Bruntwood partners with Compass Live Art

Bruntwood has partnered with Compass Live Art in Leeds to support their upcoming 2021 Compass Festival taking place across the city, creating interactive experiences that bring high quality art to everyone as they go about their daily lives.

Compass commissions and presents interactive live art projects in Leeds, as well as running an artist residency programme and artist development initiatives.

Bruntwood’s partnership with Compass feeds directly into the business’s purpose of Creating Thriving Cities, by helping to bring communities together, sharing the stories of individuals and groups, and invigorating the region.

Bruntwood is committed to creating healthy, vibrant and culturally rich places for people. Its partnerships allow the organisation to invest in places to improve culture, increase vibrancy and bring about real change by connecting people and supporting the creative industries. Compass Festival’s projects are thought-provoking, entertaining and memorable, designed specifically to reflect and celebrate the people, places, history and stories of Leeds.

Wendy Denman, Community Engagement Manager at Bruntwood said: “We’re so excited to partner with Compass Live Art. At Bruntwood, we believe in creating thriving cities that are culturally rich, vibrant places to be, and Compass does just that. The positive impact that Compass Live Art and the Compass Festival have on Leeds is so important, contributing to our economy, culture and community; which will be crucial as we move past the pandemic and into recovery. The Festival is always a highlight of the Leeds calendar, but even more so in these times, giving us opportunities to come together, to learn and to be entertained.” 

Annie Lloyd, Co-Director of Compass Live Art said: "Compass Live Art are delighted to be partnering with Bruntwood. Our aims of creating participation in great art projects that celebrate the people and places of Leeds are a really good fit with Bruntwood's commitment to thriving cities and communities. Together we can champion local communities, put people's stories at the heart of the work and take pride in where we live, work and play. All Compass projects are a unique combination of world class artists and local participants. You'll find them in public locations and free of charge. After a very challenging year for everyone, we value the support Bruntwood is giving us as we start to navigate our way back into public space again." 

The biennial Compass Festival hosts live and interactive art projects across Leeds in public spaces for everyone. This is the fifth edition of the Festival and will showcase six thought-provoking, moving and playful projects that will take you on a journey around Leeds.

The festival will look a little different this year given the pandemic, but the team has spent the past year adapting the programme to ensure that people can still experience all that it has to offer. Projects will be taking place in a variety of covid-safe settings from purpose-built spaces to the city’s streets, all of which can be enjoyed alone or in your bubble.

But for those that don’t feel comfortable venturing into public just yet, there will also be a series of podcasts featuring festival artists, local practitioners and experts, delving into the subject matters highlighted through the festival. From mental health to queer spaces, artistic endeavour to the taste of Leeds, there’s plenty to get stuck into.

Kicking off with ‘Pick Me Up (and hold me tight)’, an exhibition exploring the relationship between mental health and modern life, audience members are given the opportunity to reflect on the changes in the fabric of our communities and the innate power of listening.

Find out more about Bruntwood’s partnerships or check out the full Compass Festival line up.