Kirkstall Art Trail (KAT) has been running in the Leeds LS5 postcode for 10 years, including an enforced fallow period during Covid. Starting out with 40 artists, this year it filled 40 venues with 100 exhibiting artists. Inclusivity of artistic medium is at its core and it has already expanded to include spoken word, fashion, and dance alongside more traditional artists, makers, and craftspeople.
New and established artists rub shoulders in a wide variety of venues, with a satisfying number of makers cheerily confessing, “It’s my first time,” as they share their stories of how they got into creative arts. It takes real nerve to ‘go public’ and it’s brilliant that this supportive forum exists for new artists to build their confidence.
Unluckily, KAT’s chosen weekend this year was afflicted by biblical torrents of rain more suited to ark-building than art, but a surprising number of visitors braved the weather anyway.
The hills and valleys of the art trail
Of the enormous number of venues all around the LS5 area, the St Stephen’s triangle forms a natural focal point. The church, with its Victorian Gothic graveyard, peeling paint, and faintly damp air, gave space to vibrantly colourful paintings by Raginie Duara, intriguing landscapes by Dom Chastney, and many other artworks.
The church hall was a hubbub of children’s activities, but you could request a poem, created on the spot and typed on a manual typewriter or browse intricate fused glass pieces by Susan Kearton or Chilli Glass. Next door, among the creatives in the school hall, was Restless Spirits, an intriguing new game from Lawrence Rippingale’s Sneaky Rascal Games that might just become the new Pokémon for collectors of fantasy art cards.
Visitors splashing through the art yard (a carpet warehouse in daily life) were rewarded with seeing a community project on the nearby River Aire. Workshopped in just half a day by total beginners, recycled materials became an imagined river meander adorned with trees and even a wiry-antennaed snail. As real puddles began lapping at its edges, the installation became ever more lifelike.
Artist and facilitator Annabelle Richmond-Wright was enthused by how the project had successfully led a group of non-artists and strangers to collaborate creatively. “The group didn’t know each other at the start, but that didn’t last long! As we played with materials and ideas, people were chatting and sharing ideas, helping each other out, and solving creative challenges together … By the end, we’d made something unique as a group, had some great conversations and laughs along the way, and everyone did something they might not usually do.”
Inside Kirkstall Abbey
Down the hill, in the abbey ruins, visiting charges were temporarily suspended, and the gloom of the chapter house became home to a warren of stalls, including photographer Stephen Cole’s collaboration with sculptor Mandy Long, who are both also KAT committee members. The nave hosted a fashion show and a dance jam while, in the cloisters, the West Riding Stonecarving Association held have-a-go demonstrations of their traditional skills. Their marquee held off the worst of the rain (well, mostly!).
The abbey café acquired a new lake outside its doors, but it could still have done a roaring trade on such a dismal weekend had it not shown absolute dedication to serving customers as slowly as possible. Perhaps it was an artistic statement in itself: some kind of anti-fast-food protest.
Around the corner, in the slightly surreal surroundings of SolarFrame’s door and windows showroom, a leopard basked in a tree in Effy Varley’s wildlife photograph. Varley is a qualified safari guide with ambitions to set up her own photography safaris. Her shot of an adult gorilla reaching for the hand of its baby was a genuine catch-in-the-throat moment.
The Hollybush and the Lilac
Heading over to the wonderful Hollybush Conservation Centre (a visit-worthy location at any time of year), self-taught watercolourist Poppy-Lee Jennings was adding detailed touches to a very lifelike red squirrel painting. In the barn were Jill Setterington’s gorgeous handmade notebooks, giant wall pop art in wood by GPlank Furniture, and Stuart Gadd’s ceramics with real function. A brightly lit corner held the most charming crocheted tropical undersea scene by Sarah Hinchliffe, yet another newcomer to the art scene showcasing a prodigious talent.
Up the hill at Lilac Grove Common House, a communal living scheme, two floors of consistently good art (mainly paintings) awaited visitors, including Gavin Mayhew’s witty and meticulous images, Joe Kiff’s giant triptych, and Margaret Jenkins’ masterful capture of the Essex marshes.
A well-organised and managed art trail
Although KAT does receive a limited amount of council funding for its projects and some sponsorship, it still relies on its formidable network of volunteers to make it all work. Its independence and organic growth are two of its great features, although as it continues to expand, it must surely reach a tipping point when more significant funding will be required.
For now, the work of its committee members is reaping rewards. It is perhaps the best organised of the many Open Studios events I’ve visited around the country. In particular, its website is an absolute wealth of detail about every aspect of the weekend for visitors and exhibitors alike. QR codes link up every artist and every venue – a great way to keep print costs and paper waste to a minimum. And there’s a laser focus on venue accessibility – no mean feat when opening up people’s homes, but KAT’s secretary, Mindy Goose, works hard to keep access as inclusive as possible.
Keeping it local and encouraging new artists
In spite of its continuing growth, KAT manages to keep a very local feel, although there were a few stragglers from as far away as Roundhay and even (gasp!) Hull. Some visitors discovered artist neighbours they hadn’t met before, despite living on the same street.
Crucially, KAT is also free for both visitors and, very importantly, artists. So many arts events are fee-paying for exhibitors, which can deter fledgling artists from participating. The lack of charge for KAT means that it has a real range of experience on show, providing a nurturing environment for the newbies.
The new exhibitors I talked to all spoke with enthusiasm about KAT. And it was a delight to listen to the unselfconscious way the artists talked about their work.
Putting your artistic work out there in the court of public opinion is a big step. Few things help as much as being able to talk to other artists about their practice. A supportive environment like this is a great confidence builder as well as a very positive example of community building. The Kirkstall Art Trail took place on 19 and 20 July – I’m very much looking forward to a return visit in 2026.
