Creative Health in Action – Part Two

Do we really care about creative practice? An opportunity to play, create and share the things we care about with guest speaker: Peter Spafford.

Part one – Skippko Fest on 29th or 30th April at Skippko, Barkston House, Croydon Street, Leeds LS11 9RT.

Skippko Fest celebrates Skippko’s National Lottery Community Funded three-year programme ‘Home from Home’. Join Skippko artists and participants to enjoy exhibitions, performance, open mic, creative activities, seed planting, festival snacks and more, and experience creative health in practice.

Email cath.skippko@gmail.com for details.

You do not need to attend Skippko Fest part one to join us for Part Two.

Part two – Creative Health in Action, 19th May 2026 at University Centre Leeds, 68 Mabgate, Leeds LS9 7DZ.

Do we really care about creative practice?

Skippko Arts Team have been facilitating a three-year creative health programme ‘Home from Home’, with care at its heart.

Creative Health in Action event brings together anyone with an interest in creative practice and health and wellbeing.

Good practice involves mutual support and care by all stakeholders – artists, participants, partner organisations and institutions. Join us to share good practice and discuss ideas around how we can do things with care, and how relationships between stakeholders can promote creative health for all.

The event requires some participation and a willingness to be open minded. There are no expectations for the event, just the opportunity to share our experiences, thoughts and ideas.

2 – 2.15pm arrivals/drinks

2.15pm welcome

2.30pm Facilitated creative health activities. How do we do things with care?

3.45pm break

4pm Guest speaker, Peter Spafford – talking about his creative practice, as an artist and a facilitator.

Peter is a writer, musician, broadcaster, and writing organiser based in Leeds. Much of his work is collaborative: with communities, with other musicians and writers, artists, teachers and academics. But when he needs time on his own, he sits on a bench in the park and writes poems.

Peter has been writing professionally for over thirty years. Work he’s written, or helped to create, has been produced in theatres, cathedrals, museums, arts centres, libraries, day centres, hospitals, prisons, streets, schools, on television and the radio.

4.15pm Q&A session

4.30pm individual mini manifesto’s

4.50pm closing words

5pm close of event

Venue details University Centre Leeds, 68 Mabgate, Leeds LS9 7DZ

By Bus: Mabgate Campus is easy to reach by bus from across Leeds and nearby towns. From Leeds City Centre, you’re just a short walk away. It’s also simple to reach from key Leeds areas:

Harehills – Routes 4, 16, 16A
Headingley – Routes 23, 24, 25, 27, 28, X84
Kirkstall – Routes 33, 34, 60, 60A, 49, 91, A1
Pudsey – Routes 4, 4F, 9C,14, X14, X11
Morley – Routes 51, 52, 65, 75
Horsforth – Routes 33, 34, 60, 50, 50A
Seacroft – Routes 4, 16, 16A
From nearby towns:

Wakefield -Frequent buses to Leeds City Centre, around 35 minutes.
Castleford – Direct buses to Leeds City Centre, roughly 20–30 minutes.
Pontefract – Regular services to Leeds City Centre, about 1 hour.
For full timetables and route maps, check the WY Metro Leeds Core Bus Network Map.

By Train: From Leeds Station it’s only 10 minutes on foot to campus, or you can hop on a quick bus or taxi if you prefer.

On foot: Mabgate Campus is just a 10-minute walk from Leeds city centre.

By Car: While there’s no parking on site, our city-centre location means you’ll find plenty of public car parks close by.

Nearby car parks include:

Mabgate Car Park (St Cecilia Street) – just a few minutes’ walk from campus
Edward Street Car Park
Victoria Gate Car Park, Eastgate
The Markets NCP – close to Quarry Hill and a short walk to Mabgate
Q-Park at The Headrow or St John’s Centre
If you’re travelling from further out, Leeds also has several Park & Ride sites (such as Elland Road and Temple Green), offering frequent buses into the city centre.