Leigh984, The creative portfolio of Leigh Spencer

  The RAF Town Show a recruitment event for the Royal Air Force landed in Leicesters Humberstone Gate with information available to visitors regarding all sorts of facets of RAF life. With serving personnel visitors got first hand advice on perusing a career in the Royal Air Force, The showstopper of the event was a 1:1 scale facsimile of a Eurofighter Typhoon Aircraft which stood at one end of the event and gave people the chance to climb aboard and sit in a recreated cockpit, something that was very popular with visitors of all ages. The film begins at the Leicester Clock Tower and we quickly make our way to the event on Humberstone gate with the Lewis`s tower another Leicester landmark marking the start of the display area. Passing along the line of inflatable gazebos we see the various parts of the RAF represented from Transport and logistics to catering and reserves, the RAF Motorcycling team are even represented. We soon come to the Showstopper facsimile of the Typhoon Figh...

The streets of Leicester filled with colour, texture and joy during city`s first ever textiles festival which took place between 16th - 24th September across various locations. Highlighting Leicester's rich and varied textiles past, present and future the festival takes in many public places across the city center. There`s the Big Wrap by festival Co-Founders Rebecca Harvey-Hobbs and Ali Carpenter-Hughes in Orton Square celebrating all things Leicester. Yarnbombs in Jubilee Square and The Circle created by community groups, schools and more across the city and county. The town hall fountain and square has been decorated (even the pigeons seemed impressed by this !). Leicester Look Up !, features hanging baskets made by individuals and groups and with various pop up exhibits in the Highcross and Haymarket Shopping centers this is a city wide festival of creativity and people coming together to promote positive wellbeing and sustainability. 

From 2nd - 7th November, to celebrate Diwali, an art installation was created by renowned British artist Chris Gilmour at Highcross Shopping Centre. The artist created a Leicester cityscape made entirely of cardboard. The 3D cityscape featured various landmarks of Leicester including the clock tower, City Hall the Guildhall and fountains. My film features the artist at work and some of his already finished creations how many do you recognise in their cardboard forms ?.

As the flagship fundraising event for 2021 Rocket Round Leicester saw a fleet of 40 large rocket artworks placed throughout the city between July and September forming a trail to follow. Each rocket was decorated by an artist in a different style some linking to their location, like the LCFC themed rocket outside the King Power Stadium and others with more general themes of Leicester birds or historical figures (look out for a King Richard III themed rocket) etc. This film has been several months and many miles in the making and shows just a selection of the rockets on the trail, You`ll see rockets beside well known Leicester landmarks across the city from Jubilee Square to the Golden Mile and all points in between, how many can you spot and which is your favorite ?. To find out more about the vital work of LOROS Hospice visit : www.loros.co.uk To find out more about the rocket trail visit : www.rocketroundleicester.co.uk

Light Up Leicester saw the streets of Leicester come to life with a collection of interactive illuminated artworks, a digital take on traditional light festivals, each of the large-scale installations interacted with people through sound or sensors, reacting to light, temperature or humidity levels, or responding to data via an internet connection. Three new pieces where specially commissioned for the festival and where shown in Leicester for the first time. The installations created a stunning night-time spectacle in Leicester city centre. Each of the pieces encouraged interaction by the public transforming the night-time ambience in Leicester city centre during the four days of the festival. Light Up Leicester is presented by Leicester City Council, BID Leicester and ArtReach. It has been made possible by the support of Arts Council England.

The Van Gogh Immersive Experience allows visitors to the exhibition to step into the artists work in a projected immersive experience. Explore the artists work as never before, enter the world of his paintings, from deep blue skies above yellow fields of corn to starry nights filled with lanterns. The exhibition uses cutting edge 360 degree projectors and digital animation alongside music to create an atmosphere that allows the viewer to step into the mind of the artist and his world. You can also step into the artist's well known bedroom painting recreated in real life and his series of vase paintings.