Leyard and Universal Pixels Build 14-Meter LED Stage for AV Awards
2026-11-06 · via invidis
Leyard Europe and rental firm Universal Pixels are supplying the LED stage package for the 2026 AV Awards, held November 6 at Battersea Evolution in London. The project is a reminder that the same panel technology used for digital signage and retail displays also underpins the live events and touring market, and that manufacturers lean on these high-profile installs for visibility among integrators and specifiers.
The centerpiece is a 14-meter-wide, 4-meter-high LED backdrop built from Leyard's Carbonlight Series, with a 3.9mm pixel pitch, 4,000 nits brightness and a 4,000:1 contrast ratio, according to the companies. Those figures put it well above typical indoor signage brightness levels, which makes sense given the backdrop has to compete with stage lighting and camera exposure rather than ambient retail or office light.
Beyond the main stage, the install extends to LED banners, stage fascia, and bar displays using Planar Carbonlight CLM Series mesh panels. These run a 5.95mm pixel pitch, 5,000 nits brightness and a 2,000:1 contrast ratio. The wider pitch and lower contrast figure fit the mesh format, which trades resolution for transparency and weight savings, a common tradeoff in touring and backdrop applications where airflow, rigging load, and load-in time matter more than close-up image fidelity.
A decade-long rental partnership
Leyard Europe and Universal Pixels say they have worked together for ten years on LED installs for concerts, corporate events, touring productions and award shows across Europe. Over the past two years Universal Pixels has used the CarbonLight Series on several major concert tours. James Morden, technical specialist at Universal Pixels, is quoted describing the panels as lightweight, transparent, quick to install and robust, the kind of language that matters to rental houses because setup speed and panel durability directly affect labor cost and show schedules.
Guy Phelps, Territory Head UK at Leyard Europe, said the partnership with Universal Pixels has been central to the company's annual involvement in the event. Leyard Europe is also sponsoring an award category this year and is shortlisted in several project and company categories.
For digital signage buyers, the announcement is less about a new product launch and more a case study in how CarbonLight and Planar's mesh panels perform in demanding, short-turnaround deployments. The release does not disclose pricing, panel count, or total deployment time for the install, details that would matter to anyone evaluating the hardware for their own touring or temporary event work.
The announcement in full
Reproduced from invidis for reference. Digital Signage Magazine did not write the text below.
The two companies are supplying a combination of CarbonLight LED displays and lightweight mesh panels for the annual industry event in London.
Leyard Europe and rental specialist Universal Pixels are teaming up again to provide the LED stage installation for the AV Awards, taking place November 6 at Battersea Evolution in London.
The centerpiece will be a 14-meter-wide, 4-meter-high (46-foot-wide, 13-foot-high) LED backdrop using Leyard Carbonlight Series displays with a 3.9mm pixel pitch, 4,000 nits brightness and a 4,000:1 contrast ratio.
The installation will extend beyond the main stage screen, with additional LED banners, stage fascia and displays at the venue’s bars. These elements will use Planar Carbonlight CLM Series lightweight mesh LED panels, featuring a 5.95mm pixel pitch, 5,000 nits brightness and a 2,000:1 contrast ratio.
Universal Pixels and Leyard Europe have worked together for 10 years, supplying LED display technology for concerts, corporate events, touring productions and award ceremonies across Europe.
Over the past two years, Universal Pixels has deployed Leyard’s CarbonLight Series on several major concert tours, where weight, durability and installation speed are important considerations.
James Morden, technical specialist at Universal Pixels, highlighted the technology’s practical advantages for touring applications, describing it as lightweight, transparent, quick to install, and robust.
For the AV Awards, the companies are using a combination of conventional LED displays and lightweight mesh panels to cover different areas of the venue, from the main stage to supporting displays.
Guy Phelps, Territory Head UK at Leyard Europe, said the longstanding relationship with Universal Pixels has been central to the company’s involvement in the event.
“Every year, we pull out all the stops to make the AV Awards stage look spectacular, and our strategic partnership with Universal Pixels is fundamental to that. Their team knows our LED technology inside out, and their expertise in the rental market is second to none,” he said.
Leyard Europe is also sponsoring an award category and is shortlisted in several project and company categories at this year’s event.
The annual AV Awards recognize achievements across the professional audiovisual industry, bringing together manufacturers, integrators, technology providers and other industry professionals.