Leeds Night Light 2024 returned for another year this Autumn bringing a vibrant sight to the city, drawing thousands of locals and visitors alike over an attractive two-day celebration. The event transformed Leeds into a bright wonderland, where historic buildings, street theatre performances, and breath taking light installations filled the city with art, lots of magic and colour.
Leeds Civic Hall, Out Of The Aire, projected by The Projection Studio (UK), photo credit Rajveer Kaur, Yorkshire Voice.
Amelia, 10 , from North Leeds, accompanied by her family said: “I love arts and crafts, and colourful lights, so this is one of my most favourite and best nights to come to town. It’s so busy and exciting to come out at night to see all the light shows”.
Spanning eight zones across Leeds, The Headrow, Millennium Square, The Station, and the Art Gallery, SOYO Zone, South Bank, Leeds University and the Park and Ride areas, Leeds Night Light featured stunning displays that delighted audiences of all ages. Families and friends’ faces lit up and beamed with smiles as they explored the glowing exhibitions and a wide array of artistic displays and live performances.
A crowd favourite was the Nocturnal Owls: The Watchful Guardians. This display featured a mother owl and her owlet, both decorated with intricate black-and-white mandala patterns that symbolised the cosmos and the cycles of life. The graceful display captivated spectators as it brought a serene sense of wonder to the streets.
Cookridge Street, Nocturn Owls: The Watchful Guardians, Glow Art Creations (UK), photo credit Rajveer Kaur, Yorkshire Voice.
One of the standout attractions, Out Of The Aire, projected by The Projection Studio (UK), celebrated Leeds’ rich history in innovation, engineering, sports, and the arts to music that featured Leeds singers and bands. The impressive show was inspired by the past and present people who have made Leeds a famous city globally.
Leeds Civic Hall, Out Of The Aire, projected by The Projection Studio (UK), photo credit Rajveer Kaur, Yorkshire Voice.
At the Art Gallery, Cumulative Entanglement offered an interactive experience by Yorkshire-based artist Rian Treanor. The sensory installation, created with the help of blind and partially sighted collaborators from Rotherham Sight and Sound, featured a 3D sculpture inviting visitors to engage with art in a tactile, immersive way.
Jane Bhoyroo, Principal Keeper at the Leeds Art Gallery from Leeds City Council said: “The idea is when you interact with the sculpture and touch the metal poles, and through your gentle touch sound and lights, take space within the sculpture, so it is a very interactive and very enjoyable”.
Leeds Art Gallery, Cumulative Entanglement, Rian Treanor (UK), photo credit Rajveer Kaur, Yorkshire Voice.
Adding to the atmosphere, street food vendors outside the Art Gallery served a variety of delicious foods and drinks, from churros to BBQ and Greek specialties, offering something for every taste, whilst a group of Morris dancers entertained the crowds.
The Headrow, Leeds Morris Dancers, photo credit Rajveer Kaur, Yorkshire Voice.
The Station Zone brought fairy tales to life on The Queens Hotel with The BookBinder, a projected story featuring animals and adventures from British Library collections, stitched together with ink, vibrant and clever imagination.
The Queens Hotel, The BookBinder, Illuminos (UK), photo credit Rajveer Kaur, Yorkshire Voice.
Helen McGrath, from Moortown said: “I bring my son every year, I am so proud of this event being a Leeds resident and working for Leeds City Council. The council is under a lot of pressure with budget cuts, so the council being able to put this on is amazing”.
Additionally, street theatre acts entertained spectators through Briggate and nearby streets, down past Leeds Kirkgate Market, some of which included Ghost Caribou, by Thingumajig Theatre (UK), giant illuminated creatures, part caribou, part spirit, with music, song and shadow puppets, and The Lumens by The Vortexes (UK), alien and unusual, with mirrored suits and robotic movements that were covered in fibre optic light.
On The Headrow, Them Bones, by Cecil Green Arts, delighted audiences on with two giant illuminated skeletons dancing in celebration of Mexico’s Day of the Dead. The performance brought lively dance and colour to the streets, encouraging the crowd to join in the festive atmosphere and dance with them.
Briggate, The Lumens by The Vortexes (UK) and Them Bones, by Cecil Green Arts, photo credit Rajveer Kaur, Yorkshire Voice.
In all, Leeds Night Light celebrated the city’s artistic spirit, making it an unforgettable free experience that united communities together under the magic of creativity and light.