Leeds Creative Skills Festival

Following the success of the first ever Leeds Creative Skills Festival (LCSF) held in 2022, LCSF returned on November 20th 2023 for its second year at the Leeds First Direct Arena, highlighting the diverse creative and cultural careers available in the city and beyond. The festival welcomed 58 organisations, which showcased their work and provided information about their programs and services. The event was a resounding success, demonstrating Leeds as a vibrant city with a thriving arts culture, a rapidly growing digital marketing economy, innovative gaming companies, national architecture firms, music and television production companies, publishers, museums, and galleries. It’s also home to numerous small and medium-sized businesses in the craft and design sectors, as well as a thriving freelancer community.

Highlights

Over 3,000 visitors attended the event, eager to learn about potential career pathways in the creative industries. They had the chance to speak directly with employers and training providers, attend presentations by industry experts, participate in a variety of interactive activities, and enjoy live performances.

• Over 3,000 visitors attended, demonstrating strong community interest.
• 58 exhibitors from the sector showcased their work, offering a broad range of perspectives.

• Industry experts and creatives delivered talks, interactive demonstrations, and live performances.
• Activities included VR cinema screenings, camera demonstrations, movement workshops, theatre makeup, networking opportunities, and more.
• Live performances from artists, dancers, and buskers added to the vibrant atmosphere.
• Visitors had the chance to try their own hand at the open mic, fostering a sense of community and inclusion.
• Active student volunteer involvement - 19 Leeds City College student volunteers from the School of Creative Arts participated in the event.
• Dedicated pre-event sessions covered team building, event briefing, health and safety training, and role allocation, ensuring volunteers were well-prepared and confident.