The first events for the winter Bright Nights programme, Gloucester’s festival of light, have been announced with an array of light installations including works by international artists.
Running from November until February next year, the Gloucester BID supported light installations are set to bring colour and light to the city as the nights get longer over winter.
Highlights of the first half of the programme include Shadowing, an installation by award-winning digital artists Chomko and Rosier, which will turn three ordinary lampposts in the city centre into magical illuminated stages where visitors can dance and play with their shadows.
Intended to ‘give memory’ to the city’s lights it will see the lights record and play back the shadows of those who pass under them.
The installation launches on 29 October on Berkley Street, Southgate Street and St Mary De Crypt corner as well as at Blackfriars Priory when the street lights turn on after dark.
Another highlight of the festival will be Breathing Room by Anna Berry, supported by Unlimited an arts commissioning programme that enables new work by disabled artists to reach UK and international audiences.
It’s a walk-in kinetic light installation ‘combining organic and machine elements’ creating a unique sensory experience.
Powered by an outer mechanical skeleton, Breathing Room invites you into a gently illuminated tunnel lined with 28,000 cones that ‘breathe’ like a living organism.
It will be available for visitors to experience at Blackfriars from 6-14 November and booking is not required however there are bookable places to ensure a more relaxed or personal experience.
Globoscope by Coin Collectif, is an immersive installation made up of 200 luminous spheres that will transform the landscape of Robinswood Hill into a multi-sensory, changing terrain, inviting audiences to see a familiar landscape in a new way.
It will run from 26-28 November at Robinswood Hill from dusk, and is presented by Strike a Light in partnership with Bright Nights and Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust.
While artist Ulf Pedersen will take audiences on an immersive light-filled journey with his installation for Llanthony Secunda Priory, offering audiences an escape from the busy surrounding city.
Luminor, commissioned by Llanthony Secunda Priory and funded by Historic England and partners, will see the three main buildings illuminated by colour, text and light to draw attention to the architectural charm of the buildings, the history of the site and the different techniques and materials blended into the walls.
And a highlight in Gloucester’s Christmas calendar, the lantern procession and Christmas Lights Illumination, returns on 21 November. The procession will start at 4:45pm through the Gate Streets and ending at the Cathedral Grounds.
This year children across six primary schools have drawn upon the theme of Loving our planet and will present their lanterns as Guardians of Nature, showing the importance of sustainability and doing our bit to slow climate change.
In addition, the Advent Fenster will see Gloucester’s communities encouraged to decorate their windows over the festive period to act like an advent calendar.
Bright Nights Co-Creative Director, Katherine Jewkes, said: “We’re thrilled to be bringing such an exciting programme of light and play to Gloucester. We know that it’s been a difficult year for many, and we hope that these artworks can bring joy to our local community. Everything is free to attend and open to all, made for Gloucester by award winning local and internationally renowned talent, with more projects to be announced later in the year.”
Philip Walker, Head of Culture at Gloucester City Council, said: “Gloucester City Council is delighted to be working on brightening up our winter months with Bright Nights, a fantastic programme of light installations for residents and visitors to enjoy and interact with. We are really excited about bringing international artists to Gloucester in this series of upcoming events and hope that it brings people some cheer during the darker months. It’s a perfect way to get out and explore the city over winter.”
For more information https://www.visitgloucester.co.uk/brightnights
