Leeds is about to get a splash of colour as Wellington Place transforms into a creative hub for CANVAS, a brand-new arts festival running from 10th April to 6th May. Showcasing inspiring work by students from Leeds Arts University, the festival celebrates artistic expression and highlights creativity as a legitimate career path.
The festival’s centrepiece is an impressive exhibition featuring six large-scale canvases crafted by BA (Hons) Fine Art students from Leeds Arts University. Created in response to an open brief, these works will be on display at Wellington Central from 10am to 2pm throughout the festival.
Visitors will also have the chance to get hands-on with the Collaborative Canvas, an interactive large-scale artwork designed by one of the university’s students. The public can colour in the piece, helping to create a unique community art installation. As a special keepsake, the original artwork design will also be available on postcards for visitors to colour in and take home.
Beyond the exhibition, CANVAS offers a packed schedule of free creative activities for all ages:
- The PLAY Tent (12th, 13th, 19th & 20th April, 10am–2pm): A fun-filled space for children of all ages to explore open-ended play and crafts, inspired by the exhibition.
- Art and Print Market (2nd May, 11am–6pm & 3rd May, 10am–5pm): Featuring up to 30 stalls from local artists and Leeds Arts University students, the market at Tower Square will help emerging artists showcase their work, gain business experience, and explore commercial opportunities.
- Art Trail: Explore the Wellington Place estate through an Art Trail featuring historical artworks from the popular Artist’s Window series.
- Interactive Sketch Club (26th April & 3rd May, 12pm–2pm): Join local artists for sketching sessions inspired by the festival’s student artwork.
- Community Workshops: Leeds Arts University students will also lead workshops for children supported by Yorkshire Children’s Charity.
Sarah Limbert, Marketing Manager at Wellington Place, said: “CANVAS is a brilliant new addition to our events programme here at Wellington Place, and we are tremendously excited to be launching it in partnership with our long-established friends at Leeds Arts University. We have always been passionate about shining a light on creative talent from the city and beyond, as well as ensuring Wellington Place is a destination for visitors of all ages and we can’t wait to welcome people to Wellington Place for what is set to become a popular festival on Leeds’s cultural calendar.”
Elli Whitefoot, Assistant Careers, Employability and Enterprise Manager at Leeds Arts University, commented: “As a university we are extremely excited that Wellington Place is launching this fantastic new arts festival and for giving our early career creatives the opportunity to showcase their work and talents to a diverse, public audience.
“A standout feature running throughout the festival will be the series of large-scale canvases created by some of our talented BA (Hons) Fine Art students. The open approach to the brief, and to the style and design of the canvases, means the students have been able to experiment creatively, but with a required focus on the history of the Wellington Place site, and Leeds and the wider Yorkshire region.
“Given the size of the canvases, it has been a challenging project for the artists involved but one that has been very rewarding. It will be really exciting to see the completed artwork in situ, once the exhibition opens in April.”
All events are free to attend, although some require tickets. For more information and to reserve tickets, visit www.wellingtonplace.co.uk/canvas.
