Chapeltown Arts is an arts organisation located in Chapeltown, Leeds. We promote a wide range of arts and creativity encouraging participation and engagement with residents, artists and supporters of the arts.
We began life in 2013 as Chapeltown Arts Festival and between 2013 – 2016 ran three successful arts and creativity festivals taking place over one week.
In 2017 we took the decision to rebrand ourselves as Chapeltown Arts. We now run events throughout the year and act as an umbrella organisation for artistic activity and artist support in the local area. For all artists, both established and emerging, Chapeltown Arts offers an opportunity to showcase new work or to show work for the first time. By encouraging community participation and engagement we aim to continue celebrating creativity.
Our Aims & Objectives:
- To support artistic and creative talent locally, nationally & internationally.
- To showcase Chapeltown as one of the art centres of Leeds and be recognised as such nationally and internationally.
- To support emerging, mid career and established artists to exhibit or perform their work.
- To utilise the arts to develop community participation with Chapeltown Arts activities and collaborations.
- To attract new audiences and visitors from the city and region wide.
- To retain and develop an audience from within Chapeltown.
- To build community cohesion by engaging individuals, groups, businesses and organisations and creating new partnerships/collaborations/networks.
- To develop a sustainable strategy for the organisation whereby the positive gains are not lost but are used as building blocks for future art festivals and events in Chapeltown.
At present the Chapeltown Arts directors are:
Sandra Whyles |www.sazistudio.wordpress.com
Sandra Whyles is a founding member of Chapeltown Arts and is a practicing artist and maker in Leeds. She lives in Chapeltown, Leeds and believes that everyone should have access to the arts at any age, ability or background. She says ‘I expect Chapeltown Arts to go from strength to strength and become a permanent fixture on the arts scene in Leeds with support from non artists and artists alike’
Sai Murray | www.saimurai.wordpress.com
Sai is a writer, poet and artist of Bajan/Afrikan/English heritage. Based in Leeds he has helped run the Chapeltown Arts Word Junction since 2014 which celebrates the literary heritage of Chapeltown connected writers. He is a firm believer in the power of art as a tool for well-being, healing and fostering community.
Jawad Ahmed |
Jawad joined Chapeltown Arts in 2021 during the covid lockdown. He is a locum doctor for the NHS and and runs local business in Chapeltown. He is supportive and committed to the arts and is active in neighbourhood issues and planning policies.
Chapeltown Arts welcomes all enquiries to become a director for the organisation.
Chapeltown Arts Patron:
