Creating a makerspace for our community
We’re working with a Project Team made up of local people and our partners – Leeds 2023 and the Yorkshire Wildlife Trust – to create the very first open access makerspace in East Leeds. Our vision is an accessible and affordable space where people can come together to access tools, equipment and training for different forms of making – a social space and community-led arts centre that is locally owned and managed.
We think the Pavilion can play a key role not just as a space for different forms of making, but also for alternative economies and issues around sustainability and stewardship of the Wyke Beck Valley. We are facilitating the project in collaboration with the Project Team and artists including Andy Abbott and Emma Hardaker who have contributed to the journey so far.
The research and development phase of the project is coming to an end. From Autumn 2021 we’ll carry out a formal options appraisal to identify our preferred site and work with architects and other professionals to visualise and cost the building before starting our capital fundraising campaign.
You can find out more about the project and hear from local people involved in this short film.
If you’d like to get involved as a Project Team member, a supporter, a local supplier, or if you have useful skills such as making and construction, please send us a message and we’ll be in touch.
Research and development for the East Leeds Pavilion from 2018-21 has been kindly supported by Leeds City Council, Arts Council England and Leeds 2023.
If you’d like to get involved, please contact us for more information.
Main image: What Makes Gipton? an interactive project for the Gipton Gala, 2019, by Andy Abbott. Photo: Jules Lister.