First Breath in Luminato Festival, Toronto 2025

First Breath in Luminato Festival, Toronto 2025

Photo by Louisa Key

First Breath in Luminato Festival, Toronto 2025

Participants one year on - a new community.

Luminato Festival, Toronto.

Luminato Festival, Toronto.

First Breath in Luminato Festival, Toronto 2025

First Breath was first commissioned in 2023 for the launch of Manchester’s new arts centre Factory International and then presented again at Luminato Festival 2025, in Toronto, Canada.

Each evening First Breath casts powerful beams of light up into the clouds to celebrate new life. Connecting the ground to the sky, the tower of light is a declaration of new life, celebrating the profound moment a baby takes its first breath in the world. The lights gently pulse and breathe 171 times, to represent the number of babies born each day in Toronto. Audiences are able to get up close to the artwork, walking in and around the lighting, as well as witnessing it from vantage points across the city.

Luke Jerram said: “I want to reveal, celebrate and connect the hidden community of people giving birth each day. Disconnected and yet going through the life-changing experience at the same time, there are on average 171 babies born each day in Toronto. This artwork is designed to celebrate the moment a child is born – the extraordinary moment when they take their first breath and a new life arrives in the world.”

John McGrath, Artistic Director and Chief Executive of Factory International and Manchester International Festival said, “At the turn of 2023 we celebrate new beginnings with a beautiful public artwork projected from the site of our future home into the night sky. As we welcome hundreds of new-borns into the world through Luke’s light sculpture, we will also be breathing life into our new building and, we hope, setting in motion a fruitful life-long relationship with a new generation.”

Created from low current LED lighting, the power consumption for this artwork is designed to be low.

A new audio accompaniment has been produced by Julian May. It was first presented at Luminato Festival in Toronto, Canada.

When first presented Manchester, First Breath set in motion a new programme of bespoke family activities and early learning opportunities for babies and parents at Factory International connecting a new generation through culture and exploring how art can be woven into daily family life from birth. Hundreds of babies born in January 2023 also received lifetime membership to Factory International – providing priority booking, discounted tickets and exclusive invitations to everything from major exhibitions and epic concerts, to family performances and workshops.

The original participants one year on – a new community brought together through this project.