East Leeds Venues Encouraged to Apply for Access Support

Disabled artists and audiences in West Yorkshire, including those in East Leeds, are set to benefit from new investment aimed at improving accessibility across cultural and creative venues.

Seventeen organisations have secured a share of £230,000 to put practical changes in place, ranging from sensory-friendly spaces to accessible signage, ramps, doors and toilets. The funding has been announced by West Yorkshire Mayor Tracy Brabin as part of her wider £4.2 million You Can Make It Here programme, which supports the region’s creative sector.

The accessibility work is being delivered through a programme run by Unlimited, a disabled-led organisation that is also offering training, guidance and ongoing support to help venues make longer-term improvements.

Tracy Brabin said: “Everyone should be able to access West Yorkshire’s world-class culture and creativity. The funding awarded today will help break down barriers for disabled people, enabling venues to open their doors to more artists and audiences. By transforming spaces in this way, we’re helping businesses and creatives thrive in a stronger, brighter West Yorkshire that works for all.”

The latest round builds on a pilot last year that distributed £60,000 to eight venues, bringing total support so far to £290,000. The selection process for the current awards was led by two panels of disabled creative professionals based in West Yorkshire, who used their lived experience to identify where changes would have the most impact.

Jo Verrent, Director at Unlimited, said that the programme supports organisations to make meaningful and lasting improvements that are shaped by the experiences of disabled people: “True access goes beyond physical changes – it’s about understanding, confidence and culture. We’ve seen incredible progress from the first two rounds, but so many more venues could benefit. If you’re running a cultural venue or community space in West Yorkshire and ready to make real changes for disabled artists and audiences, submit a simple expression of interest by 28 January.”

Expressions of interest for the next round of grants open today and will close on 28 January 2026.