The uses and sometimes abuses of public spaces do much to communicate the identity and character of cities. Across Leeds there is a huge list of events that take place within its public spaces that range from carnivals, concerts, markets, exhibitions, parades, sports events, protests, happenings, flash mobs, etc. For an introductory part of research I looked into various events and happenings that have occurred in Leeds and helped shape the city. The whole part of this research was to look at events in a broad sense, both looking at literal and lateral events that link to the brief. Some events are obvious responses relating to the brief, yet some are more personal to me as Ive throughly thought about events and happening that have happened in Leeds to which I'm interested in. From this research I could highlight potential avenues to go down and research further.
Tour De France 2014
For me this is one of most obvious responses of recent times for this brief, in 2014 the first of the two stages of the worlds most famous bike ride were held in Yorkshire. They started in Leeds and finished in Harrogate and were a great success as the Tour de France race director Christian Prudhomme, described Yorkshire's Grand Depart as the "grandest" in the 111-year history of the race. With an estimated 2.5m people lined the route over the weekend as 'Le Tour' took in some of the county's most famous sights and landmarks. The start of the race was opened by the Duchess of Cambridge, with the help of her husband Prince William and his brother Prince Harry, who cut the ribbon to officially start the race to the backdrop of French national anthem La Marseillaise. Afterwards the British version God Save the Queen then followed as 't'Tour' began to feel distinctly 'Yorkshire'.
The people of Yorkshire really connected with the tour and took the French naming of their hills to heart, with Cote de Grinton Moor giving an exotic sounding to the landscape. The town of Otley, renamed its pubs and restaurants: The Black Horse became Le Cheval Noir, The White Swan was renamed Le Cygne Blanc, and The Crossed Pipes became Les Pipes Croisees. This is a great example of event having a real affect on Yorkshire as a whole.
On a visual sense I could celebrate this event very well, for example the vivid bike jerseys comes to mind instantly and this is a event that has a lot of potential research behind it. It has profound proof that it benefited not just Yorkshire but also Leeds as thousands of tourists would have passed through the city and most likely still do due to the press related to the tour. Like I mentioned this may come across an obvious response but, it has personal feel to me as I designed a Grand Depart poster in college as part of a live competition in which I came second.
Rolling Stones at Roundhay Park
This show was the last concert on their 1982 European Tour and is easily one of Leeds most famous and prolific music gigs. Even so the gig at Roundhay Park in the summer of 1982 has been given a release on DVD and Blu-ray. The Stones welcomed 120,000 or so fans to the gig and it was a huge success with Mr Jagger himself heaping the praise on the gig. He told the Yorkshire Evening Post: “It was a brilliant day. The sun was shining and the Stones were on top form. “I was there with my brother Chris and we managed to get a great spot very near the front. “It’s one of the most memorable gigs I’ve ever been to and it felt as though the huge crowd was witnessing something very special, the greatest band in the world at their absolute peak.
This is an idea which I feel is definitely personal to me, recently I attended the 'cosiest cinema in Leeds' which is only a five minute walk away from my house in Leeds, while sat in the cinema it clicked that the picture house is a historic part of Leeds. Furthermore its been around since 1914 and is the only gas light cinema in the UK, the building itself is beautiful and provides the people of Leeds with an authentic cinema experience. Just from knowledge I already have on Hyde Park Picture House it is obvious that it has potential, it can be celebrated for so many reasons such as the first film shown, moral movies and news shown during ww1 and when the council bought the cinema in 1989 to save it from closure.
Nelson Mandela visit to Leeds
Surprisingly I never knew Nelson Mandela visited Leeds until I began researching for this brief and now I have done so it seems an obvious response, but nonetheless it was definitely a huge day for the city when he attracted thousands to Millennium Square at the front of Leeds Civic Hall. One of most famous men to ever live was in Leeds for a number of reasons, firstly to receive the freedom of the city then to formally open Millennium Square. He was also in Leeds in recognition of the hundreds of ordinary people of the city who took action to isolate apartheid South Africa and to contribute to bringing down its Government and introducing democracy. Collective Leeds Anti-Apartheid group was one of many, in Great Britain and around the world, that used collective power to help destroy apartheid.
Leeds United European adventure 2000/2001
Instantly when I was briefed for Leeds public space I thought of my interests that may relate to the city and its people, I'm a big football fan but not necessarily of Leeds United. Nevertheless I started to brainstorm events and happenings around Leeds United, the obvious findings were the days of Don Revie's successful team and Leeds fielded the first black FA Cup finalist. These are all notable and successful events associated with the club but I wanted something more recent. Personally when I think of Leeds United of recent times, I think back to the 2000/2001 Champions League campaign in which they reached the semi finals, only to be knocked out by Valencia. A team of the likes of Rio Ferdinand, Mark Viduka and Harry Kewell are a far cry from the current Leeds United team, and this shows how far Leeds have fallen back.Nevertheless to look back to that famous season, the season isn't necessarily an event in one specific day or night but more over a space of time, this idea has the potential to focus on a single match from the champions league campaign. For example it could celebrate the famous win over Italian giants AC Milan at Elland Road.
Brudenell Social Club
The Brudenell is a lively and fun venue that embraces music and art under a wide and diverse umbrella that has no boundaries and right in the heart of Hyde Park. Again I only live about five minutes away from the Brudenll so I have a slight link with the institute. What I found in research which was interesting about the club is that its owned by its members, run by its members, for its members.The Brudenell is most famous for hosting secret gigs for bands like Franz Ferdinand and the Kaiser Chiefs. However, it has been a centrepiece of the Leeds music scene for a number of years, and hosts gigs most nights of the week, which are put on by a variety of local promoters. The club holds events big and small which have had an affect on the city and the music scene.
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