The first Lumiere light festival took place in Durham in 2009. Originally planned as a one-off, with the support of Durham County Council and other sponsors, producers Artichoke have brought the event back to the North East every other year since then.
Lumiere is a light festival that offers something for everyone. In 2017, a record 240,000 visitors came to Lumiere in Durham enjoying a programme that mixed family-friendly interactive installations with groundbreaking artistic commissions such as Pablo Valbuena’s Methods and Adam Frelin’s White Line, 3-D video-mapping, stand alone light sculptures, neons, a kinetic fire installation, and a flashmob of illuminated umbrellas dancing unexpectedly through the cobbled streets.
LUMIERE IS THE UK’S LARGEST LIGHT FESTIVAL AND HAS BEEN TRANSFORMING CITIES ACROSS THE UK SINCE 2009.
Each Lumiere festival invites local and international artists to create works that reimagine familiar buildings and public spaces, changing the way we experience our urban surroundings.
Lumiere is produced by Artichoke, creators of extraordinary art in unusual places. Artichoke works with UK and international artists to produce large-scale artworks and events that live in the memory forever. We aim to inspire and transform people’s lives by changing the way they see the world through art, bringing communities across the UK and beyond together in learning and participation projects, and leaving a legacy of skills and newfound potential behind.