The city's museums have secured a huge funding boost to help safeguard their future.
In news that will put a smile on your face, Leeds Museums and Galleries have today been awarded a total of £952,000 following a successful bid for a share of the Museum Renewal Fund distributed by Arts Council England.
The fund is aimed at providing urgent support to museums and galleries that are owned and maintained by local authority funding.
It helps to deliver projects to safeguard vital community engagement and ensure continued public access.
Image: Leeds City Council
The crucial funding will support a total of ten inspiring projects being planned by Leeds Museums and Galleries, which is one of the country’s largest local authority run museums and galleries services.
One of the main focuses will be on Abbey House Museum, aiming to produce a long-term development plan that will work towards safeguarding the museum’s future.
Also benefiting from the funding award will be Leeds Art Gallery, aiming to redevelop the gallery and create a larger world-renowned site.
David Hopes, Leeds Museums and Galleries’ head of service, said: “We are so grateful to Arts Council England for their continued support and these essential funds to help stabilise our future.
Image: Leeds City Council
“These development projects will see us make long term plans with the people of Leeds for the sustainability of their museum service, as well as providing fantastic visitor experiences and meaningful engagement for the people of the city and beyond.”
Councillor Salma Arif, Leeds City Council’s executive member for adult social care, active lifestyles and culture, said: “This funding award is fantastic news for our museums and galleries and a massive endorsement of the superb work they are doing to showcase history, heritage and culture to hundreds of thousands of people every year.
“Securing this hugely important funding will support our dedicated and passionate teams on site to form exciting plans for the future, creating a series of new, and engaging experiences for our visitors and showcasing Leeds as a top cultural destination.”
Whitelock’s Ale House has announced the return of its annual Beer Festival - hoorah!
There’s nothing quite like a nice fresh pint, and we all know Whitelock’s Ale House know how to pour a good one.
So it's with great glee that we can fill you in on their upcoming Beer Festival which will be returning to the iconic festival from Thursday 18 to Sunday 21 June 2026.
The four-day festival will celebrate the best of independent brewing in Leeds, with beers sourced exclusively from local breweries.
Featured breweries will include Northern Monk, Kirkstall Brewery, Anthology, Amity Brew Co. and more.
Known as the oldest pub in Leeds, Whitelock’s Ale House has long championed independent beers and local brewing culture.
Image: Supplied
This year’s festival aims to spotlight the strength and diversity of the city’s brewing scene, with the tagline 'Beer tastes better up north!'
Beer will be pouring throughout the weekend across Whitelock's Ale House and The Turk's Head, with further brewery announcements and festival details set to be shared in the coming weeks via their Instagram.
The best part? Entry to the festival is completely free.
Talking about this year’s festival, General Manager Beth said: “Beer has always been at the heart of Whitelock’s, so this felt like the right year to celebrate both the breweries on our doorstep and the city we’ve called home for more than 300 years.
"Leeds has a brilliantly strong independent beer scene right now, and we’re looking forward to showcasing some of the best breweries the city has to offer across the weekend.”
You can find out more about Whitelock's Ale House and their fabulous Beer Festival here via their website. Cheers to that!
Inside Leeds’ very first sauna and ice bath cafe hidden behind a railway arch
Clementine Hall
Get ready to take the plunge Leeds, as a community-led sauna and ice bath concept has landed in the city centre.
Hidden behind a railway arch in Saxton Gardens, Kontrast has brought its popular sauna and ice bath concept to the city.
Following the huge success of its Manchester site, Kontrast Leeds combines saunas, ice baths and a cafe designed to bring wellness into everyday life.
The Leeds space features two traditional saunas, one infrared saunas and four ice baths each varying in temperature between 3 and 13 degrees.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
The space is absolutely gorgeous, complete with trendy tin ceilings, fairy lights and soft furnishings.
Plunge pools can be enjoyed solo or shared, depending on what guests choose, giving people the opportunity to shape each session around exactly what they need that day.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
The same goes for the saunas, with one silent and one sauna giving guests the option to come for conversation or reflection.
Single sessions will cost just £12 for 45 minutes, with 90-minute sessions from £20.
There's a fab little cafe too offering all sorts from electrolyte slushes to ginger shots and a range of coffees and matcha.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
Known for making sauna and ice feel more accessible, welcoming and community-driven, Kontrast has grown beyond regular sessions to become a base for recurring events. These include their live ambient DJ set event, Unwind, which celebrates local talent, and their weekly run club, both of which the team hopes to bring to Leeds as part of building a similar sense of community in the city.
Officially opening their doors this Friday 29 May, Kontrast are offering free sessions over the weekend so you can try before you buy. Book your spot here.
Clementine Hall -
8th October 2025 
