November 17, 2020Light at the end of the Tunnel: Lumiere returns in 2021
Proudly made in Durham, Lumiere is set to illuminate the city again for four nights from Thursday 18th November – Sunday 21st November 2021.
Following last year’s special anniversary festival celebrating 10 years since the first ever Lumiere in 2009, we’re working on a brand new spectacular programme of artworks and installations for 2021. On Wednesday 18th November 2020, to mark exactly a year until the festival returns, the online exhibition People Make Lumiere: the festival behind-the-scenes is now live on the Lumiere website, showing a side to the event that hasn’t been seen before.
Featuring 42 previously unseen works by photographer Matthew Andrews, the exhibition goes behind-the-scenes at previous Lumiere festivals and celebrates the unsung heroes who make the event happen – from technicians and engineers to artists and audiences. It offers a glimpse into the technical skill and teamwork required to stage a light festival of this complexity within a busy city centre.
“People are at the heart of the festival. The artists, volunteers, production crew and of course, the amazing audience are as much a part of the magic as the artworks themselves. There’s no denying the impact that COVID-19 continues to have in the North East and across the UK. The return of Lumiere is a look ahead to brighter times, and the festival will be as uplifting and full of wonder as ever.”
Planning for the 2021 edition of the festival is well underway and we can’t wait to light up the city again with a programme of UK and internationalartists and local talent. As experts in producing outdoor events, we will ensure appropriate measures are in place to allow audiences to enjoy the festival safely in accordance with guidelines around COVID-19.
Over 1 million people have attended Lumiere in its ten year history, and the festival’s economic impact has grown year-on-year, bringing visitors into the city and boosting local businesses, and placing Durham in the world’s spotlight. Over 10,000 local people and schoolchildren have benefitted from involvement in Lumiere’s learning and participation programmes and volunteering opportunities since 2009.