What's on near First Direct Arena
A bold, joyful punk-musical one-person show about making a queer family on your own terms.
From £16.50
‘Plant Dreaming’ gathers the work of seven contemporary artists and their thoughts on plant knowledge and ecopolitics, at Leeds Art Gallery.
Free entry
Leeds is a city best explored on foot. With a local guide leading the way, this 90-minute walking tour offers an engaging introduction to a city.
From £12.00
Please Do Not Touch, a powerful and emotional one-man show at Leeds Playhouse. Tackling contested artefacts, justice and free speech.
From £15.00
Journey from the sun-drenched shores of Jamaica to the cold, grey streets of 1940s London in Small Island.
From £16.50
Northern Monk, one of Leeds’ best breweries, is kicking off the weekend with a brewery tour to kick start your Saturday afternoon.
From £20.00
Take a journey through 300 years of pub and brewing history in Leeds, with a heritage Pub and brewery tour.
From £35.00
Musical brutalism is having a moment – and Mandy, Indiana are right in it, bringing URGH’s raw force to Brudenell.
From £15.00Where to go near First Direct Arena
Oriental dining, live music and private karaoke, the upmarket Chinese restaurant Blue Pavilion is bringing the party to Leeds.
ibis Leeds City Centre Arena is a hotel that’s Yorkshire through and through. Brewed with the very best of Leeds and Yorkshire, this hotel’s bustling and modern like the city.
An independent bookshop specialising in literature across the LGBTIQA+ spectrum.
This music hall and canteen recently opened in the former site of Leeds Children’s Palace – a three-storey recreation hall and nursery school.
Jumbo Records is Leeds’ number one independent record store, with these large premises occasionally featuring in-store events with a bountiful record collection and coffee.
With a great mix of retailers over two levels including fashion, gifts and food, plus its own secure car park, St Johns Centre makes shopping in Leeds easy
The Brunswick offers great food, shabby chic decor and a whole range of real ales and craft beers on tap.
Surfing the nouvelle vague.
The Leeds branch of the O2 Academy chain.
Vintage Tearoom’s customers are treated to a diverse range of speciality teas and cold refreshments, all served with fresh-baked scones and cakes.
Culture Guides
From underground festivals showcasing emerging talent to global icons unveiling new work, here are our latest live music highlights.
Spring has arrived, bringing with it Mother's Day, al fresco dining and a rush of high-profile food and drink-related events in Manchester.
This month’s theatre highlights span dystopian classics, political thrillers and bold new opera.
Across Manchester and Salford, exhibitions are thinking hard about how things are made – and how materials carry stories.
Step away from the usual. Tours and activities that spark curiosity, inspire creativity and offer something refreshingly different.
Whether you’re after storybook theatre, museum wanderings or illusion-bending play spaces, there’s plenty to keep curiosity ticking through winter and beyond.
There's no shortage of great films out at the moment, whether you're looking for the latest blockbuster, that hot arthouse flick fresh from Cannes or a cosy classic.