a passion, then what’s the point in doing this? My work should be a representation of myself to the world and the minute it’s no longer that then I’ve failed J: My intention is to carry on trying to build something here in Leeds. That can only happen by filmmakers investing time in the city. It's important to me that I make my films in and around West Yorkshire and reflect the world I know, because I feel I have a lot to say. That's solely my focus for the next few years at least. R: That makes three of us then! I love seeing my vision right through from start to finish. I enjoy every part of the filmmaking process too much to focus solely on one aspect. Plus, I want to continue to meet the cool, crazy kinds of people that I have done to date! Yeah, if you work in Hollywood you may get to meet Samuel L. Jackson, but for all we know there could be someone just like him living somewhere in Leeds, my aim is to find him instead. I have always believed that staying in Leeds was the right thing to do. The independent film scene in Leeds is taking off. Watch out, Hollywood!

Find out more at leedscitycollege.ac.uk/snapshot

at Leeds City College

A snapshot of your possibilities Take creative risks, explore abstract ideas and learn to speak out in the visual world with our photography course. Delivering the course in studios, workspaces, darkrooms and on location allows you scope to explore the medium. You will have opportunities to use different formats of camera, both analogue and digital. The course modules will help you gain a sound understanding of the historical and contextual landscape, which has influenced photographers and underpins the discipline now.

During the course you will have the opportunity to exhibit your own work, develop a professional network and build your own creative identity. Annual trips to cities such as New York and Paris will immerse you in other cultures and their stylistic motivations. Now you can decide on your photographic career path, whether documentary, fashion, portraiture, fine art or commercial avenues.

J: For me it was down to Jack Simpson of Hyde Park Book Club, who offered me a small studio space, and helped me put on the Open Film Night. I remember being shocked at the amount of people who showed up to screen and watch films, who shared the same passion and wanted to collaborate!

Photo credit: BA (Hons) Photography student Curtis Young 55

Photography: Liam Gawtry  @liam.gawtry

Sunshine

and Love

Liam Gawtry walks the city streets to photograph the sunshine and love of Leeds…

…FRi… 12 th May

Words: Jack Thomson  @jackthomsonuk Illustration: Hetty Ann Laycock  @hettylaycock Photography: Jay Craig  @onlyopticempire

Broken Brass Ensemble fr e e— on stage

Twisted Tubes fr e e— I N TH E cou rtya r d

f r om

8.30 pm

…s a t … 10 th j un e

5.30 pm

nation of shopkeepers 29 COOKRIDGE ST, LEEDS LS2 3AG

@ s h o p k e e p e r s

Rhythm is a Dancer

Leeds is arguably the second biggest city for dance in the UK, after London. With two full time professional dance companies: Northern Ballet and Phoenix Dance Theatre; a multitude of independent dance artist and companies; conservatoire level contemporary dance training at the Northern School of Contemporary Dance (NSCD) and Verve (the post-graduate dance company attached to NSCD); places on degrees programmes in dance at Leeds Beckett University; and support and opportunities at Yorkshire Dance and RJC dance. In 2017 we are seeing the city’s strong dance heritage in full bloom with the recent announcement of the Leeds Dance Partnership, which aims to unite the different strands within the dance community together and place Leeds on the national and international map as a cultural hub for dance.

Many question arrived in my head when writing this article; the first and perhaps the most obvious... What is a community? After doing some research, it was summarised as ’a body of individuals unified by common interests or place.’ This answer prompted me to a second question: who are these individuals which make up the dance community in Leeds? I began chatting with some of the people who study, work and create right here in the city, and this gave me the motivation to tell the story of the dance community from within. Who better to share what dance feels like in Leeds than the individuals who live it daily? The first individual I spoke to about this, Natalie Alleston, was born in Leeds and started her dance training in the city aged 3! After attending the Northern Ballet Associates classes as a teenager, she moved to train at the Rambert School in London and has since returned to the city to join Phoenix Dance Theatre as a professional dancer with the company. “It is such a privilege to be able to work as a professional in the city I was

born, grew up and started dancing in. It is very rare opportunity for a dancer, as there are not so many full time dance opportunities across the UK outside of London, but fortunately Leeds has these two fantastic companies. I hope these continue to succeed and can continue to support and attract individual artists and smaller companies to the city. My personal highlight of dance in Leeds is from this year’s Phoenix Dance Theatre premier at the West Yorkshire Playhouse When I got to perform a piece of choreography by my first ever contemporary dance teacher, Douglas Thorpe, but this time as a professional dancer.” The city is also home to one of the UK’s largest dance schools, the Northern School of Contemporary Dance, which was founded in 1985 by the late Nadine Senior (MBE). The Standard of training attracts people from around the country and world to study. Asmara Cammock, who is currently a 3rd year student at the school, spoke about her move from London to Leeds in September 2014; “I arrived in Leeds, panicked, petrified, optimistic, and full of wonderful expectations. To my surprise, Leeds has been much more to me than a place of study. It is playful in its cultures, patient in

its welcome, and for this I am grateful. At the epicentre of this city I believe there is hope, there is challenge and creativity. I danced my way to Leeds with the very hopes my parents first had when I stepped into my first tap class ages just 7.” The Northern School of Contemporary Dance trains dancers who often find themselves moving away from Leeds after graduation to opportunities across the wider world, but independent dance artist Akeim Toussaint Buck decided to base himself in the city after completing his time at NSCD. He often teaches workshop, creates choreography and performs in the city. “I feel everyone in the dance community in Leeds helps each other. It is very connected but I also feel like we can connect even more; this happening and the pace for growth is building. I feel a crossing over to other communities and cohorts would make Leeds’ dance scene even stronger, with more exchange between different groups. There have been so many great moments that have happened in the city, my favourite has to be watching Verve performed ‘Vertical Road’ by the internationally celebrated choreographer Akram Khan. This was amazing!”

Sean Bates has been a dancer with Northern Ballet since July 2012. In his five years he has “seen more and more exciting plans for Northern Ballet and also for the rest of the dance in Leeds. Perhaps as we follow on from the thrifty work done during the recession, our dance companies in Yorkshire are able to run extremely efficiently. One big excitement is our city’s bid to be the 2023 European Capital of Culture, and already the bid is bringing together a melting pot of artists and performers who love and support Leeds; it’s for sure going to have a positive effect on the cultural aspect of the city. It is important for the reputation and growth as a Northern Powerhouse to also demonstrate Leeds’ commitment to valuing the arts and culture. The people of Leeds do engage with the dance in their city and there is a genuine appreciation for the incredibly high standard of dance at their fingertips. I'm often asked by strangers if I'm with the Northern Ballet, so that's always nice to be recognised for your trade. As part of the dance community, we should be proud of the work we do in presenting high quality, accessible dance around the country and the world, and knowing that it’s been made in Leeds.”

Leeds is also attracting dance artists by having something unique to offer that other cities cannot. Born in Holland, Isabel Slingerland is a freelance dancer who before settling in Leeds lived in Copenhagen and London. She frequently dancers, teaches yoga and is an advisor for Leeds based choreographer Anthony Middleton (the Middleton Corpus). When asked why she chose Leeds as her home as a dance artist, she was very clear in her reasoning; “I chose to move to Leeds and away from London because we wanted to set up our own dance company. London is so expensive and the house prices in Leeds are way cheaper which makes our standard of living much better. I don't have to take on so many extra jobs to be able to survive and we can create! The location is a plus too, within no time you can be out of the city and walking through countryside. The North of England is also less competitive for arts council funding compared with London where it is almost impossible to get funding for a starting dance company. All of which is why Leeds is a good base.” There seems to be a sense of community across the city of Leeds, with all types of people engaging with dance, in all types of ways. This is perhaps what makes dance in Leeds unique and thriving, as the city’s roots have grown organically from passion and creativity. There are not the same financial pressures of some other cities and this has seen Leeds’ dance community remain just that. We have not lost the voice of the individuals to this idea of a ‘dance industry’, where people’s need for more money to survive start to take away the priority of the community. Leeds has embraced dance as an important part of its culture, with a high quality of dance found in the city. Its cultural importance in the next few years will only become more apparent, as dance is what can connect Leeds with the rest of the world.

Words: Rebecca Levick  @rebeccalevick Illustration: Catherine Pape  @catherinenoel

The Eyes and Ears of Leeds Listen to the city. What does it say to you? Is it a heaving, breathing being that’s containing you? Paralysed by products, shops and offers. Disclaimers, who can blame us for getting confused when it’s buy one get one free, if you buy another three. Too many clothes that you don’t need, it’s almost as though you’ve forgotten how to see. Every morning the streets are calling, absorbing life as it crawls out and into its place. Chock-a-bloc traffic, a thick fog is a beater blocker, puts a stopper on any feelings. It’s not easy to feel when you move to the same beat that takes you from A to B. Stop. Take a different view. Climb up to the Town Hall roof. Now look down at the city. You can really see up here. It’s less, but it’s more. You can move the cursor further than you could before. It’s your own personal train set and you’re in charge. Life still goes on, thrums in the background. It’s the sound of the city, only different now. As the buses go round and the people make sounds and the building work clatters, all of this matters to the thousands of people below. Each street is a container, a presentation of food from whichever continent you choose. Lick your lips at the thought of each dish. Shouting, banging, someone’s left the pan on too long. But it doesn’t matter. Because when you see the colours, the deep greens and striking purples working together on the same plate, it takes you to another place. You’re reminded of Thailand and the summer of 2012. Four months travelling around Southeast Asia and the main thing you savour is the memory of Gangnam Style. It was the backing track to your trip. You couldn’t escape it. His face on T-shirts and mugs. Coming out of cafes, always on in the clubs. People singing it in the streets just like they did in Leeds. Fuddled words, scrambled meaning, the dance moves that proved anyone could move. But those silly moves were recognisable, accessible. The public took ownership and, yes, it was shit, but it was also a shared joke with a stranger. Who can blame them, when, actually, it’s quite nice to share a joke with a stranger. As the city empties out, the day fades, turns to night. The streets take on a new light. Buildings stand fearless, giant protectors of the land. While you sleep, they watch over the city, but they won’t hold your hand. Spires like jagged spears cast dagger-shaped shadows over the land. But fear will soon disappear when the light forces its hand. The beat still sounds, but it’s distant now. Just like when you were on the roof, looking down.

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