Time to play as giant seesaws light up Leeds

Giant, illuminated seesaws will make sure next month’s incredible Light Night Leeds is full of unforgettable ups and downs.

The family-friendly, interactive installation, entitled Wave-Field, will give visitors the chance to team up and create their own unique patterns and harmonies as the two-night cultural spectacular returns to the city on October 10 and 11.

Encouraging people to participate and play together, each of the seesaws will burst into sound when set in motion, transforming the area into an urban playground filled with an array of different lights and sounds.

Created by Canada-based Lateral Office and CS Design and with a soundscape by composer Mitchell Akiyama from Toronto, the installation will be located outside Victoria Gate and part of the event’s Victoria Zone, supported by Victoria Leeds.

Jo Coburn, General Manager at Victoria Leeds, said: “Light Night Leeds is a fantastic initiative that encourages local people to get out and explore our city. We’re delighted that Victoria Gate has been chosen to host ‘Wave-Field’; a chance for people to go back to their childhood and have fun with some impressive visual and sound effects.

“Light Night Leeds continues to be a prominent event in the city that we’re proud to support as part of our drive to encourage events for the local community.”

Wave-Field will be one of more than 60 impressive installations created by artists from around the world which are set to take over some of the city’s most well-known buildings and locations.

Families will be spoilt for choice with playful and immersive installations featured throughout the two-day event, including from new host and headline sponsor: Vastint UK. In celebration of Aire Park, an all-purpose district soon to transform the South Bank, visitors to the Tetley Brewery site can expect street performers and a multi-sensory experience with the ‘Pleasance’ installation by Novak. ‘Pleasance’ is inspired by the 8.6 acres of city-centre park at the heart of the new district, including a large family play space.

With the theme of Mind, Body and Spirit, the event will include everything from dramatic, large-scale projections, to street performances and thought-provoking interactive artworks.

Among the other highlights will be an impressive, surrealist piece on Leeds Civic Hall entitled Telekinetic Rumours and Angels of Freedom, a beautiful collection of illuminated angels which will alight on Victoria Gardens.

The dazzling When Dreams Run Wild illuminated parade will get the event underway on The Headrow on October 10 at 7.30pm, marking the 15th year the city has hosted Light Night Leeds, an event which regularly attracting crowds of more than 80,000 people.

Councillor Judith Blake, leader of Leeds City Council, said: “Light Night exemplifies the very best of culture in our city and we’re incredibly proud that Leeds is home to such a world class celebration of creativity and imagination.

“Year after year, Light Night also brings together tens of thousands of people and families, giving them the opportunity to enjoy an unforgettable spectacle and see both modern and historic Leeds from a completely different perspective.”

Light Night Leeds takes place on October 10 and 11 from 6pm until 11pm.

For more details about the programme and installations visit www.lightnightleeds.co.uk or follow @lightnightleeds on Twitter and Instagram.

ENDS

For media enquiries, please contact:

Stuart Robinson

Communications Officer

Leeds City Council

Tel: 0113 378 9182 (please note my new number)

Email: stuart.robinson@leeds.gov.uk

www.leeds.gov.uk