An international
city of culture
Leeds has a rich cultural pedigree that more than matches that of many a leading European City.
Creative Organisations making an impact on the global stage
We’re proud to have so much talent and creativity in the city, which is evident in the incredible performing arts organisations that have called Leeds their home, but are making an impact on the global stage. Organisations such as Opera North, Northern Ballet and Phoenix Dance Theatre together have performed across Europe, the USA, Asia, South America and the Caribbean.
Every year Leeds’ many galleries and museums welcome thousands of international visitors, whether it be to see one of the most important collections of arms and armour in the world at the Royal Armouries, or world-class artists exhibiting at the Leeds Art Gallery or the Henry Moore Institute. And our magnificent venues such as the Leeds Grand Theatre, Leeds Playhouse or the Town Hall welcome international touring musicians, actors, dancers and more throughout the year.
A calendar of international events
We’re lucky to regularly host a range of internationally renowned events.
Leeds International Piano Competition, held every three years, is one of the world’s foremost music competitions. Since the competition began in 1963, 'The Leeds' has attracted some of the world’s finest young pianists. The competition has now expanded to include rounds in London, Berlin, Paris, Beijing, Tokyo, Seoul and New York.
Since 2004 the annual Leeds Song, formerly Leeds Lieder, celebrates the performance and composition of song and of poetry in many languages and is dedicated to the art of song, bringing together exceptional artists and audiences from across the globe to celebrate the power of the human voice in its most intimate form.
The University of Leeds' annual International Concert Series features a variety of genres including classical, jazz, contemporary, opera, and folk with renowned professional artists and emerging performers.
Leeds West Indian Carnival is Europe’s longest running authentic Caribbean carnival parade, held every year since 1966, it was the first to feature all three essential elements of Caribbean Carnival, costumes, music and a masquerade procession. Closely linked to Carnival, and held the same weekend in August, is the annual Black Music Festival, Europe’s biggest free open air concert.
A little known fact about Leeds is that the world’s first moving films were made in the city in 1888 by Louis le Prince. Building on this legacy, Leeds has become a leading centre for film culture, and is located in the wider region of Yorkshire, a major European filmmaking region. At the heart of this is the Leeds International Film Festival, celebrating its 40th edition later in 2026. Alongside LIFF, is the UK’s largest annual family film event - Leeds Young Film Festival.
Light Night Leeds invites you to encounter the city in a new light. For the past 20 years, over two incredible nights each October, some of Leeds’ most recognisable indoor and outdoor spaces have been transformed by spectacular artworks and captivating performances by local, national and international artists.
In recent years, an eclectic mix of annual events and festivals have become established features of the Leeds cultural calendar, including the Leeds International Festival of Ideas, a platform for bold conversation, fresh thinking, and powerful ideas; Transform Festival, which nurtures, creates and presents extraordinary, cross disciplinary performance with the power to change the way we see the world, and Leeds LitFest, an award-winning festival of words and thought. Leeds Jazz Festival unites and celebrates the musicians, venues, promoters, audiences and organisations who are part of the Leeds Jazz tapestry - whilst showcasing the best of local, national and international music.
With renowned sculptors, Barbara Hepworth, Henry Moore and Damien Hirst all having studied in the city, it’s not surprising that Leeds has a global reputation for sculpture. Leeds Art Gallery, and its nextdoor neighbour, the Henry Moore Institute, form part of the Yorkshire Sculpture Triangle, housing hundreds of iconic original artworks across four fantastic venues along with The Hepworth Wakefield and The Yorkshire Sculpture Park, with ambitious plans to make Yorkshire the capital of sculpture in Europe with a dedicated Yorkshire Sculpture Festival.
Leeds 2023
In 2023 Leeds presented our own International Year of Culture, with an exciting programme of curated events designed to "let culture loose". The whole city became a stage, emerging and exciting, vibrant, and energetic with culture around every corner.
Leeds 2023 worked with local, national and international artists and communities to create a celebration for Leeds, with Leeds and inspired by Leeds.
Leeds Inspired and Visit Leeds
Leeds Inspired what's on website www.leedsinspired.co.uk lists thousands of events happening across Leeds every year. You’ll find gigs, concerts, exhibitions, theatre, dance, performance, creative workshops, talks and discussions, film and family friendly events - highlighting new independent events and festivals alongside the more established to bring you the full picture of things to do in Leeds.
Visit Leeds https://www.visitleeds.co.uk/ shares where to go, where to stay, where to eat, inspiration, guides and tourist information.
Case Studies
Leeds 2023
In 2017 Leeds was preparing its bid to become European Capital of Culture for 2023. However, the UK’s decision to leave the European Union meant that this was no longer possible. But this didn’t stop the city’s ambition to continue with an international festival of culture in 2023.
With wide-ranging support from organisations across the city, plans are continuing for a year-long programme of creative experiences which will be created with local, national and international artists.
Leeds 2023 will showcase creativity across all forms of culture - from dance to design, art to architecture, poetry to pop, sculpture to sport, grassroots community theatre to performances on our world class stages, Leeds 2023 will have something for everyone.
Visit leeds2023.co.uk to stay posted on the latest developments and announcements for this unforgettable year of culture.
Leeds 2023
Leeds 2023
Leeds West Indian Carnival
Leeds West Indian Carnival is one of the longest running Caribbean carnivals in Europe and the first to feature all three essential elements of Caribbean Carnival - costumes, music and a masquerade procession.
The Carnival’s origins date back to the mid-1960s when Arthur France, MBE, originally from St. Kitts and Nevis, came-up with the ambitious plan to create a carnival parade along the streets of Leeds as part of existing carnival celebrations which had started in 1966 at Leeds City College. Despite many thinking this wouldn’t be possible, in 1967, Leeds West Indian Carnival took to the streets for the first time.
Over the years Leeds West Indian Carnival has grown to become the second largest Caribbean style carnival in the UK, attracting over 100,000 people every year who flock to the city to see this spectacular display of colour, music and food. The popularity of the Carnival led to the creation of Leeds Reggae music festival in 1985, which ran alongside the Carnival. After 30 years of showcasing Reggae from around the world, the concert evolved to become the Black Music Festival, Europe’s largest free-open air concert.
Leeds West indian
CarnivaL
Northern Ballet
Northern Ballet began life in 1969, when it was created by Canadian-born dancer, Laverne Meyer.
Since its inception, Northern Ballet has seen several well-known Artistic Directors, including Italian dancer and choreographer, Stefano Giannetti, who have helped to grow Northern Ballet into one of the world’s great ballet companies.
The Company has a strong reputation for theatrical dance productions, where the emphasis is on storytelling, and has pioneered ballets for children which have been shown in cinemas across the world.
Northern Ballet’s global reputation has seen The Company perform in China, Bangkok, Milan, Barcelona and Miami, with its productions licenced to many more ballet companies across the world.
In 2014, Northern Ballet won Best Company at the Taglioni European Ballet Awards.
Northern Ballet
Northern Ballet
