I have a pencil and a dream.

2021.

I have a pencil and a dream is the result of a long and remote conversation with students and young people across Leeds.

Invited by Leeds 2023 to undertake “a creative consultation with a public realm output” I began by sharing collage work and adapted postcards and inviting people to: ‘Imagine Leeds afresh – a city for the future. If you could make it and build it any way you liked, what would it be?’ Then over 6 months, unable to meet due to Covid, we exchanged ideas, drawings, writings, models and collages using email and the post.

Inspired by what they imagined I generated drawn, collage and digital responses. A selection formed the basis of an editioned boxset or ‘exhibition in a box’ of 20 A3 prints, a devised activity, materials to support making and ways to get involved in LEEDS2023. The boxset was gifted to schools and colleges across Leeds and supported with workshops. In addition an A3 print was gifted to each of the 700 contributors, whose ideas were also used by Leeds College of Art BA Illustration students in the creation of billboard posters hosted across Leeds in 2021.

“2023 will be a Year of Culture – an extraordinary, year-long programme of creative and cultural experiences for Leeds, with Leeds and inspired by Leeds. This project was the start of our journey to LEEDS 2023. It is also a way for us to listen to people’s ideas and make sure they’re part of the conversation about what they want LEEDS 2023 to be.”

Thanks to:
Brackenedge Primary
Leeds College of Art
Queenswood Education Centre
Springwell Academy North
Green Lane Primary
Robin Hood Primary
Weetwood Primary

Poster Illustrators:
Callum Noble
Megan Dobbyn
Bergrún Adda Pálsdóttir
Tanya Shanduka

Project Manager:
Kath Welford

Commissioned by:
LEEDS2023

Photo Credit:
Ant Robling

Twitter coverage of this work

Yorkshire Evening Post Article

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