The Heart of Cultural Festivals,
Arts and Events in Leicester

Fifteen years ago, our Founding Director, Amanda Leandro, arrived in Leicester with a vision: to celebrate cultural diversity and bring communities together through the arts. That vision began with the Cosmopolitan Arts Festival—now our longest-running celebration—and quickly grew to include the Chinese/Lunar New Year Festival. Alongside this came Made in China, the first-ever research project dedicated to exploring the rich Chinese heritage of Leicester and Leicestershire.

This work expanded further through From East to East, a collaborative research project exploring Chinese migration to the East Midlands, developed with communities in Leicester, Nottingham, and Derby.

The Unity Project brought together 15 different cultural groups to share why they settled in Leicester and the challenges they faced, while the For the Love of Jazz Festival has welcomed renowned national and international musicians and continues to be a free, accessible celebration for all.

Our immersive exhibitions have tackled social issues through blending dance, interactive technology, animation, bespoke music, and innovative projection mapping.

We have continued to support local youth through inclusive creative programmes at our venue, offering free music lessons, free instrument hire, and school holiday workshops spanning music, film, DJing, arts activities, and more!

Our mission is to celebrate cultural diversity through the arts, breaking down barriers to foster understanding, social harmony and integration, while reaching audiences who might not typically engage with the arts.

Thank you to every artist, partner, audience member, and supporter who has been part of this journey. We would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to our amazing funders – your support has made everything we do possible!

Here’s to the next chapter.