Leeds & Bradford Piano Trail
Pianos turn public spaces into cultural hubs, unlocking hidden talent across our communities.
Beyond the Competition, The Leeds takes the piano out into its home cities — through the Leeds Piano Trail, a triennial festival and year-round community work — in the belief that world-class artistry and broad public access belong together. Over 35 pianos now sit across Leeds and Bradford, turning bus stations, hospitals and shopping centres into concert halls for everyone to enjoy.
Piano Planters
The Project
Working with Kew Garden’s ‘Grow Wild’ programme, we created a vibrant, colourful (and sometime edible!) trail of Piano Planters for Leeds and Bradford.
Gardeners, allotment holders and community gardening groups grew native, pollinating plants, flowers and vegetables to fill planters for the Leeds Piano Trail — beautiful, curiosity-inspiring additions to the public realm that also highlighted the often-overlooked biodiversity crisis. After the Finals, the planters went back to the groups who made them, to be tended and replanted each season.
The Pianodrome
Our Festival Hub
For the last two competitions, we’ve partnered with Pianodrome, the Edinburgh-based collective who transform discarded pianos into striking public sculptures and immersive performance spaces. Their upcycled piano trail brings colour and curiosity to the streets of Leeds, while their remarkable amphitheatre — built entirely from reclaimed pianos — has served as our festival hub at Leeds City Museum, hosting a full programme of public events throughout the Competition.
Made with Music is a Leeds-based charity providing accessible, educational live music experiences for families and young people, using signing and singing to encourage learning and fun. They work to the social model of disability — adapting environments and practice to meet people’s needs, rather than expecting disabled people to overcome barriers themselves.
The Brudenell is a lively, fun-loving venue embracing music and art under a wide, diverse umbrella with no boundaries. The Brudenell Piano Sessions invite the public to gather around the piano and enjoy the breadth of music composed for and performed on it, in a relaxed, friendly atmosphere that opens the door to new musical discoveries. It’s piano music, for everyone.
The Hollybush Project is open to people aged 18+ with learning disabilities who are eligible for day care through Leeds City Council Social Services. Our site at Kirkstall offers the benefits of being outside in nature, across a varied working environment. In our gardens, raised vegetable and flower beds and a large polytunnel produce flowers and produce for sale, for on-site displays and our raised beds at Kirkstall Abbey, and for use in our café and classroom kitchen.
Piano Designers
Special Thanks to:
