Young Curators at Transform 25

Over the past year, Transform’s Young Curators – nine artists and creatives from Leeds – have been learning what it takes to run an ambitious international festival while building connections with a group of Young Curators in Nairobi, Kenya, facilitated by The GoDown Arts Centre. 

They’ve designed various moments across the festival, inviting audiences to pause, reflect on and respond to the performances, the city, and each other.

Stay tuned for updates from both the Leeds and Nairobi cohorts as they share their experiences of curation and collaboration across two continents.

An Olive Tree: A Living Archive

Installation
Thu 23, Fri 24 & Sat 25 October, 10am–4pm
Leeds Kirkgate Market
Free, drop-in

Alongside Dear Laila by Basel Zaraa, An Olive Tree: A Living Archive – rooted at Leeds Kirkgate Market and presented by the Young Curators – invites you to reflect on home, memory and displacement. Festivalgoers and passersby are invited to leave words, drawings, or images on its branches to create a growing archive of shared reflections – a living testament to belonging and resilience.

Talk Transform

Available at box office for all programmed indoor performances

Going to the theatre can be even better when it’s shared. Transform’s Young Curators invite you to wear a conversation badge to connect with other festivalgoers. Spot someone else wearing one? Say hello, share thoughts, and turn solo theatre visits into shared moments of connection.

Transform Happy Hour

Fri 24 October, 5–7pm
Outlaws Yacht Club
Free, drop-in

On Friday evening, join the Young Curators as they host one of the festival’s informal Happy Hours. Enjoy refreshments, chat with the curators, and hear about their collaboration with the Nairobi-based cohort and their role in shaping Transform 25.