Illuminate your imagination as you explore the city centre, from Old Market Square to Binks Yard, and from Sneinton Market to Nottingham Castle. You can see over 30 immersive and interactive light-based installations, performances, and activities after dark, for free.
Old Market Square will be dappled with light from Our Beating Heart – a rotating sculpture featuring thousands of mirror fragments. The installation will accompany a beating heart soundtrack and mash-up of heart-themed songs produced by local DJs Jez Prince X HAZE, with additional lighting designed by Luminism.
This is Loop – who brought PULSE to last year’s event – have created Geist, a brand-new large-scale light installation inspired by the elusive neutrino, or ‘ghost particle’. Geist is making its international debut at Canary Wharf in London before it heads to Sneinton Market Square.
At Nottingham Castle, visitors can see a collection of neon lights created by Chila Kumari Burman, whose work has recently been shown in Manchester, Brighton, and London’s Tate Britain. Additionally, an art exhibit created by Bluecoat Aspley Academy students will be projected onto the walls of Nottingham Castle, near the Robin Hood Statue
Tom Dale Company returns to Nottingham Contemporary with UBX: SUCCESSION – an immersive, audio-visual, genre-breaking dance performance with exclusive new music from producer ITAL TEK.
There will be many more exciting live events across the city as part of Light Night, including a selection of pop-up carnival performances presented by City Arts, bringing colour and energy to the city’s new civic space outside Nottingham Central Library. Music and belly dancing performances will also be taking place at Binks Yard, illuminated by the Canal & River Trust’s Waterfall of Lights cascading down from the roof.
St. Mary’s Church is hosting another multi-sensory experience called Standing Ground. Using AI-generated image sequences, it explores our relationship with the natural world.
Another highlight will be a six-metre-tall inflatable light sculpture, The World Has Gone Pear Shaped, on Sussex Street. Using NASA’s high-resolution 3D images, the illuminated project highlights how humankind is altering the earth and is a playful take on the dystopias of our time.
There are more installations, exhibitions, and activities to explore across the city centre, including Green’s Windmill, Nottingham Trent University’s Newton Building, William Booth Memorial Centre, and Nottingham College Art School.
In line with the city’s ambition to be carbon neutral by 2028 (known as CN28), the majority of installations for Light Night are powered by zero carbon electricity using Nottingham City Council’s green energy tariff. The Council is working collaboratively with businesses, residents, and public sector and community organisations to deliver significant reductions in Nottingham's carbon emissions, in order to play our part in tackling the climate crisis.
Attendees can plan their visit and itineraries, and read more about the installations using the free It’s in Nottingham App, which is available to download on the iOS App Store and Google Play.
Printed guides will be available from the Tourism Centre on Smithy Row, and at key locations on the day, or you can download a map at www.whatsonnottingham.com.
Nottingham Light Night is produced by Nottingham City Council and It’s in Nottingham – the city’s business improvement district. The event is funded by It’s in Nottingham, the National Lottery through Arts Council England, and the UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund. Cultural organisations across the city also support the event.
Councillor Pavlos Kotsonis, Portfolio Holder for Leisure and Culture at Nottingham City Council, said: “I’m delighted that Nottingham Light Night will be returning for its 16th year, once again offering a free and accessible cultural event across the city centre for everyone to enjoy. You can see impressive installations from national and international artists, using the latest technology, alongside performances and activities from Nottingham’s local creatives. Light Night will open up Nottingham’s fantastic spaces and venues after dark and celebrate our diverse city.”
Alex Flint, Chief Executive Officer of It’s in Nottingham, said: “Nottingham Light Night has been growing in popularity over the years and has become a highlight of the city’s cultural calendar. It is a great way to experience Nottingham in a new and exciting way, and creates a lasting impression on those who attend.
“The event offers a range of unique and innovative experiences for the community and visitors to enjoy after-dark. It is a great opportunity for businesses to showcase their products and services to a wider audience, as well as contributing to the overall vibrant atmosphere of the event.”
Further information
The It’s in Nottingham App is available for Apple and Android platforms and is free to download:
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/its-in-nottingham/id6444342293?uo=4
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.loqiva.itsinnottingham
Nottingham Light Night has received £10,000 from the UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.
Full details and imagery all courtesy of Nottingham City Council.
