Seacroft's Chapel FM hosts French Festival with 'Sibling Suburb' in Lille

Young people from Moulins and Seacroft performing together in an evening of music and poetry at Chapel FM

Chapel FM, the inspiring Seacroft-based arts centre, has been celebrating its French links with its 'Sibling Suburb' Moulins in Leeds's partner city Lille, France.

During April, it has been playing host to community and arts organisations from Moulins including the Tire-Laine Collective, a community arts and music organisation, and Maison de Quartier les Moulins, a community centre in the heart of Moulins.

Tire-Laine promotes world music traditions, from Gypsy and Roma to klezmer, French chanson and jazz. During their visit, Tire-Laine hosted music workshops for Seacroft musicians of all ability levels, and showcased their work in an inspiring collaborative performance on Friday 11th April.

Tony Macaluso, Chapel FM's Director told us 'The Tire-Laine showcase with our local Seacroft musicians was one of the most inspiring musical performances we have ever hosted. We are still buzzing'.

Following the Tire-Laine visit, the youth team from Maison le Quartier les Moulins brought nine secondary-age students to Seacroft for a visit where they bonded with local young people through radio, music, creative writing, food and sport.

As well as visiting Seacroft, the young people experienced guided tours of Leeds Civic Hall to see the council chamber, and a special visit to Elland Road Stadium.

During their visit, the young people from Moulins had a special guided tour of the Elland Road stadium

'Our young people and our Lille visitors got so much from the exchange' said Tony. 'I can see that this visit will build bridges and many more connections between Moulins and Seacroft over the years to come.'

Leeds and Lille became official partners in 1968 as part of post-war efforts to encourage peace between the people of Europe. 

Educational links, which date back to the 1930s, have always played an important part of the partnership which has seen several EU projects and the development of student exchanges between schools in both cities.

Visiting Leeds Civic Hall's council chamber

Leeds and Lille, a former European Capital of Culture, have increasingly been working together in the field of culture. This has included the development of partnerships between several cultural organisations, including Chapel FM, which has grown and flourished into the current neighbourhood twinning between Seacroft and Moulins.