Canvas Yard Leeds: New outdoor events space to open in city centre - hosting Garden Party and FAC51 Hacienda

Based adjacent to Holbeck Village at City One, Canvas Yard will be the largest open-air events space in the city centre and will play host to music, sports, cultural and arts events. It is the first development in plans to become a vibrant new city centre neighbourhood, with a mix of uses and public realm.

Canvas Yard launches in April, with a stellar line-up of events including FAC51 Hacienda Open Air on 30 April and The Garden Party on 27 and 28 May. FAC51 Hacienda Open Air, featuring Roger Sanchez, Dimitri from Paris, Todd Terry, Derrick Carter and Graeme Park, was announced last year.

Moda Living and New Citizens, the team behind Chow Down, Canal Mills and now Canvas Yard, first joined forces in 2022, following an introduction by Leeds City Council. Working with the council, friends, and partners across the city, they transformed the disused city centre site and car park into Leeds’s first festival of the season. The Garden Party was a sell-out as some of the world’s most renowned DJs, including Denis Sulta, Derrick Carter, Eats Everything, Ewan McVicar, HAAi, Hot Since 82, Jon Hopkins, Maribou State, Mella Dee, Prospa, Skream and TSHA attracted partygoers from all over the UK. This year’s event will be announced shortly as part of a new series of events held at Canvas Yard and is expected to sell out quickly.

Lydia Eustace, marketing director at Moda, said: “The success of last year’s The Garden Party demonstrated a great working partnership and one we were keen to develop. The potential at Canvas Yard is enormous, from health and wellbeing, fitness and sports events to music festivals, art exhibitions, and everything in between – we can’t wait for the event programme that will come forward at Canvas Yard.”

Matt Long, director at New Citizens, said: “We are delighted to be building on our relationship with Moda Living following the success of our 2022 event. The partnership and launch of Canvas Yard will fill a gap in the Leeds cultural landscape providing a space for creativity across, music, arts, film and TV sectors.”