A giant screen has appeared at Trinity shopping centre in the space where Topshop used to be.
At 6 metres wide, it forms part of a new digital stage that has been built into the former high street fashion storefront and will display a host of different works from local artists throughout the summer.
Its appearance marks the start of a new project, aiming to showcase films created by local Leeds artists and performances in residence across the city.
Revealed today, Thursday 22 July, everything it broadcasts will be completely free to watch and for artists to display their work on.
Over the coming months, the intention is to publicise the work of hundreds of artists – but this weekend the centre is kicking things off with a handful of specially curated showings.
Things will begin with ‘Aquaplane’, a short contemporary dance video created by local videographer and photographer Decland Creffield. Hailing from Leeds himself. It depicts dancer Max Revell moving to the soundtrack of Overseer by Aquaplane.
Other performances kicking off the opening include ‘Lockdown, Dance Up’, which depicts video recordings from an online children’s lockdown dance project that used video calls to coordinate practices during the lockdowns of the past year. Set up by Leeds-based Union of Dance and supported by Arts Council England, it perfectly encapsulates a summer full of viral tik tok dance trends and online comings together.
And last but not least, there’ll also be a 30-minute animated retelling of Puccini opera La Boheme, created by Opera North on display at the new screen.
“We are thrilled to launch Trinity Stage and we hope to promote the incredible talents that the city of Leeds has to offer,” said David Maddison, Trinity Leeds Centre Director regarding the new screen instalation.
“Showcasing our region’s artists and performers is our way of supporting the arts, which is a sector that’s been hit so hard this last year and a half.
“Be it emerging artists starting out, or established performers and groups, we want Trinity Stage to be a celebration of the arts and a vehicle to help promote their work to a wider audience.”
