About

Graft Collaborative CIC is a non-profit Community Interest Company Limited by Guarantee registered in England and Wales under the Company No.11977565

Graft Collaborative is a non-profit Community Interest Company established to support emerging creative practitioners from a range of artistic and performative disciplines through the development of engaging projects involving Leeds-based communities to highlight and engage residents with important social issues. This will be achieved by creating and developing opportunities for communities to engage and participate in artistic projects from emerging artistic and performative practitioners (APPs).

By connecting a diverse range of emerging APPs with residents, businesses, organisations and institutions through immersive and non-traditional methods of engagement, communities will be given unique spaces to highlight and discuss social issues relevant to themselves. Producing these opportunities will involve imparting useful development and entrepreneurial skills to APPs ,including securing funding and nurturing networks, encouraging positive and dynamic shifts within the creative industries.

Graft Collaborative also aims to inspire the creative industries to become more inclusive of emerging APPS and widening access to arts and culture by creating opportunities in underdeveloped communities, facilitating engagement with performances, exhibitions and other creative outreach projects. As a CIC, Graft Collaborative acknowledge the range of complex social barriers that prevent access to these activities, especially financial constraints and class-based issues including harmful stereotypes. Overcoming these barriers and building community cohesion can only be achieved through open and compassionate debate between residents, local businesses, institutions and organisations. Cultural and artistic events are vital tools in developing this shared understanding, helping to educate individuals to use their voice to bring positive change and unity.