Northern Man Festival 2026



Balbir Singh Dance Company was proud once again to be part of the Northern Man Festival, building on the conversations and relationships that began with last year's Men in Bloom. In partnership with Space 2 and Men's Health Unlocked, we undertook a month of creative activity exploring men's mental health which culminated in a celebration event at Leeds Kirkgate Market on 19 June, during Men's Health Week.


26-27
Credits
2026 to 2027



Creative Health


By using creative activities to open difficult conversations, and approach which runs through much of BSDC’s work, we were able to signpost men to local organisations and resources for support. Through movement, making, and shared experiences, the festival created a welcoming space where men could come together, connect with one another, and engage with support in a way that felt natural and free from judgement.

This work is particularly important as men are three times more likely to die by suicide than women, with men working in construction at greatest risk, above all other sectors in the UK. Men are also less likely to seek help when they are struggling, making opportunities for connection, creativity and conversation more vital than ever. By working alongside local partners, artists, and communities, the festival aimed to reduce isolation, encourage openness, and direct people towards the support available to them. 



Boosting Confidence Networking Event - Hunslet


On 17 April, BSDC attended a networking event open to the public and professionals at Involve Leeds, a community centre in Hunslet. The event was a collaboration between Insight Mental Health Peer Support Group and Men's Health Unlocked. Over 20 stall holders representing local services sparked conversations with members of the public around the topic of men’s health. The Being You Leeds Music Group, open to local men of all abilities, also played some songs and kept the atmosphere lively.







Leeds College of Building


On 8th June, we visited Leeds College of Building where, alongside Lawrence Glyn of Space2, we engaged with a variety of young men. Talking to both students and teachers at the college, the session held a lot of interesting conversations and provided insights into how men perceive their mental health and balance what is important to them.





It was a pleasant and engaging morning. I’m glad we could work together and I can’t wait to see how the work develops.
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- Simon Cliff, LBC staff
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Manthology & More Poetry Event - Leeds


As a precursor to the celebration event later in the month, we headed to Kirkgate Market in Leeds on 11 June to support the Manthology Poetry event which took place as part of Leeds Literature Festival 2026. Host and organiser, Maz Sultan, introduced 14 male poets who each performed their own poems. Also in attendance was BSDC’s collaborator, Adam Strickson, who read poetry reflecting on mental health and wellbeing. On the day, dancer Devaraj used rice as an artistic tool to initiate conversations with members of the public about health. Kevin Hickson created prints on his stall whilst Men's Health Unlocked and Being You Leeds provided information to the public about health and wellbeing.







Gledhow Valley Woods Walk


Building on the work we have done previously around nature in Gledhow, as part of Northern Man Festival we hosted two guided walks that took us through the calming landscape of Gledhow Valley Woods. 






Kirkgate Market Celebration Event 


Taking place on the 19 June, the celebration event in Kirkgate Market was the culmination of a full month of activity. The event was attended by more than 300 people, and we were proud to advocate for men’s health alongside other Leeds-based artists, musicians, and organisations, including Leeds Dads, Gamcare, Prostate Cancer UK, Behind Closed Doors, Men's Health Unlocked, Being You Leeds, Change the Narrative, and Leeds Health Awareness. 

As part of the event, we created a short video which was shown on the large screen within the food court throughout the entirety of the event. The video featured poetry, quotes from artists, a photographic exhibition from participants, and a short rice-based stop-motion animation created by BSDC exploring the festival’s theme: ‘What shapes a man?’. To pair with this, we created a small series of prints that showcased local artists and their personal exploration of what shapes them as men. 

We were also joined by BSDC dancers, Kali and Devaraj, as well as musician, Ani, who helped us engage men in conversation through performance and creative activity.






During the morning, Devaraj used rice again as a means of hosting conversation with people who were passing through the market. People were invited to draw and write in the rice, using dialogue around mental health as prompts for what they could create.





In the afternoon, Devaraj, Kali and Ani performed in the market space, with a performance that drew in an audience and held them captivated. Bookending our performance timeslot was musician Sefo Kanuteh, a kora player from The Gambia. As Kali and Devaraj left the performance space, Sefo and Ani improvised a duet between their kora and tabla, keeping people firmly in their seats and showcasing how music and art can be used as a bridge that turns strangers into collaborators. 




“ I am so happy that we could collaborate again with Balbir's team, working in areas of men's health that feel so important and necessary at this time; offering opportunities to see men perform and on show, sometimes through a specific unknown or unaccustomed lens, but all the while just as important to recognise and sit with.

- Lawrence Glyn,  Space 2 ”







Dancers

Devaraj Thimmaiah
Kali Chandrasegaram

 Musicians

Aniruddha Mukherjee
Sefo Kanuteh Photographers

Balbir Singh
Elia Tomé
Meg Erridge
Morgan Girvin

   Organisers

Lawrence Glyn
Maz Sultan
Paul Barker
Stewart  Walton
LCB Staff

Allan Loyd
Simon Cliff