Leeds to get funding boost for the arts and cultural projects

The Leeds arts scene is set to get a boost if a year-long funding pot for cultural projects gets approved by senior councillors this week.

£1.6m of funding could be given to applicants over the next 12 months, helping small, grass roots local groups to get off the ground and assisting larger arts organisations too.

The latest arts@leeds programme, which supports 40 cultural, voluntary and community organisations across Leeds, will be assessed by the council’s executive board before a decision is made.

Organisations will be able to apply for grants starting at £5,000 to support cultural programmes.

Cllr Jonathan Pryor, Leeds City Council’s executive member for economy, culture and education, said: ‘Leeds has a quite astonishing breadth of arts and cultural organisations delivering activity which makes a real, tangible difference at the heart of our communities as well as creating stunning, world class performances and events.

‘The arts@leeds programme has played an integral role in bringing many of those projects to life and we’re proud to be once again backing local cultural organisations and supporting their vision and ambition.

‘Cultural activity makes a huge contribution to the city’s economy, generating income, growth and inward investment while also showcasing exactly why Leeds is such an incredible place to live, work and visit.’

The scheme will fit well with next year’s LEEDS 2023 Year of Culture, beginning the transition to a new cultural investment programme to be developed in consultation with the sector in autumn.

In 2020/21, arts@leeds funding added £15.7m to the local economy through ticket sales and income, as over 75,000 people took part in creative activities.

Every pound invested by the council into the scheme was also matched by £29 by the organisations that received funding.

One such project to receive funding in the past is Compass Live Arts which puts on interactive live art projects around the city, in areas like shopping centres, markets and museums.

Photo by Gary Butterfield