Leeds 2023 chairperson Gabby Logan on why Leeds has so much to offer

Presenter and former gymnast Gabby Logan reflects on what makes her home city so special after becoming chairperson of the Leeds 2023 cultural programme.
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I moved around a lot as a child but spent my formative years in Leeds and went to school here. It’s still my anchor and I often come back to see family.

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Gabby Logan announced as new chair for Leeds 2023

When I was approached by creative director Kully Thiarai and trustee Jamie Jones-Buchanan about applying for this role with Leeds 2023, I was concerned about my existing commitments and how much time I would have; but I became really excited about the ambition of Leeds 2023 and how it evolved from the European Capital of Culture bid into something that has its own very distinctive energy. I love that kind of decisive attitude - and it’s also very hard to say no to Jamie!

Gabby Logan is chairperson of the Leeds 2023 cultural programme.Gabby Logan is chairperson of the Leeds 2023 cultural programme.
Gabby Logan is chairperson of the Leeds 2023 cultural programme.
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I think Leeds has had a quiet reputation up to now but I have two 16-year-olds who are talking about universities to their friends and Leeds has got a massive reputation among students. It’s so popular because of the creative and artistic side of the city and it attracts all different nationalities who bring their own ideas and cultures with them.

It’s exciting that Leeds 2023 has sports as part of its programme. Leeds is so rich in that respect, not just the football and the global reputation that comes with having a Premiership football club, but we also have both codes of rugby played here, cricket, the Brownlee brothers and the Centre of Excellence for Diving.

In other parts of the city, with Channel 4 relocating and other media brands having outposts and offices here, we are really seeing the cultural elements growing. Without culture, we become just like machines, working away. Culture is what makes us human.

And whilst it’s important businesses support Leeds 2023 financially, it is just as important that they make a positive statement of intent too. We can be really ambitious and make it work for everyone but we need businesses and individuals to be talking about it, asking questions and wanting to get involved.

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You might be the person who is on stage, or the person who gets someone else on stage, or making the costumes. It doesn’t matter, it’s about getting involved at every level and that’s what I would urge people to do.

The other great thing about culture is that it transcends generations. My sister and I both used to take extra ballet classes in Leeds and there would be people there of all ages just enjoying the dance.

Before lockdown I loved going to the theatre and enjoying that immersive live performance experience. Only recently I was watching ballet on TV and realised how mesmerising it was, then it hit me, how long it had been since I last saw a live performance.

The arts are so personal and there are no wrong opinions. It could be about music, a painting or a photograph and people will have different viewpoints and that’s great.

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I love Antony Gormley and The Angel of the North. It was the 40th anniversary of the Great North Run and I was doing a film there about The Angel of the North, its siting, construction and Antony’s vision of what it would all mean. It was fascinating and really emotional. That has left a powerful legacy and that’s what I want to see from Leeds 2023.

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