Journal | Transform

Young performers on stage, a mirror ball and blue lighting

Making Space: a new collaboration spanning Leeds and Nairobi —

Transform is collaborating with The GoDown Arts Centre, based in Nairobi, to deliver Making Space, a new arts research programme exploring ways to empower young people in their cities.

Applying to be a Young Curator – FAQs —

Answering some Frequently Asked Questions about what's involved with being a Young Curator

People gather around a table in conversation

Join our focus group —

We’re inviting 10-12 people from Leeds City Region to be part of a focus group that will help us shape the 2025 festival.

Characters dance on a red lit stage with a big screen behind

Read our 2023-24 report —

Our 2023-24 report gives an insight into our programming strands, our financial model and what artists and audiences had to say about Transform 23.

People strike poses on stage, a screen with words behind saying 'There are no interviews or records about the people who took part in this opera'

Transform receives Unlimited Micro Capital Access Grant —

Transform has been awarded £10,000 from the WYCA Unlimited Micro Capital Access Grant scheme, which supports work to improve accessibility for disabled artists and audiences.

Watch the making of SECRETS —

Watch our film about the group of young performers who collaborated to make SECRETS.

A dark photograph of people intwined in dance

The latest photos from our New Dimensions commission —

We were in Brighton in January, catching up with Dan Daw Creative Projects during their technical residency at the Attenborough Centre for the Creative Arts.

Watch our Transform 23 highlights —

Our Transform 2023 highlights film captures the thrilling, daring magic of last year’s festival.

The cast of ONE SONG on bleachers with white powder in plumes around them

The Stage shortlists Transform for its 2024 International Award —

Transform has been shortlisted for The Stage’s 2024 International Award – a powerful testament to the success of Transform 23.

Week two at Transform 23 —

Transform 23 is over – and it's been nothing short of spectacular!

A DJ with light illuminating a huge church space

Week one at Transform 23 —

'Powerful, moving, exceptional' – week one of Transform 23 awed audiences across Leeds.

OUT AND ABOUT: PUBLIC ART AT TRANSFORM 23 —

Alongside genre-bending performances across iconic venues in Leeds, discover these interactive public artworks out and about in the city.

AN ALTERNATIVE GUIDE TO TRANSFORM 23 —

There are fifteen events from 11–22 October and if you’re unsure where to start, we’re here to help! Check out our alternative guide to this year’s festival.

One month to go —

With one month to go until Transform 23, we’re today announcing a series of new commissions, DJ sets and immersive encounters to deepen your experience of the festival.

Mayawa on stage stretched in dance movement

PUMPITOPERA TRANSATLANTICA MICRO-COMMISSIONS —

We've invited four exciting Leeds-based artists to develop micro-commissions to celebrate the UK premiere of Pumpitopera Transatlantica by MEXA.

A silhouette of a person against a neon coloured background

IF WALLS COULD TALK… —

Opening the festival alongside Ásrún Magnúsdóttir’s SECRETS, Transform’s Young Curators present IF WALLS COULD TALK.

a woman stands on stage in front of a crowd, there are transform 12

CALLING ALL PERFORMANCE PROFESSIONALS —

We are excited to be drawing together a community of artists, programmers and wider performing arts professionals in Leeds for the festival - and we invite you to join us.

Two dancers in silhouette against a blue background

UNVEILED: TRANSFORM 23 —

Get lost in epic odysseys and dark woodland, hear unspoken secrets, meet iconic orphans, join ceremonial concerts and unite in shared euphoria... Transform 23 is here

A person stands and shouts on stage, wearing casual sports wear

FIRST TWO SHOWS REVEALED & LAUNCH PARTY ANNOUNCED —

Our next international festival Transform 23 unfolds across Leeds from 11–22 October 2023.

The silhouette of a person obscured by pink shadowy lighting

SECRETS: Share a Secret —

Are you aged 16-19 and living in Leeds? Submit a secret which might be shared anonymously as part of the SECRETS performance at Transform 23.

ANNOUNCING INTERNATIONAL COLLABORATIONS —

We are excited to announce two new Transform commissions which are currently in the making and will be presented with festival peers internationally before heading to audiences in Leeds…

Introducing Our New Team Members —

Introducing Ema Boswood (Producer), Siana-Mae Heppell-Secker (General Manager), and Hannah Keating (Freelance Marketing and Engagement Manager)

Performer lies draped across a podium in the centre of the image. They are wearing knee pads and something around their middle but nothing else. There are two naked women curled into balls on the floor facing away from the camera and one woman sitting towards the back of the image on a very large black box that takes up half of the image's background. There is a motorbike suspended on the right hand side. Lighting in this image is mostly red with a projection on the backdrop of a twisted dark forest, with tree roots entwined.

New Dimensions Commission —

Transform (Leeds), Battersea Arts Centre (London), Take Me Somewhere (Glasgow), Tramway (Glasgow), and Attenborough Centre for the Creative Arts (Brighton) have come together to support artists who are ready to dream big and create a new work of scale that can tour nationally and internationally.

Arts Council England Investment 2023-2026 —

Transform has been successful in our application to become an Arts Council England National Portfolio Organisation from 2023-2026. After 8 years of operating as a project funded organisation, we cannot express our gratitude and excitement to be moving into this new phase as an organisation.

Back to Back Theatre visit London, Brighton and Leeds —

This Autumn, in partnership with Leeds Playhouse, we’re thrilled to be joining forces with Battersea Arts Centre and Attenborough Centre for the Creative Arts to bring internationally recognised Australian company Back to Back Theatre to the UK.

THE SHADOW WHOSE PREY THE HUNTER BECOMES —

We're thrilled to be partnering with Leeds Playhouse to bring award-winning Australian theatre company Back to Back Theatre to Leeds.

Horizon Showcase —

Horizon, a vibrant new performance showcase designed to celebrate visionary artists and cultural leaders is coming to Edinburgh in just four weeks.

FORGE – Conversations Announcement —

We are delighted to announce the speakers for the three FORGE conversations.

9 WAYS TO EXPERIENCE TRANSFORM 21-22 —

The final wave of Transform 21-22 is approaching! We’ve put together our top 9 recommended ways to experience Transform 21-22, specially put together with the bold and the curious in mind!

INTRODUCING OUR NEW TRUSTEES – NICK DYSON & NADINE PATEL —

Following a recruitment process, we are over the moon that Nick Dyson and Nadine Patel are joining the Transform board.

FINAL WAVE ANNOUNCED – TRANSFORM 21-22 —

Today we announce the final wave of Transform 21-22, a reimagined festival for our times. Transform 21-22 is an experiment to reimagine what an international festival can look like and represent in the future.

WELCOME TO TRANSFORM 21-22 —

We are thrilled to be launching Transform 21-22, an extended festival for our times.

Leeds workers wanted for 12 Last Songs at Leeds Playhouse —

We’re seeking Leeds workers to be part of an extraordinary event that will create a portrait of the city, this October.

Introducing our reimagined festival for 2021-2022 —

Today we are introducing our reimagined festival format for 2021-2022.

PAY WHAT YOU CAN TICKETING —

As part of our commitment to inclusion and accessibility, Transform is trialling a Pay What You Can ticket model.

Introducing Our New Chair & Team Members —

Introducing Jane Bhoyroo (Chair), Lily Lavorato (Producer – Creative People), and Jay Millard (Assistant Producer)

HORIZON PROGRAMME ANNOUNCEMENT —

We are delighted to reveal the programme for Horizon – Performance Created in England, a vibrant new showcase connected to this year’s Edinburgh Festival Fringe.

Announcing 12 Last Songs – A Transform & Quarantine Co-Production —

We are thrilled to announce that we are working in co-production with Quarantine to present ‘12 Last Songs’.

IMAGINING FUTURES —

We are excited to be working in partnership with the Goethe-Institut to produce Imagining Futures – a future focused peer network and European co-commission experiment.

TRANSFORM UPDATE —

Last June, I wrote an update on where Transform was at. We were very much at the early stages of grappling with the impacts of the pandemic...

Introducing our new producer, Ali Ford —

We are excited to announce that Ali Ford is joining Transform as our new Producer.

EDINBURGH UPDATE #1 —

This is the first of a series of blogs from the team commissioned by Arts Council England to come up with a new showcase for performance from England at the Edinburgh Festivals.

Announcing England’s Performing Arts Showcase Consortium – Commissioned by Arts Council England —

A new flagship International Showcase celebrating performance created in England will be piloted during the Edinburgh Festivals in 2021

WHERE WE ARE RIGHT NOW —

Like everyone, we’ve had a challenging few months at Transform. I’ve never been a big blogger...