Shining a light on illuminated moments of wonder

CITY streets will once again be illuminated by world-class art, as Light Up Leicester returns.

Following the huge success of the first event in 2020, the four-day festival will take place again, from March 3 to 6. Leicester residents, as well as visitors from further afield, will be able to see streets filled with illuminated interactive artworks.

Light Up Leicester is presented by Leicester City Council, BID Leicester and ArtReach, and has been made possible by the support of Arts Council England.

This year’s festival will include large-scale projects from world-renowned artists.

These illuminations will form a trail of nine lightbased installations around the city centre.

Simon Jenner, director of BID Leicester, said: “It’s incredibly exciting to see the return of Light Up Leicester.

“Not only will we unveil new pieces of art, we will also be working with internationally-renowned artists in this area.

“Visitors will be able to experience Fantastic Planet, a large-scale work by Amanda Parer, in Orton Square, consisting of giant, inflatable, glowing human sculptures that seem to have just landed on Earth. The piece will be a showstopper that will give audiences a moment of wonder.

“We’re expecting audiences of over 70,000 across the four days, which will be a fantastic boost for businesses as well.”

Other installations include Pulse, by This is Loop, featuring a tunnel of light and sound, the size of an articulated lorry, with tightly synchronised pulses of light triggered by the soundtrack, creating an immersive experience. There will also be the opportunity to create your own light sculptures, which can be displayed at home through home kits created by Sean Clarke.

Deputy city mayor Piara Singh Clair said: “Light Up Leicester is the latest addition to the city’s growing programme of innovative arts and cultural events. Each of the nine installations will help transform the nighttime ambience in the city centre during the four days of the festival.”