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Relive the excitement of past Light Night events. Find out more about the last three editions of the festival by viewing the event brochures and galleries of selected images.
Light Night Leeds returned for the 12th year in October 2016. Held over two nights for the first time, approximately 80,000 people attended over 50 events on the theme of ‘The Elements’, kicking off with an amazing Light Triathlon. 90 giant glowing dandelions appeared in Merrion Gardens, and some of the city’s iconic buildings were transformed by impressive video mapping work including a huge waterfall on the Queens Hotel, and a giant mythical bird taking flight across the front of Leeds Civic Hall.
Light, Arts, Cities
In 2016 Light Night Leeds & The Light Up the North network hosted an international symposium ‘Light, Arts, Cities’ at the Carriageworks Theatre. Speakers included light artists, curators, programmers, academics and festival producers from the UK and Europe, examining four key themes: place, artist, audience and sustainability.
In 2015 approximately 60,000 people attended over 60 events across the city centre including the launch of British Art Show 8 at Leeds Art Gallery. The varied programme on the theme of ‘Light’ included ‘Pulse’, a contemporary aerial circus which took over Briggate, ‘The Seventh Wave’ by Leeds Hackspace which saw Trinity Leeds’ roof transformed into a dramatic weather scape, and an enormous whale appeared in the River Aire courtesy of an amazing light and water projection by LCI.
In 2014 over 40,000 people came along to experience the city in a new light. The centrepiece for the event was the spectacular ‘Theatre of Illumination’ by Leeds based Omni Pictures which transformed the Civic Hall with a ‘white light’ show. Other highlights included a car swimming across Leeds Beckett University’s Portland Building, a ‘Ghost Tram’ from the early 1900’s returned to Briggate, a Squishy Sculpture Park, a giant talking book, and a chance to ‘remix’ your body on Leeds Art Gallery.
