Key Points
- Leeds City Council is asking residents to submit items for a new exhibition celebrating 400 years of Leeds.
- The exhibition, Leeds 400, is due to open in September and will mark 400 years since the city received its first City Charter from King Charles I.
- The council is inviting photographs, stories, artwork and fanzines that reflect important moments, people, or community meaning connected to Leeds.
- Special collections librarian Antony Ramm said the aim is to bring personal memories and local history together as part of the city’s anniversary celebrations.
- The display will also include heritage treasures from Leeds Central Library’s special collections, alongside images of the city captured by artists and photographers over the centuries.
Leeds (The Leeds Times) July 4, 2026 – Leeds City Council is asking people across the city to help shape an exhibition that will celebrate 400 years since Leeds was granted its first City Charter by King Charles I. As reported by Leeds City Council’s communications team on the council news site, the project is designed to bring together personal memories, community stories and historic objects in one public display.
What is Leeds 400?
Leeds 400 is the name of the year-long celebration linked to the 400th anniversary of Leeds receiving its first City Charter.
The council has said the exhibition will open in September and will form part of the wider programme marking the milestone.
The anniversary refers to the moment King Charles I formally recognised Leeds as a self-governing borough, a step that helped shape the city’s later development.
What items are being requested?
The council says it wants contributions such as photographs, stories, artwork and fanzines. These items should capture important moments and people, or hold deep personal or community meaning for residents. The request suggests the exhibition is intended not only as a historical display, but also as a record of lived experience across the city’s communities.
What did Antony Ramm say?
As reported by Leeds City Council’s news team, Antony Ramm, Leeds Central Library’s special collections librarian, said:
“What we’d really love is for people to share some of those personal moments and memories which define what Leeds really means to them so they can be part of celebrating this very special year.”
Ramm also said:
“Leeds 400 is all about bringing the history and heritage of Leeds to life and commemorating one of the defining moments in the city’s long story.”
He added that the celebration is also about
“the many people, events and communities who, through the ages, have contributed to making Leeds such a unique and remarkable place in millions of small but significant ways.”
What will the exhibition show?
The council says the exhibition will include “heritage treasures” from Leeds Central Library’s special collections.
It will also feature images of Leeds taken by artists and photographers over the centuries. That mix of material appears designed to show both the formal record of the city and the personal stories that sit alongside it.
Why does the anniversary matter?
The 400-year anniversary is tied to a major constitutional moment in the city’s history. Leeds being granted a charter in the 1620s marked an important stage in its growth and self-governance, and the council has framed the milestone as a chance to reflect on how the city has changed over four centuries.
The exhibition is part of that wider effort to connect the city’s historical identity with the present-day lives of residents.
How can residents get involved?
Leeds City Council has asked people to share their stories, objects and photographs ahead of the exhibition. The council news release says contributions can be sent by email to localandfamilyhistory@leeds.gov.uk.
The appeal indicates that the exhibition will rely on public participation as well as archival material already held by the library.
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Background of this development
Leeds’ 400th anniversary celebrations are centred on the city’s first Royal Charter, which was granted by King Charles I.
That charter is widely presented by the council and local media as a turning point that gave Leeds formal self-governing status and influenced the city’s long-term development.
The anniversary programme appears to have been in planning for some time, with council updates on the celebrations published before the exhibition call.
Separate council material has also linked Leeds 400 to broader events across the city, including museum and heritage displays.
The latest request for public submissions adds a more participatory element to the commemorations by inviting residents to help build the exhibition content itself.
Prediction
For Leeds residents, the exhibition is likely to create a public record that includes both official heritage material and everyday community memory.
For schools, local historians and cultural groups, it may provide a useful resource for learning and discussion about the city’s past.
For people whose families have long ties to Leeds, the appeal for personal items could make the anniversary feel more inclusive and locally grounded.
For the wider public, the display may strengthen interest in Leeds’ heritage during a year when the city is using the anniversary to highlight its history and identity.
