Our History
Celebrating 20 Years of Space2
Space @ Bracken Edge was launched in July 2003 after receiving funding from ‘Space for Sports and Arts,’ a government organisation that distributed Lottery funding. The funding enabled three schools in Leeds to create purpose built spaces for sports and arts. Bracken Edge Primary School created a co-designed space with…
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Elements was an opening event at Space @ Bracken Edge, for a piece of public art which was co-created with local people, groups, organisations, artists and Allan Pergusey who transformed it into a mosaic which was installed on the outside of Space @ Bracken Edge building.
David Hamilton and Regeyshun Dance partnered with Space @ Bracken Edge to run a reggae-based skanking dance project for the community and held at Bracken Egde Primary School. These classes led to a performance at West Yorkshire Playhouse alongside dancers from Phoenix Dance Theatre, Northern Ballet Theatre and Northern School…
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FRESH was a project where local people learned about health issues prevalent in their communities and worked with artists to develop eye-catching campaigns and messaging like pop up performances at local supermarkets; song-writing; photographic exhibitions; animated walks; podcasts to raise awareness and advocate behaviour change with friends, families and neighbours.
Bin There Done That was an art project that Space2 ran in Richmond Hill, East Leeds. Local artist, Kevin Hickson, worked with a group of teenagers who were not in education, employment or training at that time. The group came up with their own designs for the paintings after learning…
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Seacroft Men’s Group is a weekly meet up for men to chat with other men, play games, have a laugh and eat a freshly cooked meal together. Seacroft Men’s Group started in 2010 and has a strong group of core members who come regularly. Through the years the group have…
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Space2 produced five community performances at West Yorkshire Playhouse between 2011 and 2016. They were a showcase from community groups and professional artist’s performances of dance, poetry, theatre, music and more. It was often the first time community members had the opportunity to perform on the stage.
In 2012, Temple Newsam hosted a celebration when the Olympic torch came through Leeds on its tour of the country prior to the London 2012 Olympics. Space2 was commissioned by Leeds City Council to lead the Leeds’s community performances as part of one of only four large scale Olympic Torch…
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Space2 were the delivery partner on this project for 6 years engaging with and working alongside local people to bring a culture shift in the use of front gardens and yards to grow fruit and veg by setting up taster workshops and engagement activities. Partnership development enabled us to enlist…
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Gipton the Musical told the local stories with a community cast and crew performed at West Yorkshire Playhouse. An 18-month project using taster workshops; up-skilling sessions; partnership development and pop up performances at local events to engage a local cast and back stage crew of over 120. Cast and professional…
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An arts and heritage project with local people to capture the history and memories of Gipton Fire Station, an iconic building from 1937 as it prepared for transformation in to a community hub, where Space2 is now based. This project won Leeds Compassionate City Most Inspiring Project 2017. Following this…
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A public health contract to undertake health promotion and community development in East and North/ East Leeds. For this Space2 works with four other local providers as part of Orion Consortium. Space2 brings distinctive, arts-based and creative approaches to health by stealth provision, volunteering opportunities for local people and community-wide…
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‘Oh I do like to be beside the Seacroft’ was wrote and co-directed by Boff Whalley, musical director and former member of Chumbawamba, alongside actor and director Jane Morland. It followed on from the 2015 sell-out performance ‘Gipton the Musical’, taking inspiration from the communities of East Leeds. The lively…
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A socially engaged arts project celebrating NHS’s 70th birthday working closely with local communities to capture memories, personal stories and social history to explore the meaning and value of the NHS for diverse individuals and groups. Artists and local people created 3 banners using traditional Trade Union banner-making skills; printed…
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A new festival putting men’s issues centre stage in Leeds and showcasing work by men’s groups from under-represented areas of the City. Co-produced by The Orion Partnership (Space2, Zest, Feel Good Factor and Shantona Women’s Centre) and Leeds Playhouse. Offered a lively and interactive space to talk about men’s health…
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Barking up the Wrong Tree was an exhibition of children’s art exploring the connections between trees, paper, books, and back again! Children of Allerton CE and Thorpe Primary Schools in Leeds teamed up with Graphic Design students from Leeds Beckett University to create an exhibition exploring the relationship between books…
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Space2 provided a range of on and off-line outreach and engagement opportunities for local people during pandemic lockdowns, including arts and wellbeing packs delivered to people’s homes; a postcard project – with materials and booklet to create own postcards; digital choir and poetry for wellbeing sessions. In partnership with web…
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Clothing Rebellion is our community shop where we sell quality second hand clothes and household items. All items are priced low and the money goes back into the community of East Leeds. It started in January 2021 at The Old Fire Station. Both of these projects have been participant led…
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Elephant in the Room (or as it might also easily be called Elephant on the Roof!) was inspired by one of the stories uncovered by volunteers at our East Leeds Fire Heritage Group whilst investigating the roll call of previous shouts. In the 1980s the station received a call asking…
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Space2 celebrates 20 years with another East Leeds Extravaganza at Leeds Playhouse. Join us for a show that celebrates Space2 and its communities, from school cupboard to Gipton Fire Station. The caretaker heard all, or so they say, curiosity, fun and friendship, heritage and herstories. Expect moving solos, song, dance…
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As part of Space2’s 20th anniversary celebrations, we commissioned Peter Spafford to write poems about a selection of participants, groups, freelancers and staff. These people were also photographed as part of the project. Listen to audio recordings of the poems here