The reception for the opening of the 11th Leeds International Jewish Performing Arts Festival was held at Northern Ballet, one of the festival's new venues. Festival director Ellie Ruhan told the guests that use of the three new sites was "a bit of an experiment but so far has proved to be successul". The Lord Mayor of Leeds, Cllr Alan Taylor, opened the event before attending Limelight Drama group's They Came to Leeds. He told the gathering: "If the Jewish community hadn't come to Leeds then I wouldn't be here today, among friends, and I value that." Some 3,000 people attended the 30 shows performed during the five-day event.