The popular light-art trail, Light Up Lancaster, returns to the city in November.
Details have been revealed for the event, which takes place on November 7, 8 & 9.
Light Up Lancaster invites audiences to explore this magical light-art trail throughout the city, discovering enchanting light-artworks and captivating installations in Lancaster’s streets and squares.
This year’s theme is The Art of Science, playfully exploring how art and science can be ‘creative twins’. From electron microscopes to a photograph of a black hole taken from a ‘virtual telescope’ science and art are often linked through the visual world.
Installations, located across Lancaster, include creative projection and video mapping, music and dance, and multiple magical illusions to deceive the eye and make you smile.
In 2023, the Light Up Lancaster event saw a record-breaking surge in numbers in the city centre.
Footfall impressions of more than 80,000 were recorded during the three-day light festival, according to figures released by Lancaster Business Improvement District (BID).
Read more:
Light Up Lancaster "breaks records" for crowds in city centre
Take a LEAP at the Judges’ Lodgings, as beautiful projection, inventive storytelling and uplifting music carry you on a journey across the sky and into the future.
Head to The Storey Gardens for The Matter of the Heart, an intimate and moving installation portraying the heartbeats of the city’s residents as they beat in unison in the darkness.
Or visit the canal by the Water Witch where the stunning Monad, a giant water screen projection from Norway, captures beautifully the perpetual motion of the universe.
All the artworks and installations are free to view and suitable for families, and they will all be running on each of the Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings. And for this year they’ll be open from 5pm right up until 10pm, giving you longer to explore, experience and enjoy the festival.
Plus there will be a food market in Market Square, curated by Food Futures – the perfect opportunity to visit the festival after school or work and grab a bite to eat before exploring.
There will also be offering two British Sign Language interpreted tours of the artworks, on Saturday evening at 5pm and 7.30pm, led by specialist facilitator Martin Glover.
Organisers have also revealed a new venture for 2024 – ‘Explore Week’ – which will take place during the school half term (October 21 – 25).
This will take the form of five days of free workshops, and will offer fun and exciting creative experiences and hands-on activities learning all about light, art and science.
The workshops will be located in The Storey and have been coordinated together with the Engagement team at Lancaster University, with support from the University’s Impact Acceleration Account funding programme.
Details of the programme for both Explore Week and the main festival will be uploaded to the website in the coming days at www.lightuplancaster.co.uk