IL Magazine (Issue 04)

Independent Leeds Magazine Issue 04 www.independentleeds.co.uk

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Issue 04

Community

At the core of all life is community; the sharing of values, interests and goals through the connection of people, passion and pride. Leeds has longsince been built on the foundations of its ethics and communities, standing strong and marching on together. Now more than ever should this be encouraged. In this issue we celebrate the inspirational city folk doing just that just now...

The Cover’s Story Every issue we ask a different Leeds artist to produce our cover image. This edition features the work of contemporary artist Ian Kirkpatrick (iankirkpatrick.wordpress.com) who has remixed Bob Marley’s famous “Uprising” album design into a mythic tale about modern-day Leeds. Bringing together iconographies from ancient Babylonian legends, along with children’s stories and sci-fi films such as Metropolis, his piece invites us to liberate ourselves from 'the machine' and reclaim power in contemporary society.

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, please get in touch with our Editor John to join our growing collective.

Editor John Barran : john@independentleeds.co.uk Creative Editors Buttercrumble (Chloe & Abigail Baldwin) : buttercrumble.com

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Contents Creating Hope

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Pattern Man ����������������������������������������� 8 The Vegan Vibe ������������������������������������ 12 Spreading Trust ������������������������������������ 14 Gin O’ Clock

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Sustainable Style

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Leeds Eye View ������������������������������������ 21 Cemetery Road, Beeston ������������������������� 23 On the Buses

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Rise & Shine

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Best Foot Forward

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Butcher Baker Community Maker ������������� 33 Digger's Island Discs ����������������������������� 38 Girls Can Play

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Rising Art Attack ��������������������������������� 43 Time is Money

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Delve deeper into the independent scene in Leeds at www.independentleeds.co.uk Twitter: IndependentLeeds | Facebook: IndependentLeeds | Instagram: independentleeds

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Words: Caz Tailby Photography: Max Miechowski  @maxmiechowski

Creating Hope

Coffee. Juice. Food. Vibes.

Voice, self-expression, and personal identity, explored through a card game

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

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What comes to mind when one thinks of the word ‘art’? Perhaps it is the likes of famous works such as the intricate Mona Lisa or the wacky wonders

by Pablo Picasso. Or maybe it’s the opposite end of the spectrum – murals created with spray-paint on the street as a means of rebellious self-expression.

For Leeds College of Art graduates Simon Walker (Visual Communication) and Sophie Primrose (Printed Textiles and Surface Pattern Design), it’s all-inclusive, as long as the essence comes from within.

The pair founded their design and illustration company the ‘Stuff and Things Collective’ (S&T) in 2011, and have since provided services to a broad range of clients, including a number of rock bands looking for poster and album cover design (Tame Impala and My Morning Jacket among others), Warner Bros. Studios for artwork in their Great Gatsby-themed hidden-object-game app, and most recently, the children’s charity World Vision. It is clear from this lineup that the collective’s primary focus is rather the lack thereof – the company’s vision thrives on variety and experimenting with new and ever-changing styles of self-expression.

“It’s hard to pin down exactly what we do,” says Simon.“We’ve both always had a fairly schizophrenic approach and tried to navigate ourselves within the creative industry to suit our needs as artists so that we never pigeon-hole ourselves into one specific area.” Sophie agrees; “The name ‘Stuff and Things’ was originally made as a bit of a joke to avoid committing to any one discipline, but as time’s gone on, it’s served us well and represents how eclectic our work actually is.”

The founders claim that their work predominantly celebrates the importance of the handmade process using more traditional methods. They clearly do not believe in cookie-cutter mass-produced art. “A human hand creates a more human experience,” Simon explains.”Technology can be great way to speed up the process, but ultimately we’re always looking to evoke something from the soul, so, there has to be an emotional investment from us as the artists which is something that the viewer can feel and share in.”

World Vision is the largest children’s charity in the world, with a Christian-based vision and a motto of ‘Every Child Free from Fear’. The charity presents a child sponsorship programme, and allows said sponsors to have an ongoing correspondence with children in some of the poorest parts of the world.

It is a unique opportunity to gain a window into a child’s perspective and see the impact of the support that donors give, with contact through hand-written letters and enjoyable exchanges such as drawings, presents and video updates.

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The collaboration began in the spring of 2012 when child communication specialist Steve Richards from World Vision approached S&T to discuss creating a new teaching product. The aim was to produce a universal tool that could be used in developing countries worldwide, to encourage children to be more expressive in their writing and drawing.

The outreach was vast and the cultural diversity presented some very challenging objectives that required a huge amount of research. “We wanted to create a visual language that resonated with children in the mountains of Bolivia as clearly as it did children in the jungles of Tanzania,” confirms Simon. “Making the imagery feel relevant to such a wide demographic proved to be a really tricky balance to achieve.”

The product, now known as ‘The Storyteller’s Map and Cards’, is designed to be used within a group session that encourages children to think deeply about their day-to-day life experiences. In the pack there is included a ‘map’ with visual prompts; illustrations of different areas of life that aim to inspire the children, the ‘storytellers’, to think about and connect with occurrences and emotions associated with those areas. The activity continues with the individuals choosing one or two topics to focus on, promoting attention to detail. ‘Topic cards’ with more intricate illustrations are provided to inspire deeper thinking about senses and feelings rather than simply listing events – the activity aims to encourage children to think for themselves and express who they are through their own stories.

The focus of the tool was centred on empowerment, helping children discover their inner voice and sharing stories about their experience of life in their community. By the summer of 2012, a rough concept had been formed. Prototypes were generated and sessions with internationals were organised. Then, tests were carried out on classes of children at Harehills Primary School to generate a better idea of group facilitation. Next, Bangladesh, India and Bolivia to get feedback and results from the field. By October the finished article was ready to go. “It’s amazing that The Storytellers World actually started its journey right here in Leeds,” says Simon. “Now, four years on, it’s reached over half a million children in 27 countries. That still blows my mind!”

The Storyteller’s Map & Cards has been a powerful tool in helping children to develop their own sense of identity, as well as communication skills and friendships. To a third party such as myself, who previously had little knowledge on either of these

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organisations, it is an excellent reflection of S&T’s philosophy of self-expression being put to good use for social justice in the world. The partnership is still being used to develop new tools and products to support learning in Leeds and international environments alike; soon to launch is a whole new chapter in the Storyteller curriculum with a new Digital Capture guide that teaches children and adults how to storyboard and record their own films.

“It’s like the Storytellers world has been on a hero’s journey and come back to where it all started; it’s so great to be able to share our work with children in our local community again.” Sophie enthuses. “The rewards of working with children in such hard-toreach places have been a real privilege, and we so grateful to be blessed with ongoing opportunities to capture the voices and imagination of young minds.” It is a movement that has been launched out of a vision to encourage communication and self-expression, and all in all, it is quite beautiful.

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Words: Rick Holland Photography: Mike Medlock  @vibrant_leeds

pressures and the politicians seemingly have less idea than we do as to what the way forward can be.

Pattern Man

Except, as the following paragraphs show, the answers are there in the cracks, in the decisions and passions of real people. The Real Picture House is free, and perhaps the only point of a ‘poet’ is to point the camera of imagination at things that are really there, bringing those aspects of ourselves that we hide away to centre stage, encouraging us to trust our gut, to risk being ridiculous.

Enter the revolutionary army of independents making real things. I introduce you to some, a poet, two live hardware techno musicians, a printer, a book binder, a printing co-operative. By introducing you to them, I also introduce you to Pattern Man, a new collection released in book and album forms, and a new collective effort, made in Leeds, reverberating far and wide.

This is the Journey of a Free Radical ‘patternmania shocked our childhood games, did it not? indians and cowboys, robbers and cops haves and don’t gets there’s never been a better time to get better’.

Pattern Man is the work of many people. It reflects the world we live in, in its confusing state of upheaval, and offers dreams of new directions alongside wry reflections on the mindset and musings of modern women and men.

First and foremost it invites us to listen hard to - and celebrate - our real and vital urges. It supports us as we don’t accept established packaged truths, even if the alternatives make as much sense as modern prophets Kanye and Russell debating on a Brewery Wharf balcony at 6am on a Saturday morning.

The nucleus of Pattern Man was the work of a poet, one who has been influenced by the freeform flows of club night MCs and the mass of recorded materials available to a modern human. He or she grew up with goody vs baddy Clint Eastwood films repeated on four channel TV, and fingers hovering on record and pause to capture radio moments on cassette tape.

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Pattern Man probably grew up in the 1990s.

Through the skew of super-fast history, this period

is enjoying a renaissance of cool. In reality the sub cultures now celebrated were over-pinned by lager, lads and plastic dreams, but culture has a knack of recycling facsimiles of the glory moments of casual cool and deeper spirit, repackaging the good bits as fashion, or trend, or remix, and leaving out the mess.

So Pattern Man now finds himself rubbing his eyes at the millennial era, where everyone has a say, but no-one really knows who controls the servers. He considers a landscape of thumbs blurring messages and individuals stacking chips and his messages of community and equality within music and art seem like the well intentioned nostrums of the Lebowski dude, milk hanging from his moustache.

But there is such magic in there, if we allow it, and protect the innocence of it. The 1990s lest we forget were the times that young Thatcherite artists made millions of pounds on framing concepts in white gallery rooms to frantic investors and D:Ream played in a new face of politics that hurled us headlong into a ‘might makes right’ decade in which making money made everything else ok. The central messages of rave culture were criminalised, and the peaceful gatherings of people dancing together controlled by licensing and drug laws.

‘Empathy’ and ‘Community’ were reduced to the night time follies of young people in smiley t-shirts, the immature younger siblings of ‘Business’ and ‘Personal Success’.

And look where we find ourselves. The money has kept on accelerating into abstracts that no-one fully understands, society finds itself under nightmarish

Chrononautz, live hardware musicians, Leeds Forwards. Never back. Pattern Man is not singular, as the title suggests. This is so much more than the sum parts of individuals. What makes this project is the collaborators and what we contribute as a unit.

It’s about individuals coming together to make one unit against the norm.

Footprint Workers Co-op, printers (linked to Cornerstone housing co-op), Chapeltown We would describe life as a co-op as not having a boss, not being a boss, being flexible, friendly, punk, ridiculous, political, connected, self-exploiting (and green). We really want to encourage DIY culture and creativity, collective action, direct action, mutual aid and solidarity. So we sometimes print stuff for free or really cheap that we like a lot. Developing and maintaining a supportive community requires making mistakes, thought, time and energy.

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Roger Grech, bookbinder, Shipley My main Philosophy is that everything I do has to be made solely by me, by hand. Or at least as far as humanly possible. I need to know that every piece has passed through my hands and not been fed into a machine and spat out at the other end.

Everything I use is ethically sourced and acid free, so theoretically it should last a lifetime.

Nick Loaring, The Print Project, Shipley Do It Yourself. Do it because you want to or because you have to and even if no one is listening, do it for yourself and find out what it is that makes you tick and what you are passionate about. Get yourself into some good company and hunker down for the long game. The path that I set out on all those years ago hasn’t been an easy one at times but I’ve met so many amazing people who are aiming for the stars that it’s impossible to not be seduced by the power of what people can do when they come together to make great things. It’s often unplanned and sporadic but ‘committing random acts of love’ is the only way I know to counter the bleaker aspects of our world.

 Roger Grech, bookbinder, Shipley

Rick Holland, writer, Leeds make things communicate make real our vacation of the halls of waste nation

Welcome to CrossEyes Leeds

Please keep in touch with Pattern Man as live music and in print http://patternman.bigcartel.com/, with Leeds and London album launch shows upcoming.

 Nick Loaring, The Print Project, Shipley

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 Rick Holland, writer, Leeds

CrossEyes Leeds 9 Mill Hill Leeds LS1 5DQ Tel. (0)113 245 5378

crosseyes.co.uk crosseyesuk crosseyesuk 11

Words: Billy Collins Illustration: Kate Johnson  @igetdressedinthemorning

The Vegan Vibe

and habitat destruction. The UN has consistently announced reducing meat consumption is key to combating climate change and it is by far the most effective and easiest way to tackle environmental degradation.

causing ambiguity and confusion amongst the science and information available to people. This is why many feel the grassroots movement is more coherent than that seen in the mainstream media.

Partial or full veganism can offer a solution to many of the problems seen today; whether environmental sustainability, optimising health, or creating better ethics. The movement reflects a growing awareness.

More and more people do not want to participate in the slaughter and exploitation of animals, seeing hypocrisy in our selective ‘speciesism’ towards which animals are deemed suitable for eating (lambs and piglets) and unsuitable (kittens and puppies).

New technologies and social media are giving transparency to the secret journey of our food, and many are being shocked by the real life treatment and conditions of animals. Culture is undoubtedly changing and the way we consider food is moving in response to this.

Going vegan is deeply political. It has become a way to challenge environmental apathy, sociological divisions and reclaim empowerment of the self. Information has never moved faster, due to a combination of citizen curated media, rising social media and a cultural shift towards deeper concerns of contemporary issues. Communication is power and in a world where information censorship is being challenged by a digital revolution, media transparency is invigorating a greater mindfulness towards how our consumer choices create the world we see.

Many big companies are reacting too – Ben and Jerry's released their first vegan ice cream this year, Pret A Manger are considering a dramatic adjustment after the huge success of its all vegetarian chain and vegan options are sprouting up in established menus everywhere!

Eating your greens has never been easier or more popular than it is today.

The past 5 years has seen an explosion in interest towards animal free alternatives in food, cosmetics and fashion - sparking an abundance of plant based variants for traditional products. Whether it’s butternut squash linguine or courgette spaghetti (cougetti for those in the know), nut milks or bags made from mushroom or pineapple ‘leather’, and even ‘chicken’ that is barely indistinguishable from the real thing, the options to go green are endless.

The vegan vibe is no longer exclusive to a peripheral hard-core tribe, it has gone mainstream with many people curious and many more identifying themselves as ‘flexitarians’ (those who are integrating more plant based nutrition), or primarily vegan foodies (with the elasticity to also indulge in animal products when the occasion arises).

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The rise of the ‘selfie’ and Instagram culture has similarly changed the face of veganism, transforming our once held stereotypes of plant based nutrition and body aesthetics. Veganism has become sexy and popular with the young, with an abundance of ‘food porn’ on the Internet and celebrity role models offering up as vocal patrons of the movement.

Vegans are no longer pallid, emaciated beings three salads away from death, they are fit, strong and ready to repair the world with new found vitality.

The movement is also witnessed within the medical industry, with physicians and doctors reiterating the importance of nutrient dense whole foods to reverse chronic illness. There is no longer any doubt that diet and disease is intrinsically linked and many who make the switch report feeling more energy, weight loss and psychological contentment.

There are record numbers of vegans today in the UK and the movement is global. Films like Cowspiracy on Netflix, Earthlings and Food Inc have all brought a stronger focus towards the many wider issues seen in the environment - particularly that being caused by the food industry.

People have never been more engaged with their own health requirements than today. Information is the basis of any movement and here, food provides a remedy to enable a better mind-body connection – one of prevention instead of cure. A plant based diet is proven to lower risk of heart disease, cancer, diabetes, blood pressure, leaky gut syndrome and cholesterol. Processed meats like bacon and hot dogs are now even classified as a level 1 carcinogen like tobacco.

Animal agriculture is now recognised as producing more CO2 emissions than all the transport industries combined, whilst also being the number one cause for species extinction, ocean dead zones, water pollution,

As milk sales and prices plummet and meat consumption falls, the rise in veganism has seen strong opposition from the meat, dairy and egg industry who have steadily funded campaigns and influenced the media’s exposure of the facts,

Google recently reported on the staggering increase in vegan related searches since 2007 and trends like Veganuary or meat-free Mondays are becoming common practices.

The rise is also evident in Leeds with fantastic turnouts at events like the Great Yorkshire Vegan Festival and Winterfest, organic vegan street market vendor and ethical cooking class Honest Edibles, Hansas Vegetarian Restaurant, Roots and Fruits Café, Global Tribe Café and vegan dessert caterer That Old Chestnut - Leeds has never had more on offer to tickle your taste buds green and nourish the mind, body and soul.

Perhaps if we consider diet a geographically learned custom, one ethnically ingrained and supported by a sense of tradition, then it can become merely an idea from the cultural story around us. And this story is being rewritten.

Veganism is no longer a fringe lifestyle choice, it is a popular and ever growing identity that reflects deeper heart-centred mindfulness in all aspects of life to create harmony. This is the biggest environment, ethical and social justice movement to ever happen, so lettuce take collective responsibility and join the veggie revolution!

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Words: Jessica Wright Photography: Mike Medlock  @vibrant_leeds

Spreading Trust

LS14 is an area of Leeds which was urbanised through post-war housing. Almost unchanged over the decades since, the Seacroft estate is a tribute to 1960s and 70s style prefab housing. In the last twenty years, the area had deteriorated into a well-known stretch of crime and unemployment.

Unlike neighbouring suburbs and quaint villages, Seacroft and its surrounding areas like Scarcroft and Whinmoor have not seen the positive benefits of Leeds becoming the booming, brilliant city it now is.

Despite the negative connotations with the area, the community spirit in Seacroft has been evident since its beginnings - something the LS14 Trust has picked up on, and whose aim is to provide solace and encouragement to its residents. They’ve recently been very involved with the Seacroft Gala, which was held over the weekend of 9th and 10th July, and included stalls, a tea room, and a pop up seaside. It is weekends like this that any area of Leeds would be lucky to have. The community spirit is envious; I don’t even know my neighbours.

The LS14 Trust intends on making a big difference by responding to the wants and needs of the people.

There’s no huge corporation of suits around a desk, deciding what would be best for those who live here. They are a group of down-to-earth, friendly folk with genuine ambition for the area.

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Jo Curtis, the Trust’s Community Development Manager, admits that sometimes what they try works, and sometimes it doesn’t. Anyone can

suggest something they think will have a positive effect on the community, and anyone can join in, or volunteer. “Our vision is to see LS14 become a welcoming, vibrant, happy place, where people feel in control and proud of their achievements,” she tells me. It is an organisation by the people for the people, and Jo’s drive to positively impact the community means she will never give up trying.

The projects that make up the trust range from IT courses in The Digital Lounge, to their new concept EAT, which connects people through cooking – namely, where people eat, when, and who with. To be able to cook, eat and chat with your neighbours in a safe and welcoming space is something that has gone down well, as has the food! Attendees to the almost daily food groups, including Family Food Club and Digital Dinners, learn new skills, meet new people, and in turn gain a sense of belonging and pride.

The LS14 Trust’s commitment is to helping as many residents as possible. Their residents range from those who might want something to do of a daytime or evening, to those who need help in re-establishing their life. Jo’s goal is to provide “a place where every resident is safe.” Anything goes.

Everyone’s welcome.

Sometimes the skill gained from these sessions is of communication or computers; sometimes the ability to get out the house and attend is accomplishment enough. The Work Club motivates those who are unemployed to get online and find suitable jobs,

and helps those in need apply. What is perhaps the best thing about the project is that neighbours meet and realise they are not alone. Whether it’s a young family who need a boost of motivation, a group who want to learn something new, or a single person who lacks in confidence, the LS14 Trust provide a sanctuary and a helping hand.

Park. The aim of Playbox is to pop up in the heart of communities and connect the neighbourhood to bring out the best in itself through positivity and creativity. Playbox is the invention of Emma Bearman and her Playful Leeds, who developed the LS14 Trust, and so it is inevitable that this current link up is a meeting of minds.

Mark Ramsden attends various projects the trust hold throughout the week. Though he admits how hard it is to leave his flat, he says the sessions he attends are a positive part of his life. It has given Mark a social space to build his confidence. Before the LS14 Trust he found attending any local event difficult, but needed little motivation to frequent the Winter Warmer sessions the trust put on. The value every visitor is given is a real boost, and the welcoming feel is precious to each and every guest.

The Trust encourages those who have attended sessions and want to contribute more to become volunteers, building an important sense of achievement. Geoff Hardwick followed this path and is now recognised as one of the most hardworking volunteers at the Trust. He attends every event with a vigour and effort in everything he does.

It is people like Geoff that The LS14 Trust has seen grow and prosper through combined commitment.

The sessions aren’t the only thing LS14 Trust has given to their community. The LS14 Cafe is a place which provides nutritional, pay as you feel food where on a Wednesday evening you can design and create a pizza with the kids (or just be a big kid and do it yourself !). It’s not just super serious projects that The Trust provides - it’s a fun and spirit, too.

This is equally evident with Playbox, a roving shipping container that is turned into a space of endless possibilities for children and grown-ups to explore, recently giving off its good vibes at Reins

“The mission of the LS14 Trust is to build upon the strengths of our community by working together,” says Jo. “We want this to be a well connected community which recognises its power to bring about and sustain positive social change.”

All communities would benefit from their own LS14 Trust and Seacroft is a lucky place to have such caring residents, willing to spend their lives establishing their home as somewhere to be proud of - and they should be very proud of what they’ve achieved so far - helping those in need and gaining real respect from the community and beyond.

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Words: Sean McMahon Photography: Jev Reu  @jevreu

Gin O’ Clock

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Leeds has a fine history of producing distinctly British booze. Home to the famous Tetley beer, at its peak the brewery that produced it employed over 1,000 people in the city. Tetley is inextricably linked to the Leeds identity and when brewing of the beer left the city in 2011, something felt missing. As tastes have developed and the city looks for alternatives to take up the mantle of a distinctly Yorkshire drink, there may be something more ‘cosmopolitan’ about to take its place: gin.

In keeping with the rest of the country, gin is very in fashion in Leeds right now, perhaps largely because of its versatility. It’s fragrant and subtle enough to be enjoyed straight but is also a classic cocktail staple. Sara first discovered the spirit’s versatility at Ginbo bar in Palma. Sampling just some of the 110 gins on offer gave her an education and ignited a passion that endures to this day. “Since my first visit, I’ve sought out hotels to stay in and cities to visit based on their gin offers!”

Leeds Gin has only been on sale since March of this year, but is already available across the city and beyond. From some of the centre’s coolest bars to distributors around the city, there is a certain pride in seeing the Leeds brand so brazenly on show.

Unlike the mass production of Tetley though, this business endeavour has an altogether different scale.

In fact, the business is run by only one person: Sara Birkinshaw.

While her experiences abroad tickled her taste buds, when it comes to the recipe, influences come closer to home. “It’s a gin, made and bottled in Leeds with some very famous Leeds and surrounding area botanicals, such as Yorkshire forced rhubarb.” Sara is in her own words “chief cook and bottle washer” at her unit and only produces small batches of 50 bottles. This approach is something she feels is vital to the product’s success. “It gives the drink a more distinct flavour and literally every part of the production is hand-crafted - which you may be able to identify when you spot the odd wonky label!”

Having lived in Leeds for the majority of her life, Sara has a deep connection with the city. Dismissing tired perceptions, Sara stresses that “Leeds is a very cosmopolitan city.” The evidence for this is all around us. From new bars and restaurants to the regeneration of industrial buildings into bustling, creative spaces, there’s something new and exciting around every corner. Ironically, the Tetley (now an art gallery) is the most pertinent example of this cultural shift. While the traditional pub is still an important part of the city’s identity, there are now many alternatives to try something different.

As tastes have developed and the city’s cultural landscape changed, there are some things that never do; “Being from Yorkshire, my philosophy has always been very straight talking, and therefore Leeds Gin does what it says on the tin.” If Leeds is looking for a new drink to encapsulate what it means to be part of modern Yorkshire, being both straightforward and forward-looking, then we don’t have to look any further than the wonky label on a bottle of Leeds Gin.

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Words: John Barran Illustration: Ian Kirkpatrick  @iankirkpatrickartist Photography: Tatham Renshaw  @tatham.renshaw, Steve Gabbett  @stevegabbett and Jamie Sia Gadong  @jamiesiaphotos

Sustainable Style

At Leeds College of Art’s Fashion programme, alternatives to ‘fast fashion’ are taught to encourage improved future practices. Programme Leader Sam Hudson explains; “Currently everything is very superficial and the quality is low. It’s about slowing things down and thinking deeper about sustainability, ethical and political issues.”

Student Harriett McHugh was inspired by the course’s agenda to create her own collection of “unique pieces from waste materials.” Her use of reclaimed tents, sleeping bags, sails and parachutes has produced an artistic, eye-catching range of outerwear, but it is the wider impact as much as the aesthetic that enticed Harriett; “It is important to me to understand where and how the clothes are made and at what cost to who, whether that be to us or to the lives of the workers,” she says. “I wanted to push the boundaries as to how far I could actually go with it.”

Harriett intends to take this further still and hopes her methods will help to create a community of sharing and culture of longevity; “It would be great to see the industry taking more pride, to fix rather than throw away,” she says. “For an ethical brand you are paying for good quality fabrics and manufacturing where workers are not mistreated.

I think that sustainable fashion is going to play a huge part in changing the industry for the better.”

The strength of humanity is in its reaction to wrong.

Wherever there is evil, arises good. Whenever there is hatred, love engulfs. It is this natural balance, a human yin & yang, that in recent years has caused a welcome awareness of quality and morals in industries dominated by unethical practices.

The food and drink revolution is the most notable recent example of individuals reacting to massproduced superpowers by creating artisan organic delights made out of talent and passion. Now, following a similar story, the world of fashion is beginning to transform through hand-skilled craft and environmentally-conscious design.

One Leeds designer has been championing these changes for many years, and after spending this decade seemingly shouting in a bucket, Bo Carter’s voice now resonates throughout the movement.

Her mission statement is clear; “Be unique, be bold and most of all be ethical. Ethics and a tough stance against animal cruelty have a special place in my heart, which is why you won’t find leather, fur or garments made using child labour or exploitation in any of my collections.”

Since the turn of the century, clothing has become increasingly disposable, with the rise of low-priced high-street giants driving costs down and quantity up. Of course, the country clamoured for these chic and cheap products, adorable and affordable; what’s not to love?

Well, as tragic news stories of inhumane treatments, unnatural processes and unsafe conditions appeared to signify what that ‘made in third world’ label really meant, it turns out there is plenty not to love. Now, in positive response, there is a growing desire for fairly-sourced, rightly-treated goods, and a welcome supply of fashionistas creating just that. Whilst this change may not yet be obviously visible on the high streets of Leeds, in the classrooms and in the studios there are local designers moving fashion forward.

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Bo’s creations result in standout items made from materials such as linen, wool and wild silk, all carefully selected to provide the most renewable benefits and least environmental harm. Bo explains; “It means caring for animals, people, the environment and the planet we are living.” For her, we are making positive progress, as more people become aware of the life she has always believed in; “Making ethical clothes wasn’t a business idea,” she says. “It is simply who I am.”

 Bo Carter

 Harriet McHugh 19

Feature: PE:EP SHOW, Paul McKendrick  @gone_solid_gone & Ewa Kawalec  @ka_ewka_

Leeds Eye View

 Keely Brightmore An obstacle that ethical clothing has had to overcome to be accepted by the mainstream public is a preconceived reputation of a less fashionable look. Keely Brightmore and her brand Luna Organic are more than disproving this myth; “Sustainable design doesn’t have to compromise style, it should actually enhance the beauty,” Keely explains. “The environmental benefits are vital, but it also creates better clothing from higher quality fabric that drapes better and feels more comfortable on the skin.”

As well as her everyday collection, Keely emphasises this point further with Luna’s stunning range of organic wedding dresses. These are made from fabrics chosen specifically for their natural origins and luxury fibres, such as organic lace and bamboo silk, and are created by hand in a Yorkshire studio, rather than by machinery on an offshore production line. The elegant output is evidence that ethical practices are not competing with style but are in fact complimenting one another.

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“You can see and feel the difference when something is handmade with care and attention to detail,” says Keely. Yet the larger the scale, the more difficult this becomes to maintain, which is why, she tells me, “brands resort to focusing only on the cheapest production techniques, resulting in exploited labour, high waste and damaged ecosystems.”

Whilst the admirable approach to avoid these methods does not allow ludicrously low prices, there is a conscious effort to price fairly and the outcome is impressively affordable; “Fashion isn’t maximising profits,” Keely continues. “It should be providing something desirable and rewarding. That can only truly happen if at supply, manufacturing and consumption we are creating good.”

Fashion is often considered a frivolous aside from reality, when in reality fashion has a serious impact on all life. A worldwide, multi-billion pound industry that distorts natural resources and manipulates living resources will always be essential to the planet’s wellbeing. Only a collective responsibility to care about what effect our clothing has had before reaching our bodies will force improvements. Finally this is happening.

And thankfully the likes of Harriett McHugh, Bo Carter and Keely Brightmore can help you support sustainability and sustain style.

Every issue Independent Leeds will publish our favourite photographer from the Instagram community. If you want to be featured just tag #leedseyeview to your photo and the chosen professional or amateur photographer will be in the next magazine! This issue, we introduce Paul McKendrick and Ewa Kawalec...

Paul and Ewa were completely unaware of each other's black and white photographs until April 2016 when they were both featured in the 'Leeds Through The Lens' exhibition.Through a subsequent connection via Instagram they realised that they had taken the same black and white images of Leeds over the previous six months, sometimes standing in exactly the same place but at varying times of the year. They also both started their Instagram accounts in August 2015. The images shown here all date from August 2015 to April 2016. Paul McKendrick has lived in Leeds since 1967. Ewa Kawalec since 2013. This exhibition hopes to demonstrate that two people from different backgrounds can 'see the same shot' and that photography crosses age, gender and cultural boundaries.

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Feature: Max Miechowski  @maxmiechowski

Cemetery Road, Beeston

‘There are 57 doors along Cemetery Road, Leeds.

This is where I have lived for 7 months. In the short time I’ve lived here, I had met only the people who lived behind one of these doors - a young family at number 67. I wanted to get to know more of my neighbours, so I knocked on every door and asked each of my neighbours if I could photograph them.

On 25 doorsteps I was invited into the house to take a portrait. On 20 doorsteps I was only given permission to photograph the door. And on 11 doorsteps there was no answer so, again, I only photographed the door. I also photographed myself.’

Pictured above: Artur & Jerry

The main idea behind the project was to attempt to connect to people living within my immediate community. To introduce myself, and to allow them the opportunity to introduce theirselves to me (to literally and metaphorically open the door and let someone into their world).

This connection has been lost due to developments and popularisation of digital technologies such as social media, as well as the scare mongering we regularly see in the news.

 Paul & Steph

Although Cemetery Road is naturally quite multicultural, this wasn’t the primary focus of the project. It does however, help to illustrate the diverse communities within Britain and the fact that, despite our backgrounds, we are all important members of this society.

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 Wasif, Mustafa, Salahuddin & Iram

 Daniel

 Sufiyaan & Shard

 Max

 Rashid

 Adrienne

 Paul

 Mathias & Sheyi

 Emmanuel

 Jo

 Gwyn

 Dylan 25

Words: Mike Nolan Illustration: Buttercrumble  @buttercrumblecreative

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Over 30,000 people from all walks of life pass through Leeds Bus Station every day. On their way to shop, study, work and play, this ever-moving scene is a constant snapshot of the diversity that makes up the real Leeds.

With 1200 buses beeping in and out of its 27 stands, wheeling to and from all corners of the city and beyond, it is often only in public necessities such as this that opposites cross, classes and cultures mix, and amongst seemingly mundane rituals, multiple colourful stories are created. The nature of life is such that its most emotional events may very well choose to happen in, well, in a bus station.

“We were alerted by security that a woman was giving birth in the station toilets,” recalls Travel Centre’s Beth Middleton. “We called an ambulance but the baby was born before they could get to hospital.” It is unknown whether the trend of naming a baby after their birthplace was followed, but it is hoped so!

Delivering babies may not be in the job description, but handling human complexities is inevitable when so many different beings merge into one place. A realisation that not everyone is in the same position and a willingness to reach out to help can have an enormous impact on one person and on society. For staff, this means spending time with a lost passenger to get them moving in the right direction, helping last-bus-missing panic-stricken latecomers calmly into taxis, or embarking on a search mission to reunite owners with an array of lost oddities.

These small selfless actions are what makes a city safe.

Station Manager Malcolm Harding explains their priority of safety through a recent story about a vulnerable passenger; “A man came in confused

and wanted to contact his daughter. He had no ID and showed us his medication; it turned out he had Alzheimer’s. I called the pharmacy on the box label, they contacted his GP surgery, who in turn called his daughter. The man had come from Liverpool to meet his daughter but had got his days mixed up. We got him some food and he stayed with us until she arrived.”

These heart-warming tales of human kindness overcoming human frailty are evermore vital in increasingly fragmented times. With the forthcoming arrival of the nearby Victoria Gate, Leeds continues to be a growing dynamic city investing in economy and attracting millions of visitors with a spectrum of backgrounds and personalities. The understanding and acceptance of its people and their reasons for being here begins at the city’s gateway and positively shapes the community within. It is these small acts of community and giant gestures of help that keep the wheels on the Leeds bus going round and round.

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Words: Robbie Russell Photography: John Slemensek  @bokehgo

Rise & Shine

random, but has great implications: “Seeing an entire dance floor of people stop dancing to sit and listen to the final talk of the day, after midnight and ask questions into the small hours was the most inspiring thing to witness...There was a real sense of unity in the room and it really proved how much people cared.”

An old boss once told me that you don’t really know someone until you've been drunk with them, and while I’m not sure his sentiment was the most sensible, there is something to be said for the unique way in which people can connect when in an environment with an atmosphere tailored towards peace and enjoyment. Speaking on the early conception of the project, co-founder Simon Walker said: “Initially, we had no solid plans about what it was we wanted to start up. We all just knew we wanted to utilise our networks, our studio spaces and our creative skills, to do something positive in our community.” Positivity is key, it underlines everything that Rise and Shine is about without the need for specifics; the first official launch took place in December 2015, 'raising funds and awareness for the refugee crisis', with an overwhelmingly positive response.

When the news is all doom and gloom, when the Establishment is being seduced by catastrophe, and when the world seems as strange and unpredictable as it’s ever been, it takes brilliant minds with fantastical schemes to make sense of it all. But that’s all of us, isn’t it? Over good beer and the enrapture of a pleasant atmosphere, the world’s problems seem so simple.

“Why can’t people just be nice to each other? Why can’t we all get together and tell the dicks to stop being dicks? If we all just did our bit, the world would be a much better place!”

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The morning after, and the schemes of the night before become like the ramblings of a madman, lost in a fool’s paradise. It might be the hangover, but on mornings like these it is difficult to remain

as optimistic of human nature as we are in those halcyon evenings…. A night out can’t change the world, can it?

Perhaps not, but as this double whammy of cliché tells us; utopia can’t be built in a day and charity begins at home. Rise and Shine are a collective of creatives who are inciting revolution with a different kind of disquiet, subverting the divisive mechanisms of panic on the streets of Leeds by bringing people together through mutual, altruistic enjoyment: A group of artists and designers, utilising their expertise, connections and studio spaces to host events and pop-up markets that are designed to do good; emotionally, practically, here in the community and also globally, wherever support is needed most.

The Rise and Shine parties are twinned with indie arts and crafts markets hosted at Byron Street Studio. A maze of workshops and gift stalls displays and trades the work of local creatives, and profits are split equally between the independent artists and a chosen relief campaign, which, Simon suggests, ensures their events are both sustainable and attractive. “Filtering a percentage back into the creative community is something we feel is important to do. Supporting local artists is something we’re passionate about doing.” Their ethos will soon be extended into cyberspace, upon the launch of Heart and Graft, an online ethical store where wares will be displayed and sold online.

The next Rise and Shine event on September 17th is about environmental awareness and will be based around the four elements – Fire, Earth, Air, and Water; a truly ethereal theme for uncertain times, but one that is very much necessary, and currently overshadowed in the public consciousness.

We cannot hope to unite the planet when divisions still exist in the community, but uniting the people in the ever-expanding metropolis that is Leeds is no mean feat. Slowly but surely, with a positive approach, Rise and Shine facilitate the coming together of diversity without clashing or conflict, or without even so much as an awkward rubbing of shoulders. We protest together, march together, shout together and apply pressure together. We sign online petitions, we shake hands and we strive to be accepting of the wealth of different opinions and personalities, but in reality, a shared stance does not always equate to actual peaceful unity. Something is overlooked, and that something is what you can find here, over good beer, artisan food, exuberant culture, enraptured in atmosphere.

They describe their concept as; “parties of the mind, heart and soul. A platform to share in real human experiences, to learn from each other and to celebrate the true importance of togetherness.”

This is achieved by cultural engagement, creative expression, and social interaction through the means of a bloody good time. Local musicians and artists, poets and performers, thinkers and drinkers all congregate to marvel at Leeds' creative abundance, all in the name of a good cause.

Parties at the Temple of Boom and The Meatlocker are eclectic and schizophrenic: mash ups of music and mindfulness. Sophie Primrose describes how an approach that focuses on more than one cultural discipline throughout the single event might appear

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Words: Rosie Ramsden Illustration: Buttercrumble  @buttercrumblecreative

Best Foot Forward

aims to get children moving, and provides them the vibrant peacock wing of founder Ian Rodley to nestle under.

is motivating youngsters to follow in her footsteps.

“She was 13 when I met her,” exclaims Ian, “and now she wants my job!”

I​an passionately explains that “the charity was initially set up in order to get young girls physically active. We recognised that dance is something they’d engage with and participate in.” Now that DAZL has grown, it is for all young people, particularly those from areas of deprivation. “We give them something worthwhile to do that is within their community. I still feel like one of the girls though!”

​ e organisation is one that is both embedded in Th culture and that responds to youth culture. For Ian, DAZL is all about harnessing creatively what is popular at the time. It is about really listening to what young people want, letting them have a voice and responding to their needs. DAZL have a team conducting grassroots research and visiting schools all over Leeds to discover this. It also has community dance practitioners that listen to trends and work out where the gaps are, ensuring that their young students never miss out on the opportunity to take part in dance training and high art dance.

Furthermore, DAZL seeks to break down cultural barriers through entrenching culture into its choreography. “Everybody dances,” Ian says, “so when we do Bollywood or African dancing, for example, we bridge a gap that may exist between students of different backgrounds.” ​ Although I can’t help but feel that, DAZL or no DAZL, Ian would be pirouetting his way through the streets of West Yorkshire encouraging all the young people he could find to improve their physical and mental health via the medium of

​ hat makes this project particularly special is W its support for those who may feel as if they have been written off. Like the role model that many of the students may lack, DAZL acts as a guiding force to the youth, promoting higher education and fostering empowerment. Through running events, galas, shows and volunteering schemes for community sessions, the students are also able to give back to the people and places that helped them flower. In this sense, the organisation embodies a certain cyclicality, which sees them become cornerstones of the community from whence they came, acting as peer leaders for the next generation of young dancers. DAZL champions young people’s achievements.

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When I think back to my days as a greasy-skinned youth growing up in the suburbs of Lincolnshire, I often wish I could have been part of a community of young people that allowed me to blossom freely.

I wish I could have been taken under a wing other than that of the tawny owl leader of our local Brownies group, who scorned my Bart Simpson t-shirt, and couldn’t understand the discomfort I felt in being made to wear that lurid brown skirt.

Maybe if I’d found such an environment I’d have been a confident, happy and healthy teen far earlier.

Luckily, Leeds’ young people have a plethora of

community groups at hand to help steer them away from other negative influences. ​ In a city where 23% of under 16s live in poverty and 4 out of 10 feel that they aren’t part of society, Leeds’ youth are at risk of falling off society’s radar. This is where West Yorkshire’s not-for-profit charities step in, and help to improve the health and wellbeing of disadvantaged and vulnerable young people by providing opportunities and nurturing communities. Running since 2000, DAZL – Dance Action Zone Leeds – is a charity organisation that

​ is is made evident when Ian tells me the story of Th Vicky Mawson’s passion and ambition, that he says is just one of thousands that illustrates the impact that DAZL has on its students. After beginning as a young dance leader, Vicky is now one of DAZL’s most valued and respected dance development officers. After coming through DAZL’s model, Vicky went on to university to study dance. She now contributes to what the organisation artistically showcases, and is shaping the way DAZL is run at its very core. Vicky has created a culture of strength for the young people she now inspires and

dance, one thing is for certain: this organisation is far away from the dusty and disconnected world of youth activity that many of us grew up with and is one that is effectively run by its peers, for its peers.

DAZL provides an accessible community within communities, and introduces a sense of belonging and well-being into the hectic lives of this city’s youth. “You dance because you are having a good time,” Ian concludes. “That in itself makes you feel good, and that improves your health.”

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Feature: Buttercrumble  @buttercrumblecreative Sign: Charles Hunt  @charlesdan

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Community: It’s about both you and me. It’s a smile and a helping hand. It’s people joining forces to make a difference to the world, no matter how small that may be. When you consider your local community hubs and helpers, where and who do you think of ? For many, it remains the traditional tradesmen; the butchers, the bakers, the community makers.

With the revival of crafts, we are increasingly ditching the soulless retailers and embracing our local independent again. When visiting these village

institutions, we are greeted with a welcoming smile and a “how have you been?” This is a refreshing change from the grunted “would you like a carrier bag?” It’s no wonder we are returning to our friendly butchers and bakers.

Since living in Leeds, the communities we personally have felt most of a connection with are the student suburb of Headingley and our new home of Garforth. Both individual in their vibe, and both with a butcher and a baker providing comfort and quality. We decided to discover what community means to them...

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@apprenticeleeds 33

Headingley Farm Butchers “Community to me means helping and supporting individuals, families, trades and businesses within your local area,” says Stephen Curtis, whose Headingley Farm Butchers assists all pockets of the area’s revolving community. “I buy from local farmers and traders to sell to local residents, students, workers and nearby shops.” Headingley is famous for its influx of new students, and Stephen has noticed a positive change in those he meets coming to his butchers every year; “I find a lot of students are more aware of shopping local for better value and quality,” he says. For residents and regulars, the place also acts as a social solace; “Our most regular crowd each come in at the same time every week to stock up and have a chat about the week’s events!”

Stephen confirms, somehow retaining tradition and embracing evolution to join together each strand of Headingley’s society.

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Headingley Artisan Bakery

Dumouchel Bakery

Firths Butchers of Garforth

Ian Gaunt brought his bread and buns to Headingley around 6 years ago. He began his career when he left school and became an apprentice baker at the former Schofields Department Store located on the Headrow. “I’m not a skinny baker!” he now tells me, which shows that each pastry, bread roll and cake passes through his quality control. Although times have changed, Ian believes that the baker still plays an important role in its community and has regular customers pass through his door with who he is on first-name basis. Ian thinks it is vital for other bastions of society to support one another with acts such as his baking of pastry for the butcher’s pies.

This approach is how his bakery still possesses a community feel.

Bonjour! Did you know there is a little slice of France in the eastern suburbs of Leeds? Dumouchel, led by Thierry and Rebecca, is a French boulengerie that has had a treasured space in the hearts (and stomachs) of Garforth’s residents since 1998.

Rebecca explains the difference between French and British culture through the word ‘apero’, which is a way to call in on friends for a quick drink on the way home. “The communities in Yorkshire are very similar but maybe in France we see more of friends and neighbours,” she says. Having been welcomed into their new community, Dumouchel quickly became a necessary part of it; “We have customers who call in daily for a loaf of bread and have done for 18 years,” says Rebecca. “It is a privilege to have been part of births, deaths, marriages and celebrations. Our customers have become friends.”

Andrew and Duncan are brothers in arms who run Firths Butchers. As we are a sister team, we know how fun, rewarding and productive working with siblings can be! With family being the most magnified version of community in every aspect, being a family-run business means that if anyone knows anything about community, it is them! The Garforth shop opened nearly a decade ago on the Main Street and has been a great addition to the flourishing local community existing there, contributing passionately to the area’s sense of pride, tradition and togetherness.

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Places still available

Our class sizes are smaller so you can think bigger

Call our Clearing hotline:

+44 (0)1226 216 165

Visit universitycampus.barnsley.ac.uk +44 (0)1226 216 165 info@barnsley.ac.uk 36

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We offer full and part-time HNC/Ds and degrees.

37

Words: Lee Goater & Boe Dix-Mason Photography: Kirsty Garland  @kirsty_garland

Digger's Island Discs

Digger’s Island Disc explores the collections of Leeds’ most prolific vinyl slingers and groove bringers to present us with the one record they could not live without...

Lee Goater and Boe Dix-Mason are vinyl digging DJ buddies who’ve been playing at festivals, clubs, parties and in random fields for the past 20+ years.

Their love of Detroit dance music makes for genre spanning, time-travelling, space-age sets guaranteed to give you super powers. They’re the heroes of the outrageously new, the forgotten and the once lost tunes that make you want to dance your socks off, put them back on and then do it all again. Regularly playing records at Golden Cabinet - Beatherder Sheaf Street - Lime Tree Festival - Big Disco - etc - etc

Lee Goater (Lx) Kraftwerk - Computer World

Boe Dix-Mason Moodymann - Silent introduction

What can I say. It’s amazing. Still sounds fresh today and enjoyed by new generations again and again. I love hearing the samples and noises that became the hip-hop classics, rave anthems and the dance music I’ve enjoyed for decades.

There’s a lot of history when I play any track off this album where I’m transported to a memory of a place - a club, a car journey, friends houses, smelly dank London parties! Musical memories are a powerful feeling and i love them.

Hearing it brings back so many different memories.

I think I heard it first in Boe’s parents car driving to Whitby when we were about 10. It’s a record that’s always been there. I’ve had it in every format and tracks from it are guaranteed to go down a treat any time.

For me Moodymanns Silent Introduction album was the beginning of a new era in house music.

Kenny and Theo P had been around for a while experimenting with their sound but this started something new. Unclean/Raw disco, funk & jazz loops with almost clashing filtered bass lines made it sound unique with the addition of strange chatter from the man himself and distorted crowd noise/ detroit sound scapes to make you feel like you’re somewhere else...

I was lucky and got to go see them play the album live in the turbine hall at the Tate Modern a few years back. It was a great gig. It looked and sounded amazing, made even more bizarre by the audience all wearing old school 3d glasses and the 4 ageing gentlemen wearing lycra body stockings behind computer terminals on stage. The ‘live’ tracks were given a tickle here and there and combined with the lo-fi immersive visuals we had a thoroughly enjoyable night.

Long live Kraftwerk 38

Each track has its own special vibe. Moody is an understatement - moods in every direction! Real Detroit soul is felt in this. When you look at the history of Detroit and its musicians and where they’ve come from, how they’ve become this sound.

It makes sense. They’ve struggled hard or they know someone who has and it comes through in the music.

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Words: Chiara Amendola Illustration: Tomas Cummings  @tommings

Girls Can Play

Slut Drop is a night run by power trio Cat, Bernie and Oonagh, whose aim is to give more space to women in the DJ scene. The music is a mixture of electronic, hip hop and experimental, and the line up is, almost always, all female. According to Cat, it all started because they were sick of traveling to other cities to hear the sounds that hadn’t reached Leeds yet. Moreover, the Leeds electronic scene was mainly run by guys, so they all agreed to try and make some space for girls too.

After a few years of DJing in their flat and putting on private parties, Cat, Bernie and Oonagh decided to step up and get some exposure in Leeds, and this is where the collaboration with Leeds’ music collective and art space Chunk started; “…we were looking for a proper place to host parties rather than our house. Chunk wanted to start putting nights on and we needed a venue, so it was a match!” After a brief meeting and lots of groundwork, the first party took place in May 2015: a night of bands, artwork and electronic music, prevalently showcased, organized and played by girls.

“It was always one of our main objectives to include minorities. We are all into music and we wanted to hear more of that music while also creating a space where women are represented. The ideal lineup would always be gender-balanced.”

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The name Slut Drop doesn’t just mean party; it is an official collective led by female artists who are trying to change the shape of the Leeds music scene by filling the gap; this gap being the lack of female DJs, not only in Leeds, but in the domain of electronic and hip hop music in general.

“It is still difficult to make your way into the scene if you’re a girl. It’s also difficult to get big crowds to come to the nights. So many people talk about it and so many people like it, so you always wonder why the crowd is not bigger.” This is why Slut Drop is making an effort to expand to other cities; “We are trying to put nights on not only in Leeds, but also in Sheffield and Manchester, to create a sort of triangle - like us!”

In terms of exposure, Slut Drop positions itself somewhere between Cosmic Slop and Come Thru.

Cosmic Slop has already established itself as one of Leeds’ most famous DIY parties, a night which brings together all communities and celebrates diversity. Come Thru, on the other side, is the new kid on the block in terms of alternative, allwelcoming parties.

Like Slut Drop, Come Thru takes place at Chunk.

They have DJs who play a range of music “from the further-flung ends of the sound system culture,” describes Fred, who puts up the night with the help of a couple of friends. Safe space policy is a staple of the night, an idea that Slut Drop and Come Thru share with their venue. Fred stresses the fact that nobody should be made to feel uncomfortable or unwelcome. Again, all genders and races are invited behind the decks, although “this isn’t a token gesture. All male lineups are still very common.

But plenty of sick DJs aren’t being given a platform because of this”.

That is exactly what DIY nights like Cosmic Slop, Slut Drop and Come Thru are trying to change.

Inclusion is something they all strive for in their effort to create spaces in which everyone can feel welcome and enjoy themselves. There is no room for harassment or discrimination when the crowd is beautifully diverse and all people want is to have a good time. These guys put a good deal of their time and energies, not only to provide entertainment to the crowds, but to also give a chance for ‘underprivileged’ artists to get some exposure. It’s still a difficult path, but according to Cat and Fred, Leeds is getting better.

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Feature: Jev Reu  @jevreu Illustration: Ian Kirkpatrick  @iankirkpatrickartist

Rising Art Attack

We are a specialist institution in the heart of Leeds, and have been providing inspiring arts education for 170 years.

We offer a range of art and design based undergraduate, postgraduate and further education courses, as well as an exciting collection of short courses for learners of all ages. www.leeds-art.ac.uk 0113 202 8000 42

In June, Jev Reu attended a variety of end of year shows to photograph the amazing work of Leeds' art, design and fashion students. Having exhibited at Leeds College of Art last year, Jev wanted to capture the array of talent on display amongst the city's rising creatives. Here we present the best

of his images from Leap at Leeds Beckett, Made Here at Leeds College of Art, The Fashion Show at Leeds Corn Exchange, KA-POW at University of Leeds School of Design, and Fine Art Show at University of Leeds Studio of Fine Art.

 Hayley Smith,Leeds College of Art, Fine Art 43

 Rose Napper, Leeds College of Art, Visual Arts

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 Eleanor Rambellas Roche, University of Leeds, Fine Art

 Sofia Latif, Leeds College of Art, Fashion

 Alisha Hassan, University of Leeds, Fashion Design

 Alice Rae, Leeds Beckett University, Graphic Arts & Design



Kimberly Burrows, Leeds College of Art, Illustration

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Words: John Barran Photography: Jev Reu  @jevreu

Time is Money

have the ability to make these contributions and in a Time Bank, these qualities are considered priceless and not worthless.”

The intention is undoubtedly admirable, and is aimed realistically at improving individual lives and increasing collective power rather than creating a utopian dream. “It seems like community is becoming lost in the age of the individual. Right now there is an ‘us’ and ‘them’ mentality as the EU referendum split the country in two,” Tamsin says. “I think that the way to overcome this is for communities to come together and build relationships that are all about reciprocity, respect and trust. People do genuinely care and want to be a part of community, but some just need an excuse to bring them together.”

With Leeds Community Time Bank putting the mechanism in place to do this, Tamsin believes it is all our responsibility to create the community we

Through an era of fast-changing, uncontrollable and overwhelming technologies, now more than ever should tradition be valued. At a time of imbalanced, mercenary and all-encompassing finances, now more than ever should humanity be encouraged.

And in a climate of local, national and global divides, now more than ever should friendships be celebrated.

Such is the inspiration behind a movement that has been gradually growing since its seventies Japanese origins to its UK arrival at the turn of this century.

Timebanking is an idea that builds social networks of people who give and receive support from each other, exchanging time, sharing skills and enabling people from different backgrounds to come together and form connections and friendships.

Timebanking has now taken off across over forty countries in six different continents and there are around 300 in the UK alone. Leeds Community Time Bank was formed in 2013 by Tamsin Macdonald following her experiences as a student years earlier; “I moved house every 1st July around Hyde Park, Headingley or Woodhouse. This didn’t give me much of an opportunity to get to know my neighbours and I got the feeling my long-term resident neighbours didn’t really want to get to know me, either,” she explains.

46

“The large student population in the area has resulted in a transient community with fewer opportunities for different groups to interact with each other in meaningful ways, which in turn puts people at risk of becoming socially isolated. When

want to live in; “To me, community spirit means not being a bystander and being brave enough to step out of your comfort zone,” she states. “I used to feel dissatisfied with the state of the world and that political parties didn’t represent me. I assumed I was powerless to change anything until it became clear to me that if I wanted to do something positive, it was my responsibility to make it happen.”

As many individuals feel increasingly powerless and helpless, timebanking represents a way forward. It is a collective force that both feeds nostalgia for a simpler past and allows progression and innovation from within. With its unending resources of people and assets, it can help us to think beyond our conventional assumptions about what we can achieve and renegotiate the limits of what is possible.

Above all, timebanking empowers individuals and groups to bring about change, make choices and take control of their own lives.

I came across the idea of timebanking, I thought it could really help to address this issue by providing opportunities for students and Leeds residents to get to know each other and help one another out.”

The logistics are pleasingly simple; one hour of help earns one ‘time credit’ to spend. Everyone’s time, skills and needs are equal ; “We don’t like to only focus on people who are ‘in need’,” says Tamsin.

“The Time Bank is for anyone and everyone. We all have things to offer and we all have times when we can use some support.” Members can log in online to hook up and share their offerings, which can range from specific technical talents such as DIY or cooking, through teaching new skills such as bikeriding or computer literacy, to caring time-giving necessities such as dog-walking or food shopping.

Whilst she admits that timebanking remains an approach that is far from fully formed, Tamsin insists it can make meaningful differences to society; “It can allow communities to learn about each other and achieve things together,” she says, before describing the alternative world that timebanking presents in one where money defines life; “In the monetary world, value is defined by supply and demand. If something is in short supply it is considered valuable, if something is plentiful it is considered worthless. However, this system doesn’t acknowledge all the things that humans need to live happy, healthy lives. Contributions such as caring, learning, imparting values, sharing, socialising, raising children, being a good neighbour and helping others are all in abundance. All humans

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INDIAN STREET FOOD • CRAFT BEER

“A game changer. Everything it does, it does right.”

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“I wish that more pubs served spicy okra fries as bar snacks.”

New York Times

“A no-two-mouthfuls-the-same delight.”

The Guardian

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