The Papergirl project was started in Berlin, Germany in 2006 by Aisha Ronniger.

The project was a response to the changed laws in regards to public art; making wheat-pasted artwork in public spaces as illegal as spray painted graffiti. At the time, many artists in Berlin would “give” their work to the public in this way.



The changing laws posed a problem: How could artists still get their work to be seen by the public without facing prosecution?



Inspired by the papergirls and boys of America, distributing papers on their bikes, Aisha began to organise what we now know as Papergirl.



Since 2006, Papergirl has spread all over the world. Each one a showcase of talented artists and the spirit of bringing creativity to passers by.



Papergirl Leeds started in 2011; a radical, non-commericial art project directly distributing art to the streets of Leeds and it’s people.



Art is submitted to Papergirl Leeds through an open call. Every single piece of work is shown in an exhibition before being rolled up into bundles and taken out on bicycles to be lovingly handed to passers by.



The art of giving art.



Our debut event received over 250 submissions from artists all over the world, resulting in a 10 day exhibition at TestSpace Leeds (Now Melbourne Studios). The second received 400 submissions and held a huge exhibition at High Court (in conjunction with the lovely people at East Street arts).

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With each Papergirl Leeds event we hope to get bigger and better than the previous. Inspiring more and more people to get involved.​