Taking place on Saturday 30th May, The Heart of Leeds mural project will transform Briggate into a hub of creativity, conversation and community spirit. Delivered in partnership with Leeds City Council and arts organisation Sand in Your Eye, the project will be inaugurated by Leeds’ very own “Burley Banksy”, the teacher-turned-street artist celebrated for his iconic Leeds United-inspired creations.
Heart Research UK would like to create a meaningful conversation around cardiovascular health, and is a public launch of their popular fundraiser the anonymous heART project 2026.
The anonymous heART project is an annual art auction that begins in November every year, hundreds of pieces are crafted onto A5 postcards and auctioned anonymously, with the artists’ names only being revealed once the auction closes. This element of mystery means you can have your mini masterpiece by a famous artist, without the usual price tag, many notable artists such as The Cure’s Robert Smith, Paul Insect, Russell Tovey and various other artists have contributed every year. Each piece holds the power to change lives, and every bid brings us one step closer to healthier hearts across the UK.
At the Heart of Leeds, the public will not only get a chance to fill the mural with art, hearts and messages, but there will also be fundraising games such as tombola, bean bag toss and more, the charity will also offer free blood pressure checks and have access to heart health resources on the day.
Heart Research UK will be embarking on their 60th anniversary next year, and the charity has a long established history in Leeds, since it first was founded in 1967 by Dr David Watson who fist put an appeal out in the Yorkshire Evening Post as a campaign to make heart surgery safer. Since then the charity has become national, providing vital funds for research as well as wellbeing and community projects all across the country.
The Heart of Leeds mural will be open to the public from 10am to 4pm on Briggate, offering the perfect opportunity for families, friends and visitors to spend a meaningful and creative day in the city centre, and to leave their mark on a project that puts heart health at its centre.