Milton Keynes City of Codes & Lights Festival Dazzled the streets of Milton Keynes

Milton Keynes, October, 2023 – The City of Codes & Light Festival, hosted by Milton Keynes Islamic Arts and Culture (MKIAC), concluded its four-day extravaganza on October 7th, leaving the city buzzing in the afterglow of innovation, art, science, and technology. 

The festival, which took place from 4th to 7th October2023, exceeded all expectations, offering a captivating blend of creative workshops, educational symposiums, thought-provoking talks, and awe-inspiring performances.

This year's festival, themed around "Learning," took attendees on a journey through history, art, science, mathematics, technology, and sustainability. Milton Keynes Central Library served as the vibrant heart of the festiv al, featuring the interactive installation "Relax and Release" by international Spanish artists Maria Almera and Nestor Rubio. This installation skilfully navigated the mental health challenges faced by young people, providing an immersive and thought-provoking experience.

Workshops run by 1001 Inventions took school children through the history of culturally diverse artists, mathematicians, and scientists, paying homage to theircontributions, from the golden age of Muslim civilization to the groundbreaking Enigma codebreaking work of Alan Turing at Bletchley Park during WWII.

The final day of the festival saw speeches given by Mayor Mick Legg and MKIAC Patron, The Countess Elizabeth Howe among others, highlighting the importance of bringing diverse communities together to celebrate art, science, maths and technology.

In a grand finale, Milton Keynes Central Library was lit up by a mesmerising illumination showcasing "Echoes from the Golden Era," by Limbic Cinema. Children carrying colourful ornate lanterns led a captivatingdigital light parade with 7000 attendees, joined by Inko’Nito’s enormous luminous puppets “Celeste”creating a spectacular celebratory procession that wove its way to Campbell Park.

The parade culminated in a dazzling celebration featuring the electrifying beats of The Old Savoy Jazz Band, fusion ensemble Symphonica, and Mr. Switch, accompanied by a mesmerizing laser light show. This captivating blend of jazz, classical orchestration, and dance beats had attendees on their feet and dancing the night way.

The best part? Admission to the City of Codes & Light Festival was entirely FREE, ensuring that everyone in the community had the opportunity to engage in a diverse array of activities and events that celebrated creativity, innovation, and community involvement.

MKIAC, the driving force behind this incredible festival, is an award-winning national charity that champions Islamic arts, heritage, and culture. They have earned NPO status and are a crucial part of Arts Council England's Investment Programme 2023-26. MKIAC's commitment to using the arts and creativity to bridge societal divides and foster a sense of community is evident in the success of the festival.

Milton Keynes, with its rich history and prominent institutions, has long been a diverse and culturally vibrant city, and MKIAC has played a pivotal role in promoting cultural diversity and supporting diverse artist development in the region.

The 2023 City of Codes & Light Festival will be remembered as a testament to the power of creativity, inclusivity, and community engagement. We eagerly anticipate the next edition, certain that it will be even more remarkable than this year's resounding success.

Ends

Editors notes

MKIAC is an award-winning national charity which uses the arts and creativity as a vehicle to overcome societal divisions and provide a sense of community.

The theme for this year’s festival is all about "Learning", it will host an array of workshops, academic seminars, thought-provoking talks, as well as captivating artist-commissioned installations and exhibitions, all within the welcoming embrace of MK City Library.