About Us

Leeds is nationally recognised for the strength of its creative sector, and its understanding of the positive role culture and creativity play in social and economic wellbeing. 

The Culture Programmes Team maximises the social and economic benefits of culture for Leeds’ residents and visitors. Delivering and supporting a range of activities that celebrates the city’s rich and diverse cultural offer.

What We Do

About us

Culture Programmes is a Leeds City Council service that works to ensure that culture is at the heart of the Council’s key strategies and policies and collaborates with the creative sector and other strategic partners to promote and develop the city’s cultural offer.

What We Do

Culture Programmes delivers a broad range of strategic programmes and initiatives including:

  • the Council’s primary cultural grants programme – Leeds Cultural Investment Programme – which provides support for creative projects and cultural programmes that deliver opportunities for residents across the city to engage in cultural activity as a participant, an attendee or a creator. www.leedscultureprogrammes.org.uk/apply-for-funding
  • Leeds Inspired – the Council’s cultural What's On platform promoting thousands of events happening across Leeds every year. www.leedsinspired.co.uk/
  • Leeds Cultural Compact exploration – emerging from the city’s focus on LEEDS 2023, and responding to the Cultural Cities Enquiry, the team is scoping the potential for Leeds to establish a ‘cultural compact’ as a strategic body to capitalise on new opportunities for cultural growth in Leeds.

 

The Culture Programmes Team

For general enquiries contact us here.

Portrait of Pam Johnson, Head of Culture Programmes

Pam Johnson

Head of Culture Programmes 

Portrait of Gaby Paradis, Senior Manager Culture Programmes

Gaby Paradis

Senior Manager Culture Programmes

(Currently on Maternity Leave)

Portrait of Ann Wishart Arts Development Manager

Ann Wishart

Arts Development Manager

Portrait of Sarah Priestley, Principal Officer, Culture Programmes

Sarah Priestley

Principal Officer, Culture Programmes

Portrait of Hannah Farley, Principal Officer, Culture Programmes

Hannah Farley

Principal Officer, Culture Programmes

Portrait of Lisa Turney, Principal Officer, Culture Programmes

Lisa Turney

Principal Officer, Culture Programmes

Portrait of Ibrahim Patel, Senior Officer, Culture Programmes

Ibrahim Patel

Senior Officer, Culture Programmes 

Sarah Howells

Sarah Howells

Audience Development Officer

Portrait of Heather Moss, Officer Culture Programmes

Heather Moss

Officer Culture Programmes 

The Leeds Culture Programmes Team is part of a range of culture services provided by Leeds City Council.

Leeds Inspired is the what's on listings site for Leeds, offering a wide range of cultural events happening in the city. Event organisers log in to the site, add their events and we share them on the website, our extensive social media, and through our API which is taken up by Visit Leeds, Culture Hosts and other sites and apps. Thousands of events and activities are added across the city every year by hundreds of organisers - performances, comedy, gigs, film, creative workshops, talks and discussions, healthy living, exhibitions, family friendly events, festivals and much more. Just click here to see what's out there.

We also collaborate with, and support, the following teams and services: 

The Arts, Events and Venues team manages a range of activities including Light Night Leeds, Breeze young people’s activities, alongside major events such as the World Triathlon and the programming and management of the Town Hall and Leeds International Film Festival.

Leeds Museums and Galleries is a family of heritage sites, museums, country house estates and a flagship art gallery. Leeds Museums and Galleries is the largest local authority-run museum service in England and has one of the most significant multidisciplinary collections in the UK.

Leeds Libraries delivers on five key priorities that inform all activity at the 34 community libraries across the city:  economic recovery; children and young people; health and wellbeing; support for digital and learning; books, reading and culture. Every resident is supported at every stage of their lives.

Leeds Cultural Investment Programme