Arts, events and festivals volunteering

Find out about cultural events, cultural grants and volunteering opportunities throughout the year.

This means:

  • creating opportunities for local people to take part in the cultural life of the city
  • supporting local artists and art organisations working in communities
  • promoting partnership working within the arts and cultural sector

arts@leeds programme

The arts@leeds programme provides support for cultural, voluntary and community organisations to provide opportunities for residents from across the city to engage in cultural activity as a participant, an attendee or a creator.

arts@leeds grants 2018 to 23

The arts@leeds grant scheme is currently in its final year of a 5 year programme. Funding 44 organisations delivering activity in every Leeds ward across 10 different artforms.        

arts@leeds 2023-24: Return to Cultural Vibrancy

The arts@leeds 2023/24: Return to Cultural Vibrancy programme provides support for cultural, voluntary and community organisations to create opportunities for residents from across the city to engage in cultural activity as a participant, an attendee, or a creator.        

Duration of programme: 1 year from April 23 - March 24 Who can apply: Applications are welcomed from non-profit making constituted organisations involved in arts and cultural activities in Leeds. We are committed to supporting a diverse portfolio of organisation delivering on a range of activities for the city.        

Deadline: Midday 10 November 2022        

Organisations wishing to apply must attend a one to one funding surgery. This scheme is open to new applicants who meet the criteria, organisations who were not in the last arts@leeds funding round will only be able to apply for £5,000. Organisations who are in the 2022/23 round will receive a suggested planning figure in their funding surgery.        

Find out more about eligibility and how to book a one to one surgery.        

arts@leeds business programme

The arts@leeds business programme is aimed at Leeds artists and arts organisations, delivering workshops, training, advice and information and business support sessions. To register your interest please email the team at arts@leeds.gov.uk.        

You can also book a one to one session with the Arts Development Officer through Eventbrite.        

Community committee funding

Community committees allocate funding to both community projects and youth activities. Most Community committees provide small grants of up to £500 and larger grants of over £500.        

Find out more on how to apply for funding. You can also contact the support team on 0113 378 5808.        

Funding Leeds

Funding Leeds is a public and third sector partnership - helping the voluntary, social enterprise, and community sectors in Leeds find the funds to achieve their vision. For funding opportunities visit the Funding Leeds website. There, you can:        

  • make funding searches to tap into local, regional and national funding sources
  • get regular updates on your funding area of interests
  • take advantage of useful information and local support to help you achieve your funding goals

arts@leeds newsletter

The newsletter is sent monthly and contains information on funding and training opportunities and news for the Leeds arts and culture sector.        

To receive art sector updates, subscribe to our newsletter.        

Read the most recent issue of the newsletter on the @LeedsArts Twitter.        

Digital Inclusion Network

An informal partnership of arts and culture organisations, freelance artists, and other practitioners facilitated by 100% Digital Leeds and arts@leeds with the aim to improve digital inclusion and participation for the arts and culture sector and audiences, supporting the ambition to make Leeds the most digitally inclusive city for everyone.        

To find out more about the network please email arts@leeds.gov.uk.        

Breeze Culture Network

If you work with children, young people and/or families in Leeds, you can register online to join a huge network of cultural organisations and artists, sports bodies and coaches, schools and colleges, voluntary and community groups and local authority departments.        

All have one thing in common - they all work positively with children, young people and families in Leeds.        

There's a huge directory, an active targeted messaging system constantly circulating information about events, activities, opportunities and news for children and young people and the people who work (and volunteer) with them. There is also a direct link to Breezeleeds.org which means you can promote what you do directly to children and young people in Leeds on their events diary, news and facebook.        

Everyone on the network has provided basic safeguarding and quality of provision criteria to guarantee you are networking with people in the know, working directly with your target audience - big or small.        

Holocaust Memorial Day

Holocaust Memorial Day is the international day of remembrance of 6 million Jewish men, women and children murdered in the Holocaust, and millions more people killed under German Nazi persecution, and in subsequent genocides in Cambodia, Rwanda, Bosnia and Darfur.        

This year’s free event will take place on Sunday 28 January 2024 at City Varieties Music Hall. Find out more information and book your free tickets through Leeds Heritage Theatres online.

Leeds Armed Forces Day

Armed Forces Day in the UK is now marked by hundreds of events held across the country, celebrating the courage and contribution of the British Armed Forces community: from veterans to currently serving troops, reserves, cadets and service families.        

This year’s event will take place on Sunday 25 June, 11am to 4pm on Briggate in Leeds city centre. Visit the Leeds Armed Forces Day 2023 event web page for more information.     

Facebook: /LeedsAFD        

Twitter: @LeedsAFD        

Volunteering opportunities

There are many ways to get involved with the key cultural events that we organise throughout the year.

Your opportunity to:

  • get backstage access to a series of world class festivals
  • be at the heart of one of the most exciting centres of arts and culture in Europe
  • dance with a neon circus parade and watch the latest cinema releases
  • develop new skills in a fun festival setting
  • boost your CV
  • join our membership scheme and receive year-round offers on films, concerts, comedy and theatre
  • get your hands on our coveted festival merchandise and incentives
  • improve your knowledge of events management and the arts and cultural sector
  • join our recognised team, and a community of like-minded volunteers
  • network with industry experts, access masterclasses and training

Be the first to know about art and culture volunteering opportunities

Join our mailing list External link

By signing up, you accept our arts volunteering privacy notice.

You will hear about the latest news, and how you can get involved with our year-round calendar of cultural events, including:

You can also find out more information by emailing us at festivalvolunteers@leeds.gov.uk.


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