Left Bank is an old church on Cardigan Road that has recently been put to use as an incredible…read morevenue for events, arts, performance and gigs. The space is pretty breathtaking, with beautifully-shaped archways and a very high ornately carved ceiling which provides brilliant acoustics and a magical atmosphere. The available space is quite huge and could accommodate up to 400 seated and I would imagine up to 1000 standing. Columns and archways provide neat sections that can easily be screened off to create some more intimate spaces off the central area. There is also a vestry that can be used as a back stage area. On the 21st November 2009 The Ladybird Project rented the venue for a day of craft, circus skills and live music. As day became evening, visuals were projected onto the ceiling as live harp playing filled the vast cavernous space and the audience fell quiet, hypnotised by the moving lights high above among the arches...enchanting! The space has huge potential for all kinds of events and anyone looking for a venue with character would frankly be foolish not to take a look at Left Bank!

I realise that by default, a church is a gorgeous space, but I think it would be unfair to say that…read moreLeft Bank Leeds is purely 5 stars based on the beauty of its structure. Indeed, it's as much about the kinds of events, the range, and the creativity that go toward my fondness for this arts space. So, the basics are covered-it's a gorgeous old church, that now plays host to a range of local events. The building inside is a marvel, the space is gargantuan and the people who run it are just lovely. In recent times I've been back for quite the range of happenings, from Ladybird's fundraiser where Biscuit Head and the Biscuit Badgers played, to the fabulous End of Summer Fashion Show, to the inimitable Steampunk Market, to Sneaky Experience and all events have been a total blast. It's the perfect setting for a market event, being as the space can hold up to at least 25 stall holders, and it truly comes alive when you're in the company of Victoriana wearing, goggle sporting, tea drinking cavorters -there'll be another one in 6 months, so don't miss out. Equally, the building lends itself beautifully to the screening of spooky (and probably any) films, although heating the room can be somewhat of a tricky affair. Nonetheless, folks piled n for a Sneaky Experience (if you've not heard of them, check them out) and a wonderful time was had by all. Catwalks never looked so stunning as being paraded under the gothic architecture, and sermons of a devlishly artful nature were never more engaging than from the pulpit by a man dressed in leather with a beard as old as time. Of course, live music is tricky in such a space, given the acoustics of the building - but that is very much dependent on a few things. One, the nature of the music: choirs, live violins, and even a hand wound melodian, will bounce from the ceiling and fill your ears with awe. With other full bands, the sound is a lot trickier to get right, but it can work if set up right. One has to face the speakers, of course, and I can't imagine a heavier band giving much clarity of sound -it becomes muffled by reverb -but it'd still be an experience I'm sure. All in all, you must keep an eye on their programme. As the months move onward, you can expect more from this exciting space, and you mustn't miss out. Regardless of the style of the event, given their high quality programming, I am sure what ever is booked for the future will have you enthralled equally by the beauty of the building, the passion of those that run it, and the very nature of the creatives that envelope the building. It's another gem that keeps the Leeds arts and alternative scene abuzz with wonder.

Seven is an independent arts space. That's how it sells itself, but to do that almost sells itself…read moreshort. Named after it's LS7 postcode, Seven really does do the Chapel Allerton area proud. A relatively new venture in the way of artistic spaces and venues, but it is pretty damn good. It's constantly gaining momentum, and currently there are projects going a ahead for budding film makers, artists, musicians and creative types. Seven relies on funding and sponsorship, which is good news for the local business who wish to hire out rooms for conferences and business meetings, as all money generated from the room hires goes back in to funding more arts projects. Seven also has it's own bar, Bar Seven, which is a cool place to spend before a show, or just to go in and have a drink with some friends, as it's open from mid morning til midnight. Oh yes, the events, there are many to choose from, acoustic nights, plays, comedy nights, art exhibitions, workshops and being super festive there's a Valentine's night this Sunday, with a Buenos Aires, film set, dinner and dance spectacle vibe, with tickets at £20 a head. Housing about 100 in capacity, Seven offers an intimate setting which can be a welcome change from bigger venues, especially for plays and acoustic performances. And there's the added satisfaction that your money is going back into the production of more fabulous art events.

Just been to the monthly 'Killfor a seat' Comedy at & arts…read more always a good show,,, top of the range comedy in Leeds. The Host and Compere 'Silky' aways makes it feel like the show is just for you, Picks the best of touring comedy, and new acts,,, occasionally runs over, so if you're on the bus,, make sure you have the taxi fare home. If you go there you know you'll get quality comedy, not for the faint hearted. And of course 7 Arts is a cracking venue with good beer. so what's not to like.

This is a brilliant venue for all sorts of courses. I was on an experimental water-colour course…read morewith a well known artist today. There was also a stone-carving class on as well as a creative sewing machine class. Great food and very friendly staff. Would highly recommend.

A really cool place which supports people with disabilities whilst also raising money for charity…read more A fairly large arts centre with all sorts of arty activities to do on different days it's open every day apart from Saturday (strangely...when peeps are usually out looking for something to do) There's drop in painting classes for kids, a cafe, shops, a sensory garden which is lovely and a small area for children to enjoy playing kiddy games.

Art Room 4 resides in the White Rose Centre, in one of their stalls/displays lettings. Essentially,…read moreArt Room 4 consists of the work of two artists, Carol Cheyne and Ryan Larkin, and this work takes the form of canvas art in a variety of sizes and prices, with the acrylic on canvas style of abstract, landscapes, and tonal object-non-specific pieces. The pieces start off at a very reasonable £50 and go to a maximum of £200. There are some cracking pieces on display, and if you see something in one size on display, it doesn't matter, it can be made larger, smaller, size permitting into a double set or trio piece, depending on the design and your budget. Personally I think they're excellent prices, as I've paid almost £50 for a simple icon print on canvas before now. For me it was Carol's Moody Blue piece that sucked me in, it's stunning. If you want to put something in the way of art on your walls that doesn't include prints in a frame, or one of Ikea's roses, then seriously check out Art Room 4.

Clarke Hall is a real treasure and if you live near Wakefield, I advise you to visit! It is an old…read moreTudor hall, which is still run as a working Tudor house and hosts school groups throughout the week, allowing children to learn about the past by spending the day in character as Tudors. On certain weekends and some weeknights, it is open to the public for open days and special events. Activities include learning Tudor music and dance, making pomanders or marzipan sweets, having your fortune read or tasting things in the Tudor kitchen. The Mistress of the house also has many true stories to tella bout Clarke Hall's past It's a really unique experience - it'd be worth going just to look round the gardens and see the house, but it's also a great way to get kids into history.

i remember going to clarke hall when i lived in wakefield in the 1980s i went with manygates middle…read moreschool it was very educational and we got to dress as they did and we had food like they did

What with being let down once again by Virgin Media, I had to seek solace on such a rainy day as…read moreyesterday, with coffee and wifi. There's a number of spots about town in which to laze the day away with a supply of reasonable coffee, but since The Bowery is so close and it's been so long, I decided to set up here for lunch and respite from the rains. As far as I can tell, the place has gone from strength to strength, providing in-numerous excellent artistic courses for folks to partake of, alongside their range of fresh lunchables and gift-shop-cum-gallery. The programme of lessons looks fantastic, offering up everything from jewellery making to knitting, and browsing the hand crafted gifts about the cafe reveals a wealth of local talent and passion. I hadn't intended to purchase anything (one never does) but couldn't help be drawn in by some of the kitsch and quirky little items. The staff, as ever, are mega friendly, which makes a visit all the nicer. I decided to try the spinach and ricotta quiche, which comes with a sizeable plate of salad on the side. I have to say, whilst the quiche didn't make my mouth sing, the accompanying salad more than made up for this in flavour - the dressing was mouth watering, and the mix of sultanas, sesame seeds and such made this a healthy taste sensation. You can grab a decent sized latte for about £2, a pot of tea which yielded a few cups for the same, and of course the wifi is free. It's not coffee comparable to the likes of Bottega or Laynes, but the space more than makes up for this -and I'm not complaining, it was a good cup of Joe. The atmosphere defines relaxed, and with the array of art and crafts on the walls and in the cabinets, you're not short on excellent things to look at and ponder. The gallery and classroom space is upstairs, and whilst I didn't have an opportunity to wander around, I'll have to come back soon for a peek. I read also that the classroom space is available for hire for most art-related activities, for as little as £5 an hour I believe, which is fantastic for the local community. It's also worth noting that the toilet even has a mini seat that you can pull down, should you have kidlets in your company, which is a lovely touch. Overall, I'm a big fan of this place, and hope that Headingley continues to support independents like this. More of this, please Headingley. Get your senses open and your art head on.

The Bowery is more than just a cafe. Here you can also find art exhibition space, a classroom for…read moreworkshops and an impressive selection of cards and gifts. It's split across two floors and, while the upper floor is light and airy the lower floor feels a little cramped. Possibly because the lower floor contains the cafe and the gift shop but it does seem to work. Naturally, the gallery space is a little quieter but it's a lovely space and I really enjoyed wandering around and looking at the exhibits. It looks like the workshops room is really well used. A group was finishing a crafting workshop as we arrived and the website advertises further workshops as well as a series of short courses that starts in September and a variety of other events. We didn't stay for food but they're certainly popular, which has to be a good sign, and the cakes look great. I'd be tempted to return for a coffee and some treats but even if these turn out to be less than the best in the area The Bowery is doing a great job of pulling together a creative community in Headingley. They describe themselves as The Home of Creativity and I think that that suits them very well.

The Stanley & Audrey Burton Gallery is not very well known in Leeds. I have never before heard my…read morearty friends talk about it, or seen any promotion for it, and I am often taking short cuts through the University Campus. I heard about the gallery whilst doing data entry for an arts company, I was inputting data from a survey to decide why it wasn't very well attended. Since then I vowed that I would go and have a look, as everyone in the survey spoke very highly of it in their comments. You can find the gallery in The Parkinson Building of the University, just to the left of reception through some glass sliding doors. The exhibits I saw today were beautiful. The gallery used to consist of three rooms which have now been converted into one large space displaying the Universities permanent collection. It includes various bronze works, a display of Yorkshire pottery, a suite of glass cases displaying drawn works, and some really beautiful paintings. There is also another room which is used for temporary exhibitions. Today I saw 'Obsession: Contemporary Art from the Lodeveans Collection' which is running until the 28th November (2009). My favorite in this collection were some porcelain models of crushed cans (like coke cans) hand painted with blue flowers, as if they were an old china set. They have a variety of different pieces, from abstract to portrait paintings, sculptures, video, audio, and drawings, so if you are an art lover there will most likely be something for you. It is quite small, but it's free and also not far from the gallery in the city centre if you feel the need for more.

A very modern gallery, compared to other museums/galleries that I have visited this isn't the…read morebiggest but it is so modern and chic. There is a room which shows art and often switches it up

A really beautiful setting awaits you if you have the time and inclination to get to Thwaite Mills…read more Semi-wild walkways follow along the canal routes and River Aire attracting buzzing wildlife. People can experience the water force once used to drive industry of oil making/refining and putty creating in the functioning mill as well as learning about how the workers lived by touring around the managers house now a Grade II listed building. Thwaite Mills are sometimes involved with wider Leeds events where boat rides to the city centre have been used along side music and dance workshops. It is a lovely place to pass warm summer days...when they arrive.

Lovely hidden gem in Leeds…read more Gorgeous old Watermill setting offering the old buildings & machinery, gardens and canal-side walks to suit all the family (and pooch) Ample parking and gift shop/tuck shop for those little niceties to take away as a momento of the visit.