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From purpose-built, civic institutions to art deco breweries and repurposed mills, Leeds and its surrounding region is bursting with some of the best galleries and art centres in the North. While not a small city, getting around Leeds is easy enough so you can definitely visit a few of its wonderful galleries in one go, if you feel like it!
Starting with the fine collection of Leeds Art Gallery‘s 20th century art, you can enjoy the permanent collection as well as the temporary, changing exhibitions. The gallery is also physically connected to the Henry Moore Institute, so you can easily pop in next door to check out any sculpture displays. CLAY is brimming with thought-provoking and boundary-testing live art, while Assembly House is home to 49 artists, so keep an eye out for updates on new shows and classes, such as life drawing.
A little further out, you’ll find The Tetley which, alongside some incredible architecture, also boasts a programme of fascinating exhibitions. Further still, Hepworth Wakefield invites visitors with its gorgeous surroundings, including a garden, while the Yorkshire Sculpture Park is a true national treasure of artwork seamlessly intertwined with nature.
Here are our picks
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1. The Tetley
The Tetley, Hunslet Road, Leeds, Yorkshire, LS10 1JQ - Visit now
Housed in the 1931 art deco headquarters of the Joshua Tetley & Son brewery, The Tetley opened in 2013 and has sat at the very epicentre of the Leeds art scene ever since with exciting exhibitions produced to the highest standards.
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2. The Henry Moore Institute in Leeds
Courtesy of Henry Moore Institute The Henry Moore Institute in Leeds, 74 The Headrow, Leeds, LS1 3AH
Founded by the major 20th century sculptor Henry Moore, who claimed “there wasn’t a single piece of sculpture in my hometown” (Castleton), today, this city centre gallery boasts one of the strongest public collections of sculpture in Britain and offers an ambitious programme of related exhibitions.
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3. Leeds Art Gallery
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4. The Hepworth Wakefield
The Hepworth Wakefield, Gallery Walk, Wakefield, Yorkshire, WF1 5AW - Visit now
Just a short drive out of Leeds, The Hepworth Wakefield is easily one of the leading cultural highlights of the North – a claim affirmed by the Art Fund when it awarded the centre the prestigious title of Museum of Year in 2017.
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5. Yorkshire Sculpture Park
Yorkshire Sculpture Park, West Bretton, Wakefield, Yorkshire, WF4 4LG - Visit now
Never fail to combine a visit to The Hepworth Wakefield with the chance to stretch your legs and enjoy modern and contemporary sculpture in the UK’s leading open-air gallery, located just a stone’s throw away.
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6. Assembly House in Leeds
Courtesy of Assembly House -
7. CLAY: Centre for Live Art Yorkshire in Leeds
CLAY: Centre for Live Art Yorkshire in Leeds, 1, 2 Regent St, Leeds, LS2 7QA - Visit now
Located in the heart of Leeds, CLAY (Centre for Live Art Yorkshire) is the new incarnation of LAB (Live Art Bistro) and seeks to present some of the most intriguing and transgressive work being made in the field by artists at all stages in their career.
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