Sketch Walks
Leeds Sanctuary began hosting Sketch Walks in 2023, recognising the value of creativity and learning local history.
Together with local artist and historian, Clifford Stead, we visit sites in the city of Leeds that have been key to a particular activist movement, where we learn something about our city’s history and take the opportunity to creatively capture what we notice there.
For more information and to book your tickets, visit our Events page at the link below.
Our 2026 Sketch Walks are:
Tuesday 16 June - Refugee Week: A Sketch Walk
Tuesday 14 July - Leeds Pride: Sketching Queer History
Tuesday 04 August - Kirkstall Abbey: A Sketch Walk
Tuesday 08 September - Politics, Power and Protest: The Suffragette History of Leeds
Tuesday 13 October - Celebrating Black History Month: A Sketch Walk
Previous Sketch Walks have been on themes such as Racial Justice, Activism and Non-Conformism, Queer History and Climate Justice.
Our Sketch Walks are open to anyone of any faith or none, but if you’d like to know more about our Christian reasons for running the group, you can find out more at the link below.
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Don't Forget Me: Racial Justice (2024)
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![A person holding a piece of paper with a drawing of a statue with figures on top and people around it, with a park setting and benches in the background during evening or twilight.]()
A Tale of Two Cities: Wealth Inequality (2026)
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![A group of people gathered outdoors in an urban setting, listening to a man speaking while holding papers. The background features historic and modern buildings, including a church and a red brick building, under a blue sky with some clouds.]()
Our Power, Our Planet: Climate Activism (2025)
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![Colorful abstract sculpture resembling a flower with striped and floral patterns in red, yellow, blue, green, and purple, set in an urban park with trees, benches, and people walking and sitting.]()
Walking Windrush (2025)
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![Crowd of people gathered outside on a city street in the evening, with buildings and streetlights illuminated, and a clear blue sky overhead.]()
Don't Forget Me: Racial Justice (2024)
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![People sitting on steps at sunset in an urban area with historic buildings and a church clock tower in the background.]()
A Tale of Two Cities: Wealth Inequality (2026)
Pricing and Donations
As a charity, we are committed to keeping our events and communities as affordable as possible, and so we have introduced a pricing structure for the Sketch Walks which allows you to choose the price which is best suited to you.
Recommended Ticket
If you have some flexibility in your monthly outgoings, choosing this ticket covers your place on the Walk in full.
£11.00
Lower Cost Ticket
Our most affordable ticket price.
£5.50
Pay-it-Forward ticket
Selecting this option will support the work of Leeds Sanctuary and enable us keep offering events and activities that are affordable to everyone.
We are committed to fundraising in legal, open, honest and respectful ways, in line with the Code of Fundraising Practice, which is why we are registered with the Fundraising Regulator.
£16.00
You can also support our work by making a donation at the link below.
Resources
Listen to a podcast conversation about Leeds’ history of activism and non-conformity
Go out for a Sketch Walk in your own time, listening to one of our recordings
Accessibility and Safeguarding
We recognise that not everyone finds it easy to make their way around Leeds city centre, so if you would like to come to one of our Sketch Walks but have concerns that the route may be unsuitable for you, please contact Emma Temple, our Justice Practitioner, for a conversation.
We believe that Safeguarding is at the heart of Sanctuary, and you can read our Safeguarding policy here. We do take photos at these events which may be shared in digital spaces and in print, but if you would prefer not to be in these photos, please let a member of our Team know on the day.