Art in the Orchard
Free workshops in Leeds • Aug-Oct 2026
Sketching • Painting • Singing • Embroidery • Poetry
Part of the Seasons of Culture Programme 2026
Art in the Orchard is a project by Fruit Works Co-operative in collaboration with four Yorkshire-based artists. Between August and October 2026, we will deliver 12 free creative workshops in orchards across Leeds.
Meet The Artists
Grace Hills
Grace Hills is an artist and urban community gardener based in Kirkstall. Grace became a community gardener primarily in response to the climate emergency and combined it with her artistic practice, using the soil as her canvas and plants as the medium. Grace transforms neglected patches of urban land into vibrant pockets of biodiversity and creates colourful signage from upcycled materials to inform and educate people about plants and pollinators. Her recent work focuses on nature reconnection and inspiring observation and curiosity in people whose primary occupation does not frequently bring them into contact with the wonders of the outside world.
Matthew Stoppard
Matthew Hedley Stoppard is from Derbyshire, but lives in West Yorkshire. His first poem collection, 'A Family Behind Glass', was a Guardian Readers' Book of the Year. His poems are widely published, and he has appeared on BBC Radio 3, 4 and 6Music. His second collection, 'The Garland King', explores working-class customs and traditions, and he is currently working on a third which will be a psycho-geographical hymn to North-East Derbyshire, published early 2027 and available from valleypressuk.com.
Elnaz Yazdani
Elnaz Yazdani is an embroidery artist, gardener and educator based in Yorkshire. Her practice explores ways of transforming traditional embroidery techniques through her choice of unusual materials; she is inspired by industrial materials, nature and with the ways in which she can embellish, connect or transform these items through stitch to develop a surface or form. Elnaz is dedicated to sharing her textile skills and promoting the importance of embroidery as an art form for the future and for community wellbeing.
Hazel Thompson
Hazel Thompson is a Sheffield-based musician, performer and facilitator with a love of traditional vocal practices and community-based music-making. With the firm belief that anyone who can make a noise can sing, Hazel adores bringing people together to experience the joy of singing with others. Passionate about the ways music can deepen our connection to the natural world, they often explore the links between voice, place and environment in their work. They are most known for their work in folk duo Lucy & Hazel and solo project wolf peaches.