A new community festival celebrating culture and green space
Fearnville Fest is a 2025 pilot programme supported byEast Leeds Project, Space2 Leeds, and The Old Fire Station.
We will be running events across the 29th and 30th of March that support local creativity and community, centring around green space and ecologies. There will be free workshops, music, a publication launch, and more!
This is all about coming together and sharing ideas, it’s an opportunity to connect with others, try something new, and contribute to a collective vision that focuses on our local environment.
We hope this sparks new conversations and collaborations that will continue long after the weekend.
SATURDAY 29th MARCH
Looking at the Big Sky: Cyanotype Kite Workshop
hosted by East Leeds Project / FEARNVILLE LEISURE CENTRE
With artist Ellen Burroughs / Drop in anytime between 11am and 3pm
This workshop invites participants to look up, the sky has no limits, walls or barriers. Inspired by our local Red Kite population who hover over the Fearnville Fields, having been reintroduced to the area in 1999, we will design and assemble kites. You will create your own design using the cyanotype print process which uses sunlight to create deep blue exposures of found natural materials, painted and drawn marks and collaged imagery. Weather permitting, you may be able to fly yours too.
Publication, Stories, Cake & Drinks
hosted by East Leeds Project / FEARNVILLE LEISURE CENTRE
Drop in anytime between 11am and 3pm
Come and celebrate our weekender by picking up a free copy of the publication ‘Future Fields’. We invited a collection of artists, academics and organisers to respond to the title and think about how we interact with green space.
While you have a read, enjoy a drink and cakes. You can also listen and add your own memories of the area to an archive of audio stories.
Live portrait Sessions on Film
hosted by East Leeds Project / FEARNVILLE LEISURE CENTRE
With artist Joanna Jowett / Drop in anytime between 11am and 3pm
Who takes the photos in your family and what story can a photograph tell? Join local artist Joanna Jowett and get playful in the green spaces of Fearnville, compose and make your own self or group portrait on black and white film.
Seed Packets Workshop
hosted by space2 / THE OLD WORKSHOP, BEHIND THE OLD FIRE STATION
Drop in anytime between 11am and 3pm
The volunteers of Gipton Gowers will be leading a session for participants to create seed bombs, decorating seed embedded paper that you can then take away with you. Seed bombs offer many benefits, including: restoring biodiversity, encouraging wildlife by creating new habitats, enhancing soil health, improving aesthetics with wildflowers and promoting community engagement with local areas.
Thrive in Nature exhibition Find out about work created by local people, inspired by our Seasonal Change walks in local green spaces and skills learnt by our Thrive gardeners.
Paper and Textile Craft Workshop
hosted by space2 / THE OLD WORKSHOP, BEHIND THE OLD FIRE STATION
With artist Denise Scott / Drop in anytime between 11am and 3pm
Join multimedia artist Denise Scott for a drop in activity using a variety of upcycled fabrics and paper to create your own journal, postcard or curiosity box to record and celebrate the beauty in your local green spaces.
Folk Night
hosted by Chapel FM
Doors open 6pm / Cross Gates Ukulele 7pm / Lilian Folk 7.20pm / Greet 8pm
Join us for a night of live music from Greet, Lilian Folk and the Cross Gates Ukulele band. There will also be food freshly prepared by the Chapel FM kitchen volunteers included in the ticket between 6-7pm. This is a free event but is ticketed due to space, please book a place by visiting http://www.ChapelFM.co.uk.
Anyone wanting to participate, or be a volunteer at the event, please get in touch by emailing fest@eastleedsproject.org
SUNDAY 30th MARCH
Wicker Making Workshop
hosted by East Leeds Project /FEARNVILLE LEISURE CENTRE
With artist Jo Knowles / Drop in anytime between 11am and 2pm
Join our wonderful willow workshop, all are welcome to play. Have a go at making a circle and see what it turns into; a crown, a tray, a climbing frame for plants, or go wild with wicker and create a leaf or a sculpture of your own design. Be captured by the magic of this fun and flexible plant with some expertise to guide you through.
Publication, Stories, Cake & Drinks
hosted by East Leeds Project / FEARNVILLE LEISURE CENTRE
Drop in anytime between 11am and 2pm
Come and celebrate our weekender by picking up a free copy of the publication ‘Future Fields’. We invited a collection of artists, academics and organisers to respond to the title and think about how we interact with green space.
While you have a read, enjoy a drink and cakes. You can also listen and add your own memories of the area to an archive of audio stories.
Poetry Open Mic
hosted by East Leeds Project / Fearnville Fields
With Bone Down Poetry / Meet outside Fearnville Leisure Centre at 2pm
Gather on Fearnville Fields for an afternoon of open mic poetry reading with Bone Down, you don’t have to take part but if you would like to share work to sign up please message @bonedownlag on instagram or facebook. Bring something to keep you cosy!
Deep Listening on Fearnville Fields
hosted by East Leeds Project / FEARNVILLE LEISURE CENTRE
With artist Alex DeLittle / Meet outside Fearnville Leisure Centre, 4pm
Join us for a unique and immersive workshop led by Alex. Deep Listening, developed by composer and sound artist Pauline Oliveros, is a way of tuning into the world around us—helping us to slow down, focus, and connect more deeply with our surroundings.
We will start with gentle movement and breathing exercises to relax and prepare for listening. Then we’ll explore Fearnville Fields through creative listening games and activities, tuning into the sounds of the earth, structures, landscape, and even the ionosphere.
You’ll discover new ways of hearing and experiencing the environment, whether you’re a music lover, nature enthusiast, or just curious to try something different. We’ll finish with a friendly group discussion, sharing what we’ve heard and how it made us feel.
Hope to see to you soon! #fearnvillefest
Fearnville Fest is funded by the UK Government, the West Yorkshire Combined Authority, Tracy Brabin, the Mayor of West Yorkshire and Leeds City Council.