Playhouse hosts exciting skate video premieres as part of citywide Civic Skateboarding event

7 Sep 2023

The Playhouse is hosting a special free screening on Saturday 16 September at 7pm as part of LEEDS 2023 Civic Skateboarding Festival, premiering five new skate videos from Leeds-based skateboard filmmakers.

We have a long history as a welcoming site for skateboarding and are thrilled to now celebrate skateboard culture in our epic Quarry theatre. As well as embracing the growing diversity in skateboarding culture, this event also asks us to consider the performativity and creativity inherent to the act of skateboarding, as well as its connection to place.

Civic Skateboarding has been produced by artist Harry Meadley to form better relationships between skateboarders and Leeds’ civic and cultural institutions. It has been co-created, co-curated, and co-skated by many members of the Leeds skateboard community.

Click here for full details of Civic Skateboarding

Programme

PLAYBACK
Farran Golding
A showreel exploring Leeds’ audiovisual skateboarding history, spanning twenty-plus years across a multi-general lens of skateboarders and filmmakers who have given unique meaning to Leeds’ landmarks and innocuous spaces whilst unconsciously documenting the city’s changing landscape.

STREET SKATE TOGETHER
Harry Meadley
Featuring Elsie Amies, Nyla Bowyer, Ro Elliott, Halifa Jawo, Ruby McMullen, Annie Prior and many more. Co-created with the participants of the Street Skate Together summer programme in collaboration with LS-TEN Skatepark, this short film documents female, gender minority and male ally skateboarders banding together to build confidence street skating in public spaces.

DIVERSION
Stan Watson
Featuring Zak Parker, Emre Sen, Robin Evans, Leo Mercer, Fred Ryan, Charlie Curle, Logan Riley and more. A celebration of Leeds youth skating culture from the perspective of a 17 year old skater.

PASSING PLACES
Joe Allen
Featuring Harry Meadley, Farran Golding, Leo Mercer, Dave Tyson, Jono Coote, Joe Allen, Paul Watson, Izzy Almond and more. Loosely based on a Scottish play of the same name, it follows its subjects from the suburbs of Leeds, into the countryside, and out to the coast, with a focus on skating spots that are off the beaten track.
Official selection Vladimir Film Festival, Croatia

DRAFTS: VOL.3
Hilda Quick
Featuring Connie Gascoyne, Izzy Almond, Jasmine Lowe, Minnie Mearns and more. Filmed by one of the UK’s few female skate videographers, this latest instalment of Hilda Quick’s debut series Drafts features some less documented female skaters in the north of England, among a wider network of friends.

Civic Skateboarding film premieres: Saturday 16 September at 7pm, 60 mins running time, FREE (not ticketed)

  • MAJOR FUNDERS

    Arts Council
  • Leeds City Council
  • LTB Foundation
  • Principal Partner

    Caddick Group
  • Principal Access Partner

    Irwin Mitchell