Compass Festival 2026

Compass is back across Leeds from 4 to 30 November, the city's biennial live art festival. It's not a single event in one venue; instead, it commissions and presents interactive live art projects in public spaces all over the city, rather than inside traditional theatres or galleries. This year marks 15 years of the festival, which has built its reputation on work that invites you to connect, take part and experience the city differently.

The programme is spread across the month, so you can pick and choose what fits. Moi Tran brings The Text is Restless to Leeds Art Gallery from 6 to 15 November. Ema Boswood presents You Don't Have to Cover Your Eyes at Meanwood Valley Urban Farm on 7 & 8 and 14 & 15 November. Small Acts will be at Kirkgate Market with Faceback from 19 to 21 November, and Action Hero closes the run with From Ashes at Leeds City Museum on 28 & 29 November. That's four different projects in four different parts of the city, so you've got plenty to work with.

Small Acts have a long history with Compass. Their socially engaged practice started at the very first festival in 2011, when they spent a freezing November day on Leeds Bridge transferring views and textures of the bridge onto the hands of passers-by. They've stayed close to the festival's ethos ever since — the idea that small acts can make a big difference. Beside the public programme, Compass also runs an artist residency, standalone projects, exhibitions and artist development initiatives, all around the same idea of rediscovering the everyday right where you live, work and play.

Many of the events are free to attend, with some ticketed performances across the programme. The full line-up runs from 4 to 30 November, with projects appearing at Kirkgate Market, St John's Centre, Leeds Art Gallery, Meanwood Valley Urban Farm and Leeds City Museum.