April arts roundup

Drawings in the Basement

Beeston’s Basement Arts Project latest exhibition presents the artwork of Paul Digby, which depicts a landscape that may seem quite familiar, geographically located in the margins of Leeds, as are the lives of many who live and work in the city. Whilst the topography of the physical world maybe familiar Digby scratches beneath the surface to reveal something of the loneliness and alienation of life in the 21st Century.

Presenting two series of work entitled ‘City’ and ‘At Work and At Home’ this exhibition looks at some of the artist’s experiences both as a painter and as an artist at work within communities living at the edge of a big city.

The preview night will be held on Friday 21 April 7:30-9:30pm. The exhibition will then open for two weekends and by appointment until the end of May. For more information email basementartsproject@gmail.com

 

In the Darkest Corners

‘It’s dark. A woman walks alone on the edge of a city. The city is Leeds. Or Paris. Or maybe it’s Mexico City. She wants to be alone in the night. She wants to dance in the darkest corners’.

As part of the Transform theatre festival, physical theatre company RashDash present a powerful new show confronting violence against women, performed outdoors on the streets of Leeds. Inspired by the city’s radical, activist history, this cabaret rally features live music, vivid physicality, and stories of resistance from around the world.

The performance will take place outdoors at a “secret location” in Holbeck on Thursday, Friday and Saturday 20-22 April at 9pm. Suitable for 16+ years, contains scenes of sexual violence. Book via: transformfestival.org

 

Brought to LIF

Music, moving image, fashion and tech and being brought together under the umbrella of the first Leeds International Festival which runs at various venues across the city from 22-30 April.

Events range widely from the premiere of a new film about Leeds United under Howard Wilkinson – Do You Want To Win; through debates about women in tech; a museum of youth culture; virtual reality, hacking and much more.

On the music front, LIF brings the Drill Festival curated by post punk legends, Wire, to the Brudenel Social Club; embraces Live At Leeds; and brings world music to Briggate.

Briggate will also be the venue for two days of fashion shows.

The Tech Off promises a combination of TED Talks and WWF Wrestling and there’s a chance for children to imagine the tech of the future.

For full details of all events take a look at the festival’s website: leedsinternationalfestival.com