Information and forms on how to apply to be part of Light Night will be available in early April. The date for Light Night 2012 will be Friday 5 October.
What is Light Night?
Light Night is an annual multi-artform festival, which takes place on one evening at numerous venues across Leeds city centre. It is a celebratory showcase for the full range of diverse and thriving creative activity taking place in Leeds all year round, and gives visitors free access to art and venues they might not normally see.
It involves contributions from many different Leeds-based arts organisations from internationally-renowned touring companies to small community groups, further and higher education establishments, arts collectives and individuals, including both professional and amateur artists, students and other members of the general public.
Around 50 venues open their doors to host a range of around 80 different arts installations, performances, tours and activities that aim to shed a new light on the city, encourage audience participation, make people think and see Leeds differently and to be entertaining, educational and/or and stimulating for visitors. As well as established cultural venues such as galleries and theatres, the event takes over libraries, places of worship, public squares, shops, bars, barges, graveyards, casinos and prison cells.
Leeds was the first UK city to host a Light Night event back in 2005. Its success in Leeds has led many other UK cities to follow suit and start running their own events. The Light Night concept is based on the model of European events such as Nuit Blanche and Notte Bianca.
Light Night Leeds aims to
- introduce new audiences to visual and performance art
- increase access for people from diverse backgrounds who would not normally attend arts events or activities
- bring new audiences into cultural venues in the city
- support artists and arts organisations to collaborate, show new work in new and/or unusual spaces, and develop their audiences.
- support culture, including unique creative activity and events in the city
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