Left Bank Leeds, Wednesday 18 December, 5.30 – 7.30pm
We thought you’d all enjoy seeing these lovely pictures from our festive get together before Christmas at beautiful Left Bank Leeds. From the moment we arrived to set up, it felt immediately festive – festoons of white bulbs hung from pillar to pillar making the space feel cosy, yet still spectacular with its huge vaulted ceiling.
With Yorkshire Circus from Open Source Arts setting up their aerial photo-booth (no, us neither – you’ll find out what it was a bit further down – nothing too dangerous after all!), and circus performers limbering up in their bright spandex sparkling outfits, and with wine glasses being filled at the bar, the place soon started filling up. People were encouraged to grab a drink and help themselves to the beautiful spread of vegetarian / vegan food.
There were crafting tables where Hannah was making festive paper chains, or you could make delicate gold and coloured stars with Mo, or people could just sit down and catch up with old friends and new.
After a warm welcome from Madeleine, we enjoyed a light performance from Yorkshire Circus – they created amazing patterns swinging LEDs from their arms, hands, ankles, balancing on one leg – you get the picture.
This was followed by a very entertaining workshop from Mafwa Theatre – there were many laughs as people willingly threw themselves into the games, and we ended up feeling like we all knew each other a bit better at the end, and uplifted from the laughing.
Then after trying our hands at some circus skills ourselves (alas I still haven’t mastered simple hula-hooping),
people were encouraged to choose a costume from the rail and have their picture taken whilst sitting in the sling in whatever pose they liked – yes, the aerial photo booth!
And with a heartfelt thanks to all who’d made the first year of Arts Together such a success, and a spectacular final aerial display from Yorkshire Circus, people said their goodbyes and festive wishes, and departed merry into the night.
Thanks so much to Tom Arber for the beautiful photos, to Left Bank Leeds for hosting, to everyone who contributed, and of course, to everyone who came along and enjoyed themselves.
Alice Gilmour, January 2020
