Conference
CHALLENGING COLLECTIONS
6-8 July 2026 | Carriageworks Theatre, Leeds
This year the ARLIS UK & Ireland annual conference will be held in Leeds, hosted at the Carriageworks Theatre.
Under the theme of Challenging Collections, we will explore some of the ways we are challenged by the collections we work with, and how we, in turn, can challenge them.
The Call for Contributions is now closed. Thank you to everyone who has submitted! We will be sharing the programme soon.
Contact the Conference Working Party with any questions at conference@arlis.net.
Local Information
We’re delighted to be bringing #ARLIS2026 to the city of Leeds, the heart of West Yorkshire.
Our conference programme will include a number of optional visits and tours, including The Leeds Library, the M&S Archive, the Royal Armouries Library, a Leeds walking tour and many more local galleries, libraries, archives and museums.
The conference itself will be held at the Carriageworks Theatre located on Millennium Square, just a 10 minute walk from Leeds Train Station.
For delegates travelling to Leeds by train, a 25% discount is available with LNER. Details will be shared with your conference booking confirmation.
A drinks reception will take place at the Carriageworks Theatre on Monday evening, and a conference buffet at the Tiled Hall Gallery on Tuesday. These must be added to your booking when purchasing tickets. Refreshments will be available throughout the conference, but delegate lunches will not be provided. There are a number of cafes, shops and restaurants in the immediate area. We recommend:
Our local Leeds librarians also have plenty of suggestions for making the most of the city! Check out our Google map and the below list of visit suggestions!
Other local recommendations, as well as further travel and accommodation information can be found on the VisitLeeds webpage.