Creative and cultural skills take centre-stage as six education institutions throw weight behind LEEDS 2023

Further cementing Leeds’s fast-growing reputation as one of the best cities in the UK for a creative education.

The education sector partners include Principal Education Partners Leeds Beckett University and the University of Leeds who will lead the higher education strand of the LEEDS 2023 programme, sharing skills and expertise and engaging students and staff in creative collaborations as the artistic programme is developed and delivered.

New Gold Partners include Leeds Trinity University; Leeds Arts University; Northern School for Contemporary Dance and Luminate Education Group.

The collaborative backing of these world-renowned institutions, which currently provide learning opportunities for more than 100,000 students combined, comes as a major boost for LEEDS 2023’s ambitions to create hundreds of opportunities, jobs and a legacy for young people studying and working in the city’s creative industries.

Kully Thiarai, Creative Director and CEO of LEEDS 2023 said: “We are all about growing our creative and cultural economy so it can achieve its full potential. Leeds is already one of the best cities to experience arts and culture, but through these partnerships we want to help show that Leeds is also an exceptional city for anyone that wants a creative education.

“Northern leaders recently came together to launch the ‘Case for Culture’ report which outlined how culture will be the catalyst for levelling up in this region. We certainly see LEEDS 2023 as levelling up in action and playing an instrumental role in the city’s social and economic recovery.

We will work with our education partners to create opportunities for those already studying in the city to be part of something that’s one-in-generation, and to attract more young talent to study, work and continue to create here.”

Leeds Beckett University has had a strong presence in the cultural landscape of Leeds for over 170 years, with noted arts alumni including global music icon Marc Almond, Game of Thrones cinematographer Fabian Wagner and Leeds cultural leader Sharon Watson MBE.

Their commitment to arts and culture in the city can be seen in the new £80m Leeds School of Arts building in the heart of the city centre, offering industry standard facilities for hands-on learning across a wide range of arts disciplines including Architecture and Landscape, Creative Technology, Art and Design, Fashion, Music and Sound, Film and Performing Arts.

Professor Peter Slee, Vice Chancellor of Leeds Beckett University said: “We are proud to continue our support for LEEDS 2023 and look forward to participating in this celebration of all forms of culture in the city.

"Our heritage in arts and culture has seen generations of artists, performers, architects and creators being inspired by their time at Leeds Beckett University and in Leeds. Our current community of over 3000 diverse creators will benefit enormously from the opportunity to add their creative voices to this transformational year of culture.”

Leeds Beckett joins the University of Leeds which was announced as a Principal Education Partner for LEEDS 2023 in May last year.

The partnership is being developed and led by the University’s Cultural Institute which brokers and nurtures collaborations between the arts and culture sectors, creative industry sectors, academics and students.

The University of Leeds is also involved in a long-term collaborative project with the city council and other stakeholders to realise the vision of its Professor of Poetry, Poet Laureate Simon Armitage, to establish the UK’s National Poetry Centre in Leeds, including a programme building towards the new centre as part of the LEEDS 2023 artistic series of events and activities.

Support the YEP and become a subscriber today. Enjoy unlimited access to local news and the latest on Leeds United. With a digital subscription, you see fewer ads, enjoy faster load times, and get access to exclusive newsletters and content. Click here to subscribe.