Leeds City Museum set to open the ‘Leeds Goth Hall of Fame’

Leeds City Museum, Thursday, 22 May, 11am – 3pm

The Leeds Goth Hall of Fame exhibition, curated by Leeds Festival of Gothica and Leeds Nomad, will showcase 17 prominent people, places and items central to the story, which will be unveiled at the launch in a photographic ‘Who’s Who’ wall display.

Those featured have been carefully chosen with the help of the alternative community to represent all aspects of goth culture: past, present and future. Over 300 entries were received, resulting in more than 150 individual submissions, and the final 17 were selected with the help of respected goth culture writers John Robb, journalist, broadcaster and author of the best-selling book Goth: The Art of Darkness, and prominent, long-established goth commentator Tim Sinister, known as The Blogging Goth.

In addition to the wall display, care has been taken to recognise all 150 entries received, inducting them into a wider, permanent Leeds Goth Hall of Fame which will be launched alongside the exhibit.

Elizabeth of Leeds Festival of Gothica said: “It was important for us to involve the alternative community in Leeds, so we opened the gates to submissions and were blown away by the response to our call for entries.

“Whilst the exhibition can only accommodate 17 of the submissions, the passionate and heartfelt comments in the submissions highlighted the importance of recognising each and every one.”

Mark Silver, founder of Leeds Nomad, said: “Our city’s contribution to the emergence of goth culture has been long overlooked. This exhibition creates a foundation on which we can continue to build and tell this wonderful story to a wider audience.”

The launch day event will see many of the big names from Leeds’ goth history gather to mark the occasion, and will feature an exciting day of celebration, including a free pop-up alternative market by Leeds Festival of Gothica in the museum’s main Brodrick Hall.

Sapphia Cunningham-Tate, Leeds City Museum and Leeds Discovery Centre Assistant Community Curator, said: “Leeds Museums and Galleries are excited to celebrate such an intrinsic part of Leeds culture and its community. The Goth Hall of Fame is just the beginning of our plan at Leeds City Museum to showcase the diversity and rich heritage of the people of Leeds.”

The launch day event is open to all, starting at 11am on Thursday, 22 May in the Brodrick Hall with a 12pm unveiling ceremony with special guests at the ‘Who’s Who’ photo wall on Level 2.

Ends