Pioneer joins Leeds Digital Festival team

LEEDS Digital Festival plans to be the most “ambitious to date” with a leading industry figure jumping on board.

Aidan Cook is the founder of Leeds’ first web design agency and has joined forces with the event team to help create and manage this year’s fortnight-long occasion.

Named Individual of the Year at the 2010 Drum Awards for the Digital Industries and founder of award-winning agency, Sense Internet, Mr Cook will bring his 20 years of experience and expertise to the event team.

Leeds Digital Festival, returning for the sixth year in October, is a celebration of the city’s award-winning digital talent, encouraging companies, organisations and individuals across Leeds to generate ideas for and take part in workshops, seminars, projects and private and public events to be at the forefront of the latest digital trends.

Mr Cook said: “Leeds Digital Festival delivers compelling events and seminars for our city, but most importantly it keeps the huge number of extremely talented people we’ve got here talking to each other.

“Digital media connects people across huge distances, but this festival shows how inspirational simply listening and talking, debate and discussion can be.”

The festival is now more reflective of the city’s digital scene, not just the digital industry, with increased input and participation from the digital population. It supports and celebrates its many facets including commercial, charitable, educational, social, sport, and personal.

Simon Wilson, co-producer of Leeds Digital Festival, said: “Aidan has grown up with the industry in Leeds and to have him involved with this year’s festival is a great asset to the team behind the hard work.

“Aidan shares our belief that digital isn’t just some ‘sector’ or niche, but something that people, everyday people use as part of their daily lives.”

The festival will take place over the last two weeks in October at a number of venues including City Exchange, Round Foundry Media Centre, Leeds City Museum, SkyBet, Duke Studios and White Cloth Gallery.

The last two festivals have included 75 events spread over 30 locations, with over 2,300 people.