Inspire to Inspire: Celebrating Joshua Van Leader’s Art and Legacy in Leeds

Leeds is currently hosting a powerful new exhibition celebrating the life and work of late artist and fashion designer Joshua Van Leader. Running until 27 September 2025 at New York Square (NYSQ), the Inspire to Inspire exhibition not only showcases Joshua’s extraordinary portfolio but also opens up important conversations around mental health and creativity.

The free exhibition brings together fine and abstract art, men’s fashion, and poetry created by Joshua, who passed away in 2022 after a long battle with mental health. For his family, the showcase is about more than art—it is about continuing his mission of helping others.

Joshua’s father, Mark Leader, who is also project lead of the JVL organisation, explained:

“Leeds holds a special place in our hearts as this is where Joshua was born and returned to later in life. We hope that by sharing his work in a space where mental health is discussed openly, we can create a transformative environment where art, nature and mental health advocacy intersect.”

Alongside the exhibition, a series of speaker events and workshops is being hosted, aiming to reduce stigma around mental health and provide practical tools for wellbeing. Highlights still to come include:

• World Suicide Prevention Day – 10th September – all day events

• Speak Their Name – an exhibition of the Yorkshire suicide memorial quilt.

• Beyond The Game – Stevie Ward (former Leeds Rhinos player) will be talking about mental health and resilience on 18th September

More event details and dates are available at joshuavanleader.com/inspire-to-inspire

The programme has been developed in collaboration with Magpie, a Leeds-based creative communications agency specialising in health, wellbeing, and social change campaigns. It also comes at a critical time, with research showing a sharp rise in mental health challenges and so-called “deaths of despair” since the pandemic.

For Mark and the family, the most inspiring legacy of Joshua’s life is how many people he quietly helped:

“What we did not know until after Joshua’s passing was how many people he had supported with their mental health—he saved so many lives. That is what we are most proud of.”

The Inspire to Inspire exhibition invites the Leeds community to come together, reflect, and celebrate the power of art to heal, connect, and inspire.

The exhibition runs daily until 27 September 2025 at New York Square, Leeds. Entry is free.