VIDEO PREVIEW: Space travel, robot sex, new music and Leeds United film memories - Leeds International Festival is back

Organisers are an unforgettable fortnight of events to excite, entertain and inspire. The UK’s leading metropolitan festival of new ideas and innovation celebrates local creativity and international culture whilst creating one of the biggest events in Leeds.

TICKETS: For full programme and tickets visit leedsinternationalfestival.com.

Launched in 2017 to critical acclaim the festival is an annual celebration of new ideas, local creativity and international culture with speakers, original performances, new music, seminars and discussion. The goal is to inspire and grow communities by bringing people together and promoting the discovery and exchange of new ideas, whilst creating one of the biggest events in Leeds.

It is funded via Leeds Business Improvement District (LeedsBID) and key partners including Sky, O2, Rabbit Hole, I Like Press, Hebe Works, Futuresound Events, Fashion in Leeds and Consume Communication.

The eclectic programme today revealed for this year boasts an array of original performances, world firsts, premieres and debates with big names from across the worlds of music, technology, moving image and fashion, popping up in venues across the city.

From space travel with the first Briton to go out of this world, and sex, love and Artificial Intelligence, to music from the UK’s only blind orchestra to a celluloid trip down memory lane with Leeds United – to name but a few.

Topping the bill are names including astronaut Helen Sharman CMG OBE, Sarah Beeny, June Sarpong, Steve Lamacq, Jamie Jones Buchanan and Nick JD Hodgson (former founding member of The Kaiser Chiefs).

New events announced include a special LIF hour long commission from the Inner Vision Orchestra, performed in the dark; a look at space travel – past, present and future with three experts in their field; a charity chinwag with cultural icon Cosey Fanni Tutti; an empowering conference showcasing a panel of female speakers’ career journeys into and through the digital domain and a re-worked score with an exciting collaboration with Opera North and Circuit Des Yeux as they take on the film Salomé.

Andrew Cooper, Chair of Leeds International Festival and Chief Executive of LeedsBID, said: “Leeds International Festival is back in 2018, celebrating new ideas, local creativity and international culture in the city, with an inspired programme of events from original performances, international speakers, intriguing debates and discussions, new music, alongside some excellent visual treats.”

“This festival, bought to you by LeedsBID, aims to encapsulate all that is great about Leeds, providing the opportunity for business and cultural organisations to collaborate on showcasing the city’s strengths to audiences from near and far.

“The ambition is for the international festival to become a showpiece annual event, growing in status, calibre and appeal each year.”

Tickets go on sale for a number of new events on Friday 2nd February, with more programme details revealed in the coming weeks.

HIGHLIGHTS:

28/04/18 Disconnect, AQL, Salem Chapel

Today, providing access to technology is no longer the priority. A bigger concern is beginning to emerge - when technology invades all moments of our lives, is it possible to disconnect?