A popular, city-wide illuminations festival will return to Durham in November this year.
Lumiere features installations from world-renowned artists and lesser-known creatives, which light up local landmarks.
The event will take place in the northern city from Thursday 13 to Saturday 15 November between 5pm and 10pm.
The festival began in 2009 and has since become internationally-recognised as the UK’s leading light art biennial, inspiring similar shows across the country.
The 2025 programme will display works from well-known artists, alongside UK debuts, new commissions and community-created projects.
Durham’s impressive Norman cathedral is often lit up during the Lumiere festival, and this year it will be brought to life with two new light commissions for its nave and cloister.
On approach to the cathedral, visitors will be met by a super-sized, two-metre-tall forest of illuminated flowers.
Other highlights include three giant, glowing koi carp above Prebends Bridge, and an immersive walk where mirrorballs scatter dancing points of light throughout a woodland.
Alongside renowned and international contributors, Lumiere has also commissioned smaller artists, including three from County Durham, with the aim of promoting their work.
One such display is UK artist Aaqib’s “Vault of Echoes”, a mirrored installation that blends Islamic geometry with County Durham’s brutalist landmarks.
Hundreds of residents have also taken part in lantern-making workshops to create “Glimmer”, a two-part installation in Durham and Shildon. Each lantern carries “a message, a memory, a hope or a truth, personal to the maker.”
The festival is also celebrating the 200th anniversary of the Stockton and Darlington Railway – the world’s first public railway to use steam locomotives – with a trio of installations.
Tickets will be required to enter a controlled zone within Durham city centre throughout each evening and should be booked in advance. More than half of the installations are outside the area and can be visited without a ticket.
County Durham residents will be able to book free tickets (a £1.50 booking fee applies) from 10am on Tuesday, 30 September. The general release to the wider public will be from 10am on Wednesday, 1 October.
Ahead of tickets going live, visitors are advised to register for an account in advance via the Lumiere website.
Helen Marriage, the artistic director of art and events organiser Artichoke, which organises Lumiere, said: “The 2025 Lumiere programme is a love letter in light — a glowing tribute to the wonderful city and County of Durham.
“In this 2025 edition of Durham’s world-renowned art event, you’ll discover old friends alongside fresh voices and emerging talent.
“We’re grateful to everyone who has stood beside us over the last 15 years – helping to create unforgettable moments of light and joy for those who call the North East home and for those who travel from afar to experience the richness and diversity of this remarkable place.”
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