Pages and Brushes: A Celebration of Visual Language 

Ever wondered what your favourite book looks like? Bring your most-loved book and join us for couple hours where stories leap from the page onto the canvas. We provide the canvas, the paints, and the vibes – you bring the story. Translate chapters into colour and characters into strokes. No art skills needed, just a love for a good book! Go home with a unique masterpiece that is 100% you. 

This is more than just a painting experience, it’s a journey into your favourite story! The session is structured to give you space for personal creativity followed by a moment of shared discovery. Begin with a Book: You’ll start by arriving with your favourite book, the one that has inspired, moved, or stayed with you. Unleash Your Creativity: We will provide you with a canvas and all the painting materials you’ll need. The challenge is simple: translate the feelings, ideas, and worlds from your book onto the canvas. This part of the session is a quiet, reflective time for creation, allowing you to immerse yourself in the process without interruption. 

Share Your Vision: Once the masterpieces are complete, we’ll come together for a gentle ‘show and tell’. Each participant will have the opportunity to present their work and share the connection between their painting and the book that inspired it. 

Why You’ll Love This Event: Explore a New Language: Discover how to communicate complex ideas and emotions without words, celebrating a core theme of Leeds Language Week. A Welcoming Space: Connect with fellow book and art lovers in a warm, creative, and supportive environment designed for sharing. Try something completely different! This isn’t your average workshop; it’s an innovative and memorable experience accessible to everyone (no artistic skill required!). Plus: A Community Book Swap! Don’t let your old favourites gather dust! At the end of the workshop, we will have a dedicated space for you to donate or swap books with fellow attendees. It’s a wonderful way to pass on a beloved story and discover your next great read. 

What to Bring: Just your favourite book, your imagination and another book if you’d like to participate in the swap! 
Plus: Language mindfulness with Rosana Ikeji

Just as there’s no “wrong” way to paint a feeling, there’s no “wrong” way to carry your voice. We’re thrilled to feature wellbeing specialist Rosana Ikeji for Language Mindfulness: Art Beyond Perfection, a warm space to release the pressure of accents, fluency, or judgment, and celebrate our authentic voices.

In partnership with For Women by Women Book Club Leeds, My Color My Heart and Craftea. 
This is a Leeds City of Languages Festival event. Check the full programme at leedscityoflanguages.leeds.ac.uk