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A view outside the Palatine Centre

We partner with Lumiere as it lights up the Durham skies

24 November 2025
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Elysium Garden at Durham Cathedral for Lumiere 2025

Lumiere returned to Durham for the final time, lighting up the city to become an illuminated art gallery for three November nights. 120,000 visitors enjoyed light installation artworks from international and UK artists, with major new commissions, premieres, and community collaborations, including artworks on our campus. Three installations were hosted by the University at Lumiere 2025, with unique light art at Palace Green, the Waterside Building and South Bailey.

Elysium Garden

The centrepiece of this year’s light festival was a super-sized, floral forest, inspired by the mythical gardens of paradise and created by UK based, Jigantics. Elysium Garden was made up of giant colour-changing flowers, growing from the lawn on Palace Green. This artwork has previously been displayed at gardens and outdoor spaces across the world.

Sign by Dutch artists Vendel & de Wolf was located at Waterside, the new Durham University Business School building. Showcasing an illusion of flames and sparks, this artwork sowed that although equated with destruction, fire can signal new beginnings.

Lumiere Business School

Above: Sign, by Dutch artists Vendel & de Wolf, installed at Waterside, the new Durham University Business School building.

South Bailey was transformed into a night time trail entitled Garden of Shadows, with eight installations by artist John Easterby, blending light, shadow and sound.

Social and economic impact

Since the first Lumiere in 2009, the bi-annual festival has welcomed more than 1.3million visitors and delivered £43million of economic impact to the region. Lumiere’s Learning and participation programme has engaged with 14,000 local people.

Lumiere was produced by Artichoke and commissioned by Durham County Council with support from Arts Council England, The North East Combined Authority, Durham University along with other funders and supporters.

Find out more:

  • Learn about installations on the University campus, by taking a look at our Lumiere 2025 guide.