Weekender: Leeds Corn Exchange to host opening night of major festival
Leeds Corn Exchange has been selected by LeedsBID to host the opening night of Leeds International Festival and the world premiere of an immersive art installation.
Launched in 2017 by LeedsBID, Leeds International Festival will welcome London-based design studio Flat-e and pioneering electronic musician Daniel Avery to showcase Falling Light at the Corn Exchange on May 2 at 8.30pm.
Leeds Corn Exchange was chosen as the venue to host the event due to its significant links with the electronic music scene in the 1990’s, including popular club night Back to Basics, and its new vision to support creative industries and provide a platform for themes of innovation, new thinking and collective ambition.
A new commission for Leeds International Festival, Falling Light has been described by LeedsBID as one of the highlights of the festival and will welcome approximately 350 people to Leeds Corn Exchange at its opening night.
Centre manager for Leeds Corn Exchange, Adam Warner said: “Leeds Corn Exchange is keen to be at the forefront of new changes to our city and attract the biggest talent to our outstanding venue, which serves as a centre stage for creative businesses and audiences in the UK.
“Being chosen to showcase such a major event for Leeds International Festival is testament to the work we have been conducting in the last year, to position the Corn Exchange as not just a civic and historical landmark, but also an ambitious and innovative hub, which acts as a unique space for the city’s most exciting events and happenings.
“This is a fantastic opportunity for us and really demonstrates our new vision for Leeds Corn Exchange. Falling Light, is a wildly inventive collaboration between design studio Flat-e and electronic artist Daniel Avery and promises to be truly special.”
Marketing director at Leeds International Festival, Martin Dickson added:
“The Corn Exchange was chosen to host an event of this magnitude, due to its key objectives to be at the epicentre of the future of Leeds.
“Our values align significantly with the Corn Exchange, to present the face of the city in a modern, creative, innovative and accessible way.
“It feels so right to bring the biggest names we have at the festival, including Daniel Avery and Flat-e, to the Corn Exchange. It’s an incredible space that will provide the perfect platform for Falling Light.
“Falling Light was a huge investment for the festival and one that we feel the Corn Exchange can really showcase. It’s an iconic piece of architecture that fits perfectly will the messages we are trying to portray. The work blurs the boundaries between music and art installation.
“Entering the Corn Exchange after dark, the only thing that will be visible is a flickering light, which will descend from the top of the building to the lower ground floor. Falling Light will feel like stepping inside the music and touching the light.”
