Thanks for Yorkshire Evening for letting me enter this debate. [I've added pictures]:
YEP Letters: May 30
Check out today’s YEP letters.
Dig deeper to find the city’s culture heroes
Victoria Jaquiss, Meanwood
If Leeds is serious about its City of Culture bid, I think it should look past the usual suspects.
Instead take a look at the background boys and girls who have been beavering away for years teaching the arts, putting on shows, and including them all, from those with additional needs physically and mentally to those whose life chances are reduced by social circumstance.
I will mention the two activities that I know best and am personally involved with: YAMSEN:SpeciallyMusic, formerly known as YHAMSE is an organisation set up over 30 years ago by a group of Music and Special Needs teachers, which is now well established both within our schools and in community settings.
East Steel and choirs 2004
Apart from teaching and training we run festivals, including the Christmas Town Hall concerts, when the stage overflows with the three choirs. These choirs meet fortnightly, and play other events throughout the year.
rehearsing 2014
Town Hall 2014 waiting for East Steel set
My other area of expertise is steelpans: Leeds Silver Steel Sparrows, East Steel and Foxwood Steel. When the Tour de France needed a big steelband at its events, we all came together to be Leeds Pan Central in the Victoria Gardens on the Monday, outside the Arena on Thursday and Briggate on Friday, in just one week, June to July.
outside Arena [Thursday] Grand Depart
outside Arena [Thursday] Grand Depart
Between them our steelbands play about 80 gigs a year, including Wharfedale and Harrogate Festivals, and also Otley, Huddersfield and Manchester Carnivals. After a decade of playing we are sadly not now invited to Leeds Carnival. Four years ago the Leeds Carnival Committee informed us live music on the parade might “cause a riot”. Playing Leeds Carnival, on a float or mainstage used to be the highlight of our steelband year.
Victoria Gdns [Monday] Grand Depart
To play our own hometown now a small group of us have had to resort to popping up, predictably not causing a riot, in Savile Park.
“Authentic” carnivals, in Port of Spain or in London, include many steelbands. With the costumes, they are the backbone of Carnival.
Briggate [Friday] Grand Depart
Leeds West Indian Carnival Committee, at public expense, only invites its own steelband to play.
Being “bigger and better” is meaningless in itself.
If Leeds is serious in getting people to flock to our city for other than economic reasons, it needs
Popping up in rain at Leeds Carnival 2014
a proper audit of what’s already going on, or not, and actions taken now to plug the gaps.
Popping up at a sunny Leeds carnival 2013
If you want to book a steelband, work with a steelband, or join a steelband, please contact Victoria or Bex on foxwoodpanyard@outlook.com
