Lumiere Event FAQs

Lumiere is the UK’s light art biennial. It is a free-to-attend, four-day event that transforms the historic city of Durham every other year in November into a giant outdoor art gallery of spectacular light installations. 

The programme features artworks by local and international artists and year-round Learning and Participation projects. 

Since the first Lumiere in 2009, the event in Durham has attracted more than one million visitors and stands as a landmark event in the cultural calendar of the North East. 

Lumiere returns to Durham from 16 – 19 November 2023.   

Lumiere is produced by Artichoke, a registered charity and the UK’s largest artistic production company presenting work in the public realm.  

Lumiere in Durham is commissioned by Durham County Council and supported by Arts Council England and a raft of other sponsors and supporters.  

The full programme of light artworks at Lumiere Durham will be announced in October 2023. 

 Click here to explore the past Lumiere programmes.  

Yes, the event is always completely free for the public to attend.

Further details about ticketing and planning your visit to Durham will be available in Autumn 2023. 

Lumiere and the producers at Artichoke are committed to working collaboratively with Durham County Council and the local community to deliver a sustainable and environmentally-conscious event.

Lumiere will engage industry experts, A Greener Future, to undertake a carbon impact assessment of the event for 2023. Artichoke (Producers of Lumiere) is also signed up to Vision: 2025, a network of over 500 outdoor events and businesses taking climate action towards net zero. 

Over the years, Lumiere has consistently brought tangible benefits to the local community, building the local economy, investing in local businesses, creating accessible training opportunities and inspiring local children and putting Durham firmly on an international culture map. In these challenging times, it is all the more important that families have events to look forward to without having to worry about what it will cost to attend.  

Accommodation fills up quickly for Lumiere so we recommend booking as early as possible. For details of places to stay across the county, prices and availability, call the Durham Visitor Contact Centre on 03000 26 26 26*, email [email protected] or visit This is Durham.

*Cost of a local call, calls from mobiles may vary. 

Durham County Council are on the lookout for Lumiere Volunteers to help make this year’s biennial a success. We’re looking for people aged 18 or over, from students to retirees, who will welcome visitors to the city, direct people to the spectacular light installations and be the face of the Lumiere.

Being a Lumiere Volunteer is a chance to gain new skills and a wonderful way to meet new people and make friends. 

You can apply to be a Lumiere Volunteer via the Durham County Council website: https://www.durham.gov.uk/festivalmaker 

Lumiere Volunteers are sponsored by MGL Group.

BRILLIANT, Lumiere’s national commissioning scheme returns in 2023.

Artichoke has announced five successful participants who will create and exhibit new light works at Lumiere 2023. BRILLIANT encourages anyone to submit a bright idea, not just practising artists. The long-standing scheme’s mission is to broaden the diversity of those working in the medium of light both locally and across the UK and give an opportunity for non-creatives and early career artists to be part of the biennial.

The selected creatives will now develop their artworks in close consultation with an Artichoke Producer and Production Manager to bring their light installations to life. Read more about our BRILLIANT selected artists.

BRILLIANT is sponsored by locally-based EMG Solicitors.

BRILLIANT is open to anyone currently living in the UK aged 18+. You don’t have to be an artist to apply, you just need a bright idea!

We are particularly interested in receiving applications from:

• Individuals who are currently living in or are originally from the North East and are local to Durham

Those who are under-represented in our BRILLIANT alumni, particularly:

• Those who identify as a person of colour
• Those who identify as a person who is d/Deaf, disabled or neurodivergent

As part of Artichoke’s ongoing commitment to the development of local creativity, three of the six BRILLIANT commissions are reserved for people who are currently living in or originally from the North East.

Applications for 2023 have now closed.

No, BRILLIANT is free to enter. 

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