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Academic Venues
forum coincided with Leeds’
spectacular Light Night event, which
saw over 60 illuminated installations
and performances from across the
globe transform some of the city
centre’s most recognisable
landmarks, buildings and locations.
This is the UK’s largest annual arts
and lights festival and is a pinnacle
in the events calendar of the North
of the UK.
The forum provided a platform for
delegates to discover more about
the city’s collaborative approach to
ensuring that increasingly diverse
audiences are provided with an
equal access to culture, whilst also
demonstrating how Leeds as a city
encourages people from all walks of
life to become artists and cultural
practitioners. This worked in a
collaborative way, with workshops
where teams were able to share
successes and challenges and
discuss how Leeds as a city has
learnt from its experience over
decades of welcoming new arrivals
and developing long-established
communities.
Featuring a keynote speech by
creative director of Leeds 2023,
Kully Thiarai, delegates were given
the opportunity to gain an insight
into the future of Leeds 2023, and
“The opportunity to
showcase the Leeds
City Region to our
international
counterparts only
strengthens the
reputation of the city and
allows us to learn from
their expertise”.
how the city plans to embrace its
rich diversity and shine a light on
thriving arts and culture in
communities within the area. Leader
of Leeds City Council, councillor
Judith Blake, director of Leeds
Playhouse and vice chancellor of the
University of Leeds also took to the
stand, offering their insight and
expertise to attending delegates.
Initiatives and practices from the
delegates, which currently take place
within their home cities and cultural
organisations, were also shared
within the forum, creating an open
space for suggestion and creativity.
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All attendees were welcomed with
a drinks reception and a Bengal
drumming performance, before
enjoying a formal dinner. Plenary and
panel sessions were held in Leeds
College of Music, while delegates
were also given the opportunity to try
the variety of cuisines available from
the many street food vendors at
Leeds Kirkgate Market for lunch, as
well as multiple visits around the city
centre. Some enjoyed Indian and
Thai whilst others sampled
Colombian and Jamaican!
Karen Murgatroyd, head of
international relations at Leeds City
Council commented: “We thoroughly
enjoyed welcoming EUROCITIES to
Leeds. By focusing on inclusivity
through diversity, as well as Leeds’
rich history, we were able to
showcase everything that the city
has to offer and position it as a
leader in creating cultural space. It
also presented us with a fantastic
opportunity to work closely with
multiple organisations across the
city and truly come together in
support of a crucial cause. We look
forward to witnessing the outcome
of the forum across both Leeds and
the delegates’ own home cities and
will continue in our drive to create a
safe and inclusive space for all.”