If...
‘If…’ you’ve ever wanted to see the originals of Guardian cartoonist Steve Bell’s famous strip, now’s your chance. Work by Bell - a Leeds graduate - goes on show in the University Gallery on April 10 to celebrate 25 years of ‘If…’.

The exhibition - Steve Bell does Art - will include some of the best known ‘If…’ strips alongside Bell’s art pastiches, such as the featured picture, previously unpublished, a pastiche of Jacques Louis David’s portrait of Napoleon, although the cartoon also draws on George Stubbs and David Low.

Bell began his cartooning as a student at Leeds in the 1970s, producing posters for the Film Society before his graduation in 1974 in fine art. ‘If…’ first appeared in the Guardian in 1981 and Bell has been the paper’s editorial and political cartoonist since 1990. He has won every major award, including Cartoonist of the Year in the British Press Awards in 2003 and from the Cartoon Arts Trust, the What the Papers Say Awards and the Cartoonists’ Club.

The Gallery is open from 10am to 5pm, Monday to Friday. ‘Steve Bell does Art’ runs from April 10 - June 16.

Gender, espionage and politics
An eighteenth century cross-dresser will be the focus of a conference at Leeds next month. French diplomat Charles d’Eon de Beaumont lived the second half of his life in women’s clothes. Researchers differ on whether this transformation was due to his sexuality or an attempt to escape political and financial problems. The conference - The Chevalier d’Eon and his worlds: gender, espionage and politics in the Eighteenth Century - will be accompanied by an exhibition of d’Eon’s papers, many of which are housed in the Brotherton Library. For more details, see www.leeds.ac.uk/cath/events/2006/0422/index.html

Hilary Benn speaks
Secretary of State for international development, the Rt Hon Hilary Benn MP, is to speak at the University this month on ‘Why economic development is vital to reducing poverty in developing countries’.

The event takes place at the western lecture theatre in Leeds University Business School. Professor Buckley of the centre for international business (CIBUL) will give an introduction. The lecture, on Friday 31 March at
1-2pm, will be followed by a question and answer session and is open to all students and staff. To book a place, email s.t.axtell@leeds.ac.uk

A festival of music
The University concert programme resumes on April 22 with the opening of the contemporary music showcase, a festival of contemporary music involving artists Ian Buckle and Richard Casey, Richard Barrett, Paul Obermayer and Christophe de Bezenac. The showcase runs until April 29. An updated concert programme for this academic year is now available from Jillian Johnson on 0113 343 3584, concerts@leeds.ac.uk or see www.leeds.ac.uk/music