Chapeltown photo project to capture the rich character of the suburbs

A new photography project has been launched by Historic England, aimed at capturing the lives of the African and Caribbean community in Chapeltown.

Over the next five months, photographer Solomon Charles-Kelly will work with residents to create a portrait of Leeds’ northern suburbs.

He said he wanted to capture the affluent character of the area and challenge some of the negative perceptions.

A selection of images will be added to the Historic England Archive.

Mr Charles-Kelly said: “It means a lot to me to be able to tell the story of Chapeltown and my community.

“I’ve lived here all my life and I’ve seen it change drastically through increasing gentrification.

“I want to show the African and Caribbean community in Chapeltown as it is now – as rich, diverse and still united despite the big changes in the area.”

Chapeltown has become synonymous with the Caribbean and African community, Historic England said, with the area perhaps best known for hosting the annual Leeds West Indian Carnival, the second largest of its kind after London’s Notting Hill.

The new project follows on from an exhibition organized by Historic England Archive, which featured footage of an event at the Leeds Caribbean and African Center in 1983 and was part of the venue’s 40th anniversary celebrations.

Charlotte Hill, Archives Engagement and Projects Manager at Historic England, said: “We realized then that there were more stories to be told and we wanted to create an opportunity for the community to capture them.

“We’re really excited to see what insights the Chapeltown community will capture through the creation of a new set of photographs.”

The project will be supported by Lens Lab Project, a not-for-profit arts organization in Leeds.