After sixteen years and 9 editions, more than 120,000 visitors turned out to see the lights of Lumiere before they went out over Durham, 13-15 November 2025.
Lumiere 2025 was produced and curated by Artichoke and commissioned by Durham County Council, with additional support from Arts Council England and, for the first time in 2025, the North-East Combined Authority as regional commissioning partner.
The UK’s Light Art Biennial lived up to its 16-year reputation, combining thrilling large-scale spectacle with moments of intimacy and reflection. For Artichoke, who created Lumiere and own the Lumiere trademark, this will be the last Lumiere event they produce in Durham. Durham County Council is considering how Lumiere’s legacy can inspire the next generation of cultural events in Durham, working with the North-East Mayor and Combined Authority.
For Lumiere 2025, Palace Green was transformed into a field of giant glowing flowers by design studio Jigantics (UK), while Durham Cathedral’s famous interior was animated and illuminated by the ethereal shapes and patterns of EVERYONE EVER by Nighthouse Studio (US). The environment was a strong theme in this final edition of Lumiere. From the melting glacier featured in the interactive Point of (No) Return by Anastasia Isachsen (Norway), to Justin Brice Guariglia’s (US) warning signs, Entanglement is Existential (II), many of the artworks touched on environmental sustainability and the fragile natural world.
The Lumiere magic was also sprinkled on Shildon, currently celebrating the 200th anniversary of the birth of the passenger railway. Over 4,000 people visited the three new Lumiere installations in the Locomotion area of the town: Alight by Novak (UK), Iron Horse Junction by Hannah Fox (UK), and Glimmer, a display of hundreds of lanterns made by members of the community and embellished with personal messages.
In Durham City, installations outside the ticketed zone proved very popular. Crook Hall saw 7,000 visitors over the three nights to see the three installations hosted at the National Trust property.
At Dead Dog Gallery, the photography exhibition of winning images from previous Lumiere events, curated and presented by students at Durham Sixth Form College, saw 5,000 visitors. The exhibition was one of several Learning & Participation initiatives for 2025 which engaged around 550 local individuals in the event in addition to the 14,000 who have participated since 2009.
Lumiere has become a regular site of pilgrimage for artists, art lovers and art professionals, local families, students and friendship groups over the years, and has become a popular fixture in the cultural calendar in the North-East. It has seen professional attendances from the likes of the International Light Organisation and Light Up The North; many first dates and marriage proposals, friend re-unions, launched artistic careers and created memories that stay in the imagination for ever.
Since 2009, Lumiere has put Durham and light art firmly on the international stage, inspiring similar festivals across the UK and beyond, and has welcomed more than 1.3 million visitors and generated more than £43 million for the local economy. An evaluation of 2025’s event is ongoing and will be released in due course.
Lumiere has been hugely popular with local residents and businesses. Indeed, its success over the last 16 years has always depended on the backing of Durham’s visionary businesses and individuals, including major partners Durham University and Point North. More than 100 local sponsors came together this year to make the festival possible, from long-standing champions like EMG, supporters of BRILLIANT, MGL Group, who back the volunteer programme, to new sponsors such as Prima Cheese, who collaborated on the Prima Cheese, who collaborated on the Prima Commission. Their support ensures Lumiere leaves a legacy of creativity and opportunity across the county.
Helen Marriage, Artistic Director of Artichoke said:
“As the lights go down on Lumiere 2025 in Durham, I feel an enormous sense of pride and gratitude. For 16 years, we’ve had the privilege of using this extraordinary city as a vast canvas for an amazing array of artists to exhibit their work, transforming it into a place where light, art and community have come together in ways none of us could have imagined at the start.
Thank you to those artists and to the hundreds of thousands of visitors who have travelled from far and near over the years to experience the event, to the hundreds of partners and funders who have believed in our vision and supported it, and to the remarkable team who have poured their hearts and souls into making Lumiere what it has become.
Durham is a place I care about deeply and I’m proud that Lumiere has become part of its story by illuminating its streets and its spirit. What began here so many years ago has resonated far beyond the historic streets of Durham and has inspired light festivals around the world.
Durham County Council have expressed a desire to continue working with us at Artichoke. We will always be happy to consider any serious proposal they may wish to make about new projects in the future.”
Cllr Andrew Husband, Leader of Durham County Council, said:
“Lumiere has once again brought dazzling light art, thousands of visitors and an amazing atmosphere to the streets of Durham City. It’s been a fantastic three days, which have seen people of all ages travelling from near and far to enjoy a truly wonderful experience.“With thousands also flocking to Locomotion in Shildon for amazing installations inspired by the 200th anniversary of the Stockton and Darlington Railway, the wider county has also benefited from the economic boost the event brings.“Lumiere has shown that the power and potential of light art is undeniable and we will now be taking the opportunity to reassess our events programme and how we present light art in the future.”
