Highlighting the Importance of Experiences for All

Leeds Community Foundation Members and fellow supporters were given the opportunity to hear more about the impact of our work at an online event in June, where the focus was around creating opportunities for all to ‘experience and play’ through the Mohn Westlake Arts Engagement Fund.

The fund supports projects engaging young people up to the age of 20 and young people up to the age of 25 with disabilities in art and the arts, who are excluded or disengaged from opportunities to do so.

Attendees heard from Balbir Singh from Balbir Singh Dance Company and Jelena Zindovic from Space 2, who have been funded through the programme.

Balbir Singh Dance Company offer a synthesis of Contemporary and Kathak Dance styles, bringing to life the experiences representative of 21st century Britain’s diversity.

They utilised this funding to organise their “Language of Rhythm” project, introducing children from diverse ethnic backgrounds to Kathak and contemporary dance tapping in to their own cultural heritages. Kathak consists of two languages – the language of dance and the language of music.

Space 2 pioneers award-winning arts and social change practice, alongside programmes of community development to help bring about transformation in some of the most disadvantaged communities in Leeds.

Their funded project offers a multi-disciplinary arts programme with opportunities for children to work with a range of professional artists and art forms over three years. Each term will bring a different taster experience including spoken word and creative writing, film-making and animation.

Thank you to all who joined us for this event, and to Sweco for their support of this and our membership events over the past year. You can view the full event on or YouTube Channel.

To become a Member, email info@leedscf.org.uk or visit our Membership page.