This November will see the return of Durham of Lumiere, the light festival which every two years turns our beautiful city into a stunning, immersive art gallery. Once again we’ll be supporting the event as a major partner.
We’ll be sponsoring and hosting three installations, which will use some of our newest and some of our most historic buildings as their canvas.
The Ogden Centre for Fundamental Physics will be lit-up with a video-mapped projection and soundscape telling the story of time from nanoseconds to millennia.
Entitled ‘Chronos’, the piece is by French artist duo Epsztein & Gross and promises to be a fascinating exploration of the story of time. The Ogden Centre is a very fitting venue, because it’s where much of our renowned fundamental physics research takes place, with world-leading experts investigating the mysteries of the cosmos.
There will also be light installations at two of our colleges, Durham Castle, home to University College, Durham, and St Mary’s College, meaning our students will be at the heart of this inspiring festival.
Details of these installations are secret until later in the year, but with both St Mary’s and the Ogden Centre hosting installations, the Mountjoy area of the City will be an unmissable part of the event.
Lumiere resonates with our dedication to cutting-edge research and teaching across the field of visual arts and culture; from our degree in Visual Arts and Film to our range of innovative masters courses, such as our MA in International Cultural Heritage Management and our MA in Museum and Artefact Studies.
We’ve championed the festival since its inception in 2009 and, in addition to sponsoring the event, we also provide support with volunteering, logistics and marketing. This is part of our deep-rooted commitment to supporting community, culture, creativity and heritage in our City, County and the North East.
As well as Lumiere, we also support popular annual events including Durham Book Festival, Durham Fringe Festival, the Durham City Run Festival and the Summer in the City festival.
Our attractions, including Palace Green Library, Durham Castle, the Oriental Museum and the Botanic Garden, host exhibitions and events throughout the year for all to enjoy.
Our staff and students are part of a thriving culture of music, theatre, sport and volunteering across the City.
We are also a key member of the Culture Durham Partnership supporting County Durham’s bid to be UK City of Culture 2025.
Cosmic Architecture by Nina Dunn and John Del’Nero, located at the Ogden Centre for Fundamental Physics, Lumiere 2019.
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