We are excited to reveal some new additions to the nearly sold-out festival. Every day of the festival will feature a pop-up bookstore and an exhibition, with some significant partner activations relating to the festival’s themes on specific days. This useful information is provided below to help you get the most out of your time at #LIFI23.
Projecting Grief Exhibition
Playhouse Kitchen (Level 2)
We are pleased to reveal that the critically acclaimed and LIFI23-funded exhibition, Projecting Grief is being transported to the Playhouse. This captivating exhibition explores the relationship between loss, creativity, and healing. Building on the success of its online presence, Projecting Grief invites viewers to immerse themselves in real-life stories of grief and art.
Waterstones
Pop-up book shop – Leeds Playhouse (opposite on-site Box Office)
Each day of the festival Waterstones will be hosting a pop-up book shop in the venue. Expect books relating to speakers of the festival and more.
Wed 27 Sept
Leeds Piano Trail Day of Play performance, 18:00-19:00. Pianist Natasya Sumantho will be joining joins Leeds International Festival of Ideas as she takes to the Playhouse piano as part of the Leeds Piano Day’s September Day of Play.
Beatfreeks is a youthful, independent, creative insight and strategy agency, founded by Anisa Morridadi as a way to bring young people and businesses together. Across areas of research and insight, consultancy, and activations, Beetfreaks build relevant communities to reach consumers, citizens and workers, creating rich commercial and social impact for clients like TikTok, Coca Cola, DCMS, and Lendlease.
Bloody Good Period : Bloody Good Employers
Bloody Good Employers is on a mission to create fairer, safer workplaces for employers and all people who menstruate. Co-founded by Gabby Jahanshahi-Edlin, it works to review and improve workplace menstrual and gender equity whilst donating profit to help get period products and education to those who need it. Bloody Good Employers offers support and education for employers who are committed to promoting equality, diversity, and the rights of all workers to be treated fairly.
“It's really great to have these additional activities running alongside the festival, linking to the themes and topics of the #LIFI23. We are pleased to bring back the Waterstones partnership too and the fantastic and moving exhibition Projecting Grief. ”Martin Dickson
Thu 28 Sept
LeedsBID works collaboratively to put Leeds on the map, making new things happen across the city centre for the benefit for all who use it. The largest Business Improvement District outside of London, LeedsBID is delivering over £14m investment back into Leeds city centre through its projects, events and activities during 2020-2025.
Weightmans is a top 40 UK law firm, with more than 1,400 people working from offices in Birmingham, Cardiff, Glasgow, Leeds, Leicester, Liverpool, London, Manchester, and Newcastle. Weightmans are delighted to be proud sponsors of this year’s Leeds International Festival of Ideas.
Done up North – demo 18:00-19:00
Can upcycling make The Good Life even better? It doesn’t have to be all make-do and mend. The Good Life 2.0 is all about make do, mend and MAKEOVER. Transforming tired, out-of-date, or worn-out items to continue to use them rather than throwing them away is a planet-friendly and budget-conscious option over buying new. Other benefits include the satisfaction and enjoyment in the makeover process itself, helping people’s mental health, experiencing greater personal expression and allow us to create a more exciting, unique home. Join founder Nicky Cash in sharing some of her favourite tips, makeovers and demoing re-styling ideas to inspire people with ways to enjoy upcycling their life.
Fri 29 Sept
A charity dedicated to investigating miscarriages of justice, Inside Justice works to empower individuals convicted of a crime they say they did not commit. It has built a wholly unique advisory panel of world-renowned experts who work pro bono to strengthen the criminal justice system. Founded by Louise Shorter, Inside Justice’s vision is to have a fair and transparent criminal justice system for all and campaigns for systemic change.
Leeds Mind fights for better mental health for all. Part of the Mind network, its services include counselling, peer support, creative wellbeing activities, employment support and more.
Sat 30 Sept
Unlock Democracy campaigns for a vibrant democracy and a written constitution for the UK and is chaired by Tom Brake, who features on our “Who does our political system benefit?”
Unlock Democracy builds campaigns that help to deliver fair and open elections, transparency in public decision-making, power exercised as close to people as is practicable, empower individuals and communities with a greater say over the decisions that affect them, democratic accountability of all elected representatives, government and public bodies and universal human rights for all.
The Writers’ Guild of Great Britain (WGGB) chaired by the brilliant #LIFI23 speaker Lisa Holdsworth represents professional writers as well as emerging and aspiring writers in TV, film, theatre, audio, books, comedy, poetry, animation and video games. WGGB negotiate better pay and working conditions for writers and its national agreements cover key industry bodies, including the BBC, ITV, National Theatre, Royal Court and Royal Shakespeare Company.
