LEEDS TAPESTRY HOME

Leeds Tapestry is a community arts project embroidered to celebrate the millennium, consisting of 16 panels of needlework in a fabric collage. This fibre art piece not only includes traditional stitches including rag rugging, goldwork, stumpwork, couching, needleweaving and patchwork but also newer methods of embroidery such as computerized machine embroidery, printing on fabric and using vanishing muslin. The first 15 panels were unveiled at Harewood House for a summer exhibition and were on display at The Royal Armouries Museum in Leeds until September 2004. The fiberart panels illustrate Leeds heritage and should be on the agenda of visitors when contemplating what to see in Leeds.

The Leeds Tapestry is a magnificent collaged embroidery of 16 panels which tells the story of one city’s life through the artistic work of its people.

In a 10-year project which culminated in 2002, hundreds of men, women and children devoted their time and skills to creating a breath-taking montage of Leeds life, each 2.4 metres x 1.5 metres (8’ x 3’ 6") panel representing a theme drawn from the community including Education, Health, Transport, the Environment, Textile and Industrial Heritage, Local Faces and Leeds in Bloom.

The project, which has been likened to a modern-day Bayeux’, was facilitated and designed by Leeds textile artist Kate Russell, whose vision to create an authentic and rich tapestry of Leeds’ life involving the diverse sectors of the city was inspired by a quote from Lewis Hydes’ book The Gift’: "Art that matters to people, delights the senses, moves the heart, revives the soul and offers courage for living".

Individuals from all walks of life and from age 4 to 94 have had a hand in the research, design and construction of the panels. Absolute beginners as well as professional textile artists have worked side by side from the outset of the project, sharing skills and strategies. Organisations and individuals to be represented on these panels were invited to contribute both financially and in the research and design processes.

This is largely how the project was funded. Substantial awards were also received from the Arts Council Lottery Programme, the Millennium Fund, the Peter Moore Foundation, Barclays Bank, Evans of Leeds, Elida Faberge and Lloyds TSB.

All the panels are now finished and on display (see How to Find Us). Volunteers, who worked on the Tapestry, are available by arrangement to give guided talks and a small group meet every few months to direct the project.

If you have any ideas to advance the project in any way and especially if you have a comment to add to the history of items represented on the panels, or in the two publications The Leeds Tapestry – We Made It!’ and The Leeds Tapestry’, please get in touch.

 

 

The Leeds Tapestry Book

This 144 page book has full colour illustrations of all 1500 pieces of embroidery which make up the panels of the Leeds Tapestry. Each of the fifteen completed panels and the sixteenth panel in progress are also shown.

The ups and downs of the design and production process, including attracting the volunteers and funds to make the project possible are delightfully told by Kate Russell who initiated the project and Barbara Walker who digitally recorded the whole process.

Over 1500 local businesses, organisations and individuals gave of their money, their time or their expertise to make this magnificent tapestry possible. Most of them are recorded here.

The book costs just £9.95 and can be shipped anywhere in the World. Payment is quick, easy and safe. All our payments are handled by Paypal, the internationally recognised and trusted payment system. Please select the appropriate option below to buy our book now.

UK Customers Total Price £11.95 (£9.95 plus £2.00 P&P)	Non-UK Customers Total Price £13.45 (£9.95 plus £3.50 P&P)