Storybook creation promises a knight to remember on Briggate

‘Far, Far Away’ is one of the highly anticipated pieces that will transform Leeds as the festival returns during half term, on 28 and 29 October.

The projection invites the audience to follow children on their journey through deep, dark woods towards a magical palace, encountering curious creatures, mysterious spells and unexpected surprises.

Co-produced by Light Night Leeds, the British Library and Hungarian art collective Lightspray Visual the playful piece takes inspiration from the library’s collection, with nods to classic stories by the Brothers Grimm and Hans Christian Andersen.

This year’s Light Night has the theme of ‘A City Speaks…’, exploring the stories, people and places that have shaped Leeds. With this in mind the artists took inspiration from the ideas of Leeds primary schoolchildren about what they think a fairy tale should contain. A knight drawn by one of the students has even made it into the final artwork.

‘Far, Far Away’ is unique in that it’s fully analogue, using repurposed overhead projectors that will bring the story to life above the shopfronts of Briggate.

Kenn Taylor, Senior Culture Manager at the British Library said: 'We are delighted to be back at Light Night Leeds. 'Far, Far Away' is a beautiful project and we are excited for the audiences to experience the joy and wonder of fairy tales through Lightspray's work. We were thrilled to see them take inspiration from the Library’s collection as well as the ideas of schoolchildren - and the result is truly magical.  

“Our collaboration with Light Night Leeds is part of our wider commitment to engage with local people and partners in the city and beyond - and to open our collection to everyone in the region through events and activations."

Another key projection will be on the Civic Hall and is a collaboration with City of Maths, which Leeds is the first to have been anointed for 2026-27. The two-year celebration aims to transform how people feel about maths and let them discover its more creative side.

For the artwork, Belgian artists Nele Fack and Niels Blondeel were inspired by the mathematical idea of duality, and the piece explores how two apparently different things can be alternative expressions of the same underlying form.  

With shapes dividing, overlapping and reconnecting across the building, the bold and rhythmic projection invites audiences to see difference in a new way and discover the hidden structures that connect the world around us.

Councillor Salma Arif, Leeds City Council’s deputy leader and executive member for economy, said: “Each year, Light Night Leeds brings thousands of people together to view impressive light projections and immersive experiences.

“This year it will be a true celebration of our city and plays a huge role in supporting our local businesses and economy, raising the profile of Leeds as a cultural destination.

“We’re thrilled to be working with British Library and City of Maths on these two key projections and can’t wait to see them transform our city in October.”

Since it started in 2005 Light Night Leeds has become a staple in the city’s events diary. The citywide festival is completely free and will feature over 40 artworks by artists working in Leeds, the UK and internationally.

For details of the full programme visit lightnightleeds.co.uk and follow Light Night Leeds on social media for more information.

ENDS