‘Ribbons’ sculpture at Quarry Hill nominated for prestigious arts award

The sculpture Ribbons has been shortlisted for the 2025 Public Statues and Sculpture Association (PSSA) Award for Sculpture.

Created in 2023 by artist Pippa Hale and supported by city partners including Leeds City College and Leeds Arts University, Ribbons celebrates the achievements of nearly 400 inspirational women connected to Leeds.

Celebrating our city’s women

The installation, located at the top of Leeds City College’s Quarry Hill campus, comprises five sweeping corten steel ribbons etched with the names of nominated Leeds women. Among them are Suzanne Gallagher (Quarry Hill Campus Principal) and Ann Marie Spry (Group Vice Principal at Luminate), as well as pioneering figures such as suffragist Isabella Ford, Olympic boxer Nicola Adams OBE, and Leeds West Indian Carnival founder Gertrude Paul.

Ribbons also honours the city’s unsung heroes, including Tina Suryavansi, founder of Homeless Hampers, and Rebekah Wilson, who launched the charity Zarach to tackle child poverty.

The project was initiated by Rachel Reeves MP, Chancellor of the Exchequer, and brought to life through a partnership led by Leeds Arts University, Leeds City Council, and community collaborators.