The return of Love Light
Norwich Festival!
Over 15,000 people attended the inaugural outdoor festival in 2020 and what a time they had says Melanie Cook of VisitNorwich.co.uk
This incredible three-night light festival takes place mostly outdoors, with lots of space in between the exhibitions for everybody to explore and admire! As we go to print this month, we are unsure of what new measures may be put in place post-Christmas – but the fantastic installations, projections, and artwork were chosen with Covid-security in mind. So, with everything crossed, I look forward to getting out to enjoy everything Love Light Norwich has to offer. And all for free!
Just before lockdown in 2020, the inaugural Love Light Norwich Festival took place. In a first for Norwich, Norwich Business Improvement District (BID), with funding from Arts Council England, created a diverse night-time light festival around the theme of ‘love and belonging’. Now, once again, they are bringing a huge, cultural, free programme of activity to Norwich city centre in a month where we are eagerly looking forward to spring.
Love Light Norwich is an amazing attraction to brighten the dark February month in the ‘low season’, and create light, warmth, love and hope through art, whilst offering opportunities for retailers and hospitality to enjoy more business in winter. In 2020 it was also to highlight the issue of loneliness in our society. No one could have predicted how loneliness was going affect the world once the pandemic took hold.
Our understanding of loneliness is now more acute than ever before, and the new edition of Love Light Norwich will once again try in part to address the situation. Sustainability is also important. All the installations have been made as energy efficient as possible. When commissioning the works, their environmental impact was considered and wherever possible, mains power will be used rather than a generator and all will use low-energy LEDs. Plus, streetlights will be turned off or have their brightness reduced to save power and reduce light pollution. The festival is also encouraging sustainable travel, spurring people to cycle or walk to Norwich, or use trains, buses and Park and Ride to get here. The entire route of the festival is walkable with the furthest two exhibitions being less than a mile apart.
Accessibility has seen the BID team working with community groups from all over Norwich and the artworks have been chosen with accessibility in mind. One piece of work in particular- DeafPLUR, will be projected onto the wall of Yard in Pottergate. DeafPLUR is a playful works with a fun audio laser show celebrating peace, love, unity and respect. Created in collaboration with the d/Deaf/Usher community and hearing people alike.
Taking place at The Blake Studio at Norwich School there will be multiple performances of LightHaus. The performance combines music, colour, startling light and stunning projections in a new show from art-rock mavericks Klonghaus. These will take place each night and must be booked in advance. The 4.30pm shows will be autism friendly.
Two artists from 2020 will be returning with new works. If you made it to the festival previously, you’ll not forget the incredible projections onto the exterior of Norwich Cathedral. I’m delighted that Nick Azidis will be presenting, this time Luminous Pareidolia. Amber Lights (Norwich University of the Arts graduate) also returns with Out of the Cocoon, in Gentleman’s Walk.
This is a solar-powered sculpture which sparkles with iridescent light and has been created with sustainability at its heart.
If it’s at all possible to have a favourite piece of work before the festival even happens then I’m putting my money on Mobile Light-Graffiti by Nikola Dicke. Images of previous festivals have sold it to me. Nikola, a draughtswoman and painter has travelled around the world with her work, having exhibited in Amsterdam, Vienna, Jerusalem, Detroit and Seoul to name but a few destinations. She has been working as a freelance artist since 2006 and since 2010 with her van, the mobile light drawing studio, to create her site-specific light drawings live, in front of her audience.
Iconic landmarks in Norwich are a big part of Love Light Norwich. At The Forum discover Our Beating Heart with its heart-shaped mirror ball complete with dancing lights projected across two of Norwich’s most loved buildings. Whilst at Norwich Castle watch Illuminos bring Cupid to the rescue in a film projected onto its 70ft wall. See Cupid soaring over the stalls of Norwich Market and creating perfect partnerships. Will everybody find love?
The Love Light Trail features 17 site specific pieces of work in all, but the three-night festival will also include many wonderful special events as well as an emerging artist’s programme working in partnership with Norwich University of the Arts. Installations, projections and creations in the City of Stories from artists just starting their careers will be located throughout the city in another fantastic strand of works to view.
Special events take place each evening so study the map to make sure you get to attend the ones that take your fancy; some of them are just for one night. But do include The Bicycle Ballet Company in your itinerary with Strictly Night Cycling taking place on Friday 18 February in Chapelfield Gardens (5.45pm–6.30pm) and Norwich City Centre (8.15pm–9pm). There’ll be silliness, laughter and pyrotechnic surprises in an exhilarating outdoor dance performance. Also on the Friday, get involved in the festival by participating in Glow Ride – embellish your bike and yourself in lights for a family friendly bike ride. There’s a prize too for the best dressed bike!
On Saturday 19 February there’s an amazing parade – the River of Love Procession, featuring a fleet of illuminated boats and illuminated giant octopus and deep-sea creature (let me introduce you to Ocho and Iso, who will also be wandering around the city on the same evening so keep an eye out for them) in an underwater spectacular with a grand finale performance by The Garage.
Music is very much a part of Love Light and dotted around Norwich there will be plenty of opportunity to enjoy music and maybe even get a dance or two in, or three! Truth Fairy Disco Diva will be popping up all over the place. Keep your eyes peeled for a fairy spreading magic, love and catchy tunes. The Museum of Norwich is not missing out on the action either. Head to their Bridewell Alley location for The Art of Courtly Love to rejoice in romance with a modern twist on medieval courtship. Dance with the Time Machine Disco and pen the perfect love letter for their ‘love letter tree’.
Or how about making your own music and light sequences by moving under a suspended installation? Walk over to Chapelfield Gardens for Pif-Paf’s Celestial Sound Cloud. A beautiful interactive sound and light sculpture, inspired by galaxies far away.
Finally, all of the above will be wrapped up with the return of the Love City Food Trail where eateries, bars and food stalls on Norwich Market will have special love themed dishes for all to enjoy. Participating businesses will display a pink neon sign spelling love in their windows.
Pick up trail maps pre-festival from The Forum, or Norwich City Hosts (spot them in their blue tabards walking around Norwich). And maps will be found
during the festival at arts venues and
from festival stewards. Plus take a look at
www.lovelightnorwich.co.uk and
www.lovelightnorwich.co.uk/emergingartists (it’s a secret set, so you will only find information here!) for loads more information.
Love Light Norwich is brought to you by Norwich Business Improvement District (BID) and supported using public funding by the National Lottery through Arts Council England, with funding from the EXPERIENCE project co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund through the Interreg France (Channel) England Programme led by Norfolk County Council, and with support from Norwich City Council.
The Forum, Cycling UK, and FSG Signs & Graphics are leading sponsors for Love Light Norwich, with Norwich Theatre, Norwich University of the Arts, Norwich Cathedral and ARK also sponsoring.
