Doncaster Festival of Light 2026: The Bird of a Thousand Voices lands at the Corn Exchange

Get your diaries out, Donny. The Doncaster Festival of Light is back for its eighth year, and this time it’s bringing a UK premiere right into the heart of the city.

From 19 to 26 November 2026, the Corn Exchange will host The Bird of a Thousand Voices by Amsterdam-based artist Boris Acket. The piece is inspired by Leonardo da Vinci’s sketches of a dream machine that would let humankind fly.

Who is Boris Acket?

Boris is a conceptual artist who works with sound, light, movement and kinetic sculpture. His work explores how we see the world around us, often using natural forces like wind, water, gravity and light as both the subject and the material.

Made by and for Doncaster

The festival is organised by Doncaster arts charity Right Up Our Street and its Community Festival Steering Group. The aim is simple: unique, high-quality events that all of Doncaster can be proud of, with plenty of joy and moments to join in.

Sally Lockey, Director of Right Up Our Street, said: “Boris Acket’s work asks us to imagine flight the way Da Vinci once did, as a shared human dream. That’s exactly the spirit of this festival: inclusive, joyful, and built by and for our community. Every year it reminds us what Doncaster can achieve when we come together to celebrate art.”

How to go

• Dates: 19–26 November 2026
• Venue: Doncaster Corn Exchange
• Times: half-hour evening slots, plus dedicated access slots with lower capacity
• Tickets: free for Doncaster residents (you still need to book), £5 for adults from outside Doncaster, with an optional £5 donation per ticket to support Right Up Our Street’s charity-led events

Book your slot at rightupourstreet.org.uk.

A world-class artwork, free on our doorstep. See you at the Corn Exchange.

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