Leeds Arts University students to design Walker Morris’ client meeting rooms

22nd November 2018

Walker Morris reaffirms commitment to the arts with the launch of an innovative competition for Leeds Arts University students

Leading law firm Walker Morris is continuing its long-history of investment in the arts with the launch of an innovative partnership with Leeds Arts University.

Walker Morris is commissioning 11 pieces of artwork for its new offices on Wellington Street through a competition for the students of Leeds Arts University. The brief is to design a dynamic piece of art to completely fill one of the walls in each of the 10 client meeting rooms in Walker Morris’ new building with an additional one as a focal point in the corridor. The art is to have a ‘distinctive‘ theme to reflect the firm’s corporate mission statement.

The Competition submissions will be judged in February in anticipation of Walker Morris’ office move in summer 2019. Those selected will then go on to produce a full size version for the meeting rooms. The submissions may include: painting or mixed media, digital print, textiles, photography or wallpaper design.

The partnership with Leeds Arts University is the latest in Walker Morris’ long history of investing in innovative arts sponsorships which enables art to be more accessible to the wider community. The Firm’s arts projects range from grass-roots investment with its annual charity Children’s Calendar Competition, which is open to all primary school-aged children in Yorkshire and Humber; to sponsorship of national art exhibitions such as bringing the Turner exhibition to Yorkshire, supporting the inaugural exhibition at London’s Saatchi Gallery, Damian Hirst’s exhibition, ‘Artist Rooms’, at Leeds Art Gallery and Ashley Jackson’s ‘Framing the Landscape’ project at the Mall Gallery to name but a few.

David Smedley from Walker Morris commented:

“We are delighted to be launching this competition in collaboration with Leeds Arts University. This collaboration reinforces our long-history of supporting art at all stages from primary school level through our Children’s annual Calendar Competition to supporting major exhibitions of the Masters. 

“We are a distinctive law firm and that will be a theme which runs throughout our new building on Wellington Street. We have no doubt that the incredible talents and creativity of the students at Leeds Arts University will produce some distinctive and truly unique art that will enliven our building and provide a talking point in each of our meeting rooms in the client suites.

“We are privileged to be able to embark on this innovative partnership with Leeds Arts University and to be able to promote the fantastic talents of the students. I am very excited to see the finished results”

Earlier this year Walker Morris announced its flagship office move to 33 Wellington Street, Leeds – a move that will be the largest professional services relocation in the city for almost 15 years. The building is undergoing a comprehensive £10 million refurbishment to provide a premium working environment for Walker Morris with significantly improved sustainability credentials.

Walker Morris will move from its current locations split across two buildings on King Street into 76,000 sq. ft. of fully renovated, Grade A office space at the heart of the Leeds business district in summer 2019. Once complete, the relocation will see all 500 of Walker Morris’ staff together under one roof, underlining the Firm’s position as the largest single site law firm outside London.