Leeds Arts University

Leeds Arts University is the only specialist arts university in the north of England. With over twenty different courses at further education, undergraduate and postgraduate levels, LAU have been providing arts education in Leeds for over 170 years!

The Careers, Employability and Enterprise Team aim to prepare and support students through the transition from education to employment or self-employment. They run workshops, talks, events, mentoring, and a variety of other activities and opportunities for students and alumni. One of the things that they provide is spaces for creative practitioners and entrepreneurs, such as those at Dock Street Workshops.

By having spaces at Dock Street, the university can fund different types of studios, as the people they help range from those needing office space to those requiring space for print rooms, photography studios, and practice rooms. It provides residents with access to a creative community and a space to grow their business or practice, helping them take their work forward.

The incubator scheme space provides residents in the early stages of their careers with a supportive and enabling environment to develop their businesses. The studio managers are great at signposting residents to helpful contacts, for everything from industry insights to equipment and furniture.

Leeds Arts University heard about LCVS in the same way that many others did: with an ear to the ground in the creative sector of Leeds! They say that everyone hears great things about their workshops pretty quickly!