Frequently Asked Questions

The criteria are roughly outlined below:

• based in West Leeds and the surrounding areas
• individual artists, crafters, or designers
• creative organisations or collectives
• workshop facilitators
• professional or amateur artists.

We are open to applications that may not fit into any of the creative criteria above.

We are also keen to see artists who have got environmental sustainability at the core of their work.

Kirkstall Art Trail supports a culture of inclusion. We encourage artists from all backgrounds to apply.

If you are unsure about applying or need help with the form, please get in touch with Kirkstall Art Trail. You can do this either by using the contact form or by emailing directly at info@kirkstallarttrail.co.uk. You can apply through CuratorSpace.

The following is an overview:

• You can submit up to five examples of your work.
• A short artist bio written in first person. We will use this for your artist entry on the website if you are successful. You could include the style of art you use and what inspires you to create. There is a limit of 50 words.
• A clear description of what you intend to exhibit or your activity. You may wish to describe your idea if it is still in its initial stages or if you are creating work for the Art Trail.
• You do not have to provided your own venue, but do let us know if you are. Whether you will be using your own premises, or pairing up with one provided by friends or family.
• Your social media and website, if you have them.

Please note that this is a family friendly event and so keep this in mind when choosing work you wish to show.

Initally, we will try to match you to a venue based on what your plan to exhibit. Please bear in mind you may need to edit what you eventually show. Conversely, you may have more space than you anticipated.

It will ultimately depend on the venue you have been allocated. You will need to discuss exhibition logistics with other artists (if applicable) and the venue host.

If this is your first Art Trail and you are still unsure, please get in touch so we can chat about your plans and expectations.

We want you to feel that this is the place for your work, and we want to help where we can. Below are some of the ways in which we can do this:

• We can answer any questions you have about filling out the application form. We can provide a different format if needed.
• Let us know how you prefer to communicate. We want you to receive information in a way that you understand.
• If access is a concern over the event weekend, we can make access adjustments where we can. Your access needs do not have to be physical to ask for these adjustments.

You can contact us either by using the contact form or by direct email at info@kirkstallarttrail.co.uk.

You can also use the ‘accessibility requirements’ section on the application form to make us aware of any needs.

Midnight on Sunday, 5 April 2026.

We will prioritise applicants based in Kirkstall, West Leeds, and the surrounding areas.

We will also look at whether your proposal will be workable within the trial as a whole. We may contact you for further information before we accept your submission.

We recognise that some applicants may encounter barriers when showing their work. We will aim to provide a place for you where it is practicable and possible. We may need to work with you on a solution or, if we can, signpost you to a more suitable opportunity.

Once we have assessed your application, we will notify you of the outcome and next steps.

We aim to inform successful artists within three weeks of the application closing date.

To avoid missing messages from us, check that you have turned on the following email notifications in CuratorSpace:

• Tell me when someone sends me a message.
• Tell me when my submission is successfully received by a curator.

As Kirkstall Art Trail is a volunteer-led organisation, it may take longer than we’d hoped. If you have not heard from us a month after the deadline, please get in touch.

First, you will receive a message through CuratorSpace about your submission status. If you have been accepted, we will be in touch by email.

We will send you a contract with the terms and conditions for exhibiting with us. Please read it, sign it, and return it to confirm your agreement to take part.

Please add our email address to your contacts so that messages do not end up in your junk or spam folder. This is ‘info@kirkstallarttrail.co.uk‘.

The organising committee are volunteer-led and we will be very busy during this time. We may not respond to your message immediately; be patient, we will get back to you.

Yes, artists must arrange their own public liability insurance.

Public liability is an insurance that protects you from financial risks.

These risks could arise if someone gets hurt or if their property gets damaged because of your artwork or art activities. The insurance makes sure you are covered if the unexpected happens, despite your best efforts to prevent accidents.

Public and product liability insurance is available from  CuratorSpace. This is a benefit of their Artist Plus subscription.

If you have any questions or concerns, please contact us.

After we have accepted artists, each applicant is then matched with a suitable venue. We aim to make the matches between artists and venues to the best of our abilities.

We have to consider many factors when doing this. Such as:

• you have asked for specific accessibility requirements
• the type of work you are submitting to exhibit
• some matches may be more complex than others.

We will endeavour to let you know your host venue before the beginning of June.

We must make sure that appropriate risk assessments are in place for the whole Art Trail. This includes all individual activities.

We will provide you with our general risk assessment. You will need to use this when delivering your activity. If you notice a risk that the assessment has not covered, you must let us know.

If you have not carried out a risk assessment before, do not worry; we will be able to help you.

Below are the steps for carrying out a risk assessment:

Identify hazards. This could be anything that could cause harm, no matter how big or small. For example, scissors, furniture, or people’s belongings.

Effect of the hazard. The assessment also asks you to think about the effect of the hazard. For example, in public spaces, artwork can cause hazards such as injuries, trips, and falls.

Assess the risks. Once you identify the hazards, you must decide how likely it is that someone could be harmed and how serious the harm could be. We do this using a ‘risk rating matrix’. The ratings look at the ‘consequences’ of the hazard and the ‘likelihood’ of it occurring.

Control the risks. Next, we will review what we currently do and what more we could do to ensure the risk does not occur where it is ‘reasonably practicable’. By that, we mean we do as much as we can to ensure we protect people from harm.

For example, we use scissors in our activity. If we have no controls, injury is more likely. With controls, we can reduce the likelihood of this happening. Controls could include: showing good practices for using equipment to prevent injury, informing participants about hazards and accident prevention, and counting cutting implements at the start and end of the session.

Responsibilities. For every risk, someone has to be responsible for ensuring that the controls are carried out. Generally, we have collective responsibility, but for your activity, you will have more control over the risks.

Residual risk rating. Once we have put controls in place, we reassess what the risk will now be. This should be lower than the initial rating.

We currently do not charge for participation in Kirkstall Art Trail. We are unable to pay individual artists for their involvement. You can sell your work and all profit is yours to keep.

You will need to make your own arrangements as to obtaining a cash float or card reader; we do not supply these.

From time to time we may hire artist facilitators for grant-funded projects. These roles will be recruited and contracted separately from the main artist call-out. To see if we have any paid roles please visit Artist Opportunities.

We create an artist directory so visitors can see who you are. The directory links to each artist’s full entry.

We take the information you provided through CuratorSpace to create these. We populate these using the following information:

• Artist Name. This is the name that you gave us and may be different from your ‘real name’.
• Art form. What type of art you practice. For example, ceramics, painting, illustration, sculpture etc.
• Artist bio. This is the short statement you gave us, written in first person. We use a language editor to proofread and check all statements. We may have had to rewrite parts or shorten it to fit in with the rest of the website. We try to keep to a maximum of 50 words for all artists.
• Online presence. If you have given us your website or social media, we have added this. We check all links to ensure that they work and are not broken.
• Activity. If you are offering an activity, we will include this. We may need to know if there is any cost and if it is suitable for children. There is also a separate activity directory.

In addition to this, we will choose one of the images you have sent to us.

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Once we complete this, we will email a draft to you. At this point, you will be able to check:

• if there are any mistakes
• if there is any missing information
• if you want to replace the image of your work with a different one.

In 2025, we had over 100 artists, so this is quite time-consuming work for our volunteer team. Getting this right the first time is really helpful.

We will use our limited resources to publicise the event. As a small team of volunteers, we encourage you to help us raise awareness of Kirkstall Art Trail. Word of mouth is often the best tool for promotion, so share in as many ways as you can.

Social media

We use both Instagram and Facebook, and we make posts throughout the year. This intensifies in the lead-up to the event in July.

We currently have over 3,000 followers on Instagram and 1,600 followers on Facebook. We encourage you to share on social media; be sure to tag us in the post.

You can also include these hashtags:

#KirkstallArtTrail2026

#KAT2026Leeds

#KirkstallArtTrail

Posters and flyers

We distribute posters and flyers across Kirkstall and Leeds. If you are able to distribute posters in your area, please get in touch. You can do this either by using the contact form or by emailing directly at info@kirkstallarttrail.co.uk. 

Through other means

When the printed and online map of the trail is available, it will advertise who is where and what’s on.

We regularly share news on our website and with those who have signed up to receive our newsletter.

We also make use of local news and share it with local network groups.

We promote the Art Trail at Kirkstall Festival, the weekend before.

We would like both the host and the artist to work with each other without any issues.

• Treat each other with dignity and respect.
• Remove all your rubbish from the premises.
• Keep your space clean and tidy.
• Look after each other’s belongings.

We carefully match artists with suitable venues.

We introduce artists and venues by email. The email will include:

• venue contact details
• artist contact details
• if you are in a venue with other artists, their names, mobile numbers, and emails.

When you get the introduction email, please reply to confirm that you have received it. This will enable us to keep track of who has confirmed and whom we need to follow up with.

After you have received the introduction, you will need to make contact with the venue. If you have any problems at this stage, please let us know.

If you need a member of the team to assist you with introductions in person, please do get in touch. We want everyone to feel comfortable with host and artist arrangements.

If you are sharing a venue with other artists, you will be organising the space together.

You will have provided your mobile number when you applied. With your permission, we will share this with the venue and your fellow artists.

In 2025, artists in shared venues found that WhatsApp was the most effective way to organise.

Many of the larger venues will have an artist support who is the liaison between the venue and the artists. They will create an organising group on WhatsApp, which you will be able to join.

Each venue is individual, so may have a different method of communication. Work together to find out what is the best method for your cohort.

In your submission, you may have provided details of any venue accessibility that you need. We will have made our decision based on the information that you gave us at the time.

If you believe that the venue is not suitable for your access needs then please let us know straight away. We will make reasonable adjustments and find you a different location.

If you are not comfortable with arrangements, please contact us so we can discuss a solution.

This is something you need to think about. You will not be able to hang artwork on the walls at many of the venues.

These are some ideas for how to display your work:

• easels – they come in many sizes and can be tabletop as well as floor standing
• print racks
• tabletop art display stands
• peg boards
• baskets and nesting boxes
• tiered cake stands
• free-standing art display panels.

Build your stall up, with small items at the front and larger ones at the back.

Trial your setup before the day.

You should discuss this with your venue beforehand. They may be able to offer solutions that you hadn’t considered.

Many venues will need setting up on the morning of Saturday 18 July, before the trail opens at 11 am.

Some venues, installations, or workshops may need to be set up a day or two in advance.

Arrange times with the venue in advance of setting up.

You should have worked out the times you are setting at the venue, before the event.

Many venues will need setting up on the morning of Saturday 18 July, before the Art Trail opens at 11 am.

We recommend giving yourself at least an hour to get ready. You should be all set up for 10.45 am.

Remember to bring with you:

• the work you wish to exhibit
• your stock (if you are selling items)
• props and displays to put your work on
• table covering (such as a tablecloth)
• business cards, information, and promotional material
• cash float or card reader
• packaging and bags for sales.

You should be present for both days, and there to engage with visitors to the Art Trail.

It may be possible to make reasonable exceptions to this. If you would like to speak to someone about your requirements, please get in touch with us. You can do this either by using the contact form or by emailing directly at info@kirkstallarttrail.co.uk. You must do this in advance of the Art Trail.

In either case, please do not leave your exhibit absent without making prior arrangements.

We understand that it can be a long weekend, and you may need to take wellness breaks.

Please make sure you make arrangements that can give you this access. If you are sharing a venue with other artists, consider arranging cover for each other. This would allow you to take time away for personal needs.

For refreshment breaks, we recommend taking a packed lunch and water to stay hydrated. Not all venues will have facilities to accommodate this need.

Consider:

• wellness and personal needs
• refreshments.

Yes, you are welcome to sell your work. We take no commission from you, so all profits are yours to keep.

If you do intend to sell any of your work, you will have to make your own arrangements for this in advance.

You will need to think about obtaining a cash float or card reader, as we do not supply these.

Each venue will display a numbered sign. These numbers link up to that location on the map.

The signs all have individual QR codes. These link to the venue page, where you will find the artist entries. A separate artist listing will also be available on the website. Both include your online details, if you have provided them.

Personal interactions with visitors can be invaluable.

• Signpost visitors to further information about your work.
• Write a short bio about yourself to put on the table. If you’re busy talking with one visitor, another can read about you.
• Have business cards.
• Print out a poster with your details on. There are low-cost printing facilities at libraries and hubs across Leeds. Visit Print in City for more information and to find Leeds City Council printing charges.
• Make use of QR codes. This is an instant way for visitors to find your social media or website. QRCode Monkey is a 100% free QR code generator.
• Remember some visitors may be shy or don’t like to chit-chat, so those little extras are handy.

Although you may engage with a lot of people, some may have an interest in you and want to buy something at a later date.

The Art Trail finishes at 5 pm (4.30 pm if you are at either the Abbey or Museum sites) on Sunday, 19 July 2026.

You will have made arrangements with your venue in advance about packing up your exhibit.

At the close of the Art Trail, begin to take down, pack up, and remove all your belongings. Please leave the venue and your space as clean and tidy as possible.

Some venues may need you to remove and store work elsewhere at the close of Saturday. They should make this known to you before the weekend.