Leeds 2023
Leeds 2023 Year of Culture, a decade in the making, engaged diverse audiences through over 1,100 events, collaborating with 239 cultural partners and involving 711 artists, 1,008 volunteers, and 35,169 young people across all 33 wards of the city.
Leeds 2023 Events and Audience Engagement
Leeds 2023 organized a variety of events engaging significant audiences. Key events included Smeaton 300 with 9,843 attendees, Nest with 2,057 attendees, This is a FOREST with 2,439 attendees, Northern Dreaming with 2,611 attendees, The Gifting with 2,771 attendees, The Awakening with 5,102 attendees, The Barn with 9,577 attendees, and Making a Stand with 3,009 attendees. The most extensive were My Leeds 2023 events, engaging 51,570 people, and Children's Day Reimagined with 3,457 attendees. In total, Leeds 2023 produced 1,069 signature programme events, reflecting the project's extensive reach and engagement.
Leeds 2023 Cultural and Community Engagement
Leeds 2023 worked across all 33 wards of the city, ensuring that its cultural programme was inclusive and representative. The initiative produced 289 community events and collaborated with 66 partner organizations. Leeds 2023 engaged 1,008 volunteers and recorded 1,168 respondents to various opportunities to get involved. A substantial number of young people, 35,169 to be exact, were actively engaged throughout the year, with 54 young people participating in youth development projects.
Leeds 2023 Media and Online Presence
The Leeds 2023 initiative garnered significant media and online attention. It was mentioned in 3,139 media articles and received 2,172 pieces of editorial coverage between 1 January 2023 and 5 January 2024. Leeds 2023’s social media audience reached 47,188 across all platforms. The Leeds 2023 website was well-trafficked, with 1,260,752 unique views and 643,064 unique views recorded from 1 August 2022 to 1 January 2024.
Leeds 2023 Collaborations and Partnerships
Leeds 2023 fostered extensive collaboration with cultural partners, artists, and communities to produce over 1,100 events. In undertaking 110 projects, the programme engaged 711 artists and partnered with 239 cultural organizations both locally and internationally. Notably, 54 countries and territories participated, bringing in 86 international artists and 79 international cultural leaders. The European Union delegation's presentation of 24 short films from 24 European countries as part of EUNIC: In Short was a key highlight.
Leeds 2023 Educational Involvement
Leeds 2023 involved a significant educational component with 351,940 pupils engaged through activities with 228 schools participating. Additionally, 808 students benefited from internships and placements as part of the programme. The initiative also benefited from the active involvement of 33 neighbourhood hosts in delivering the My Leeds 2023 programme, emphasizing the year’s commitment to education and youth engagement.