Nestled in the eclectic neighbourhood of Hyde Park, Left Bank is a place that is almost impossible to summarise in just a few words- but I will try my best to paint the picture. Imagine stepping into a beautiful church built in 1907, to find that that church was home to street dancing toddlers, a cafe and a bar, a 40-person art project, a clothes swap, a 21st birthday party and a plethora of other diverse community projects. These activities come together in one room to form an eco-system of unity, acceptance and togetherness.
See- not so easy to picture!
This community network is called ‘Culture Club’ and takes place every Wednesday night at Left Bank. Some of the groups take place weekly, monthly or only come by once. This unique collaboration of social groups truly does provide something for everybody, as the website states, THIS IS YOUR PLACE.
There is a natural human compulsion to think, ‘it’s a place for everyone…. but does that everyone include me?’ Three seconds of courage to push open to huge wooden doors will tell you that you are wholeheartedly welcome here. The beauty of Left Bank was summarised by various patrons I spoke to. There is NO PRESSURE. There is no pressure to speak- but people would love to get to know you. Theres no pressure to partake in a club- but people would love to share their activity with you. There’s no pressure to buy food and drink- but delicious PAYF hot meals are available throughout that night.
As a community centred project, Left Bank is a safe space to form new connections and offers people who are new to the area with roots and a sense of belonging. Sarah, a regular face at Culture Club, pinpointed Left Bank as having been…
‘A transformative part of my relationship with Leeds and feeling at home here.’
This seemed to be the general consensus as I made my way around. People were using the space from across the city, noting how there is nowhere else quite like it for being yourself and feeling at home. I caught up with Rachael who travels across the city to attend. Rachael noted Left Bank’s intolerance of division, how the old church building is rooted in acceptance, diversity and belonging. This was echoed by other attendees who described Wednesday nights as an oasis away from the world outside- a form of escapism and a place to look after your wellbeing.
With this in mind, I asked everyone I spoke to what initially brought them to Left Bank, and where a good place to start would be for a first timer. The answer for a vast majority of people was Doodle Chat. Doodle Chat is a group founded by local artist Edek Thompson and ran with Ed and his amazing team of facilitators to provide a space for doodling, chatting, doodling and chatting or even doing neither of those things! In short, Doodle Chat was a space to be together or to be in company at the very least. Although Ed and his team are taking a break, Left Bank are going to continue to provide the resources and the space for the arts table to continue. Whether you’re a professional artist or you can barely draw your curtains, many of the regular attendees are always up for a chat and to point you in the right direction. This activity also gives a newcomer the chance to take Culture Club in, providing them with the confidence to branch out over a few weeks to try some new things and meet some new people.
For someone wanting an even softer launch into Left Bank life, the space is open for you to just sit and relax on your own, bring a book or an activity and enjoy a delicious hot meal and a nice drink. As I said before- the special thing about this place is that there is no pressure to do anything you don’t want to do. If this introduction has sparked your interest, and you might quite like to come down, find out what groups will be attending for the new few weeks @leftbankleeds on social media or via their website.