Pics: Matthew Andrews unless stated otherwise
North South Divine The Lumiere festivals in Durham and London, organised by Artichoke, took place in November 2017 and January 2018 respectively, attracting more than 1.75 million visitors between them.
Eye Love London by The Coca Cola London Eye
F
or most festival organisers, one huge, national event is quite enough workload throughout the year. But
for arts charity Artichoke, organisers of the Lumiere festivals, one was not enough. Lumiere Durham and
Lumiere London took place within two months of each other and represented a scintillating feat of creativity and hard work.
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, Artichoke has brought the event back to the North East every other year since. In 2013,
Lumiere Derry~Londonderry was the finale to the first UK City of
Culture celebrations and in January 2016, Lumiere London came to
the capital for the first time attracting over 1 million visitors to the city.
LUMIERE LONDON
The second edition of Lumiere London, commissioned by the Aether by Architecture Social Club with Max Cooper (London)
Mayor of London, transformed the capital over four nights, as its streets, buildings and public spaces were illuminated by more
than 50 artworks by UK and international artists from fourteen different countries.
More than 1.5 million people visited the festival over four nights,
with visitors traversing the pedestrianised city centre and taking in sites across six city destinations: London’s West End, King’s Cross, Mayfair, Fitzrovia, Westminster & Victoria, and South Bank & Waterloo.
More than 80 technicians and crew took part in the technical
install and build of this vast event, while almost 1,000 stewards and volunteers managed visitors over the four nights, ensuring that everyone had a comfortable and enjoyable experience.
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