Light Up The North to receive Arts Council England National Lottery project funding through to 2025
Light up the North (LUTN) network has announced that it will receive £157,500 from Arts Council England to continue their sector development work as the leading Light Festival network in England.
Abbe Robinson, Co-Chair of Light Up The North and Principal Arts Project Officer at Leeds City Council and Light Night Leeds said, “This funding recognises the impact of our network and festival partners, who have collectively reached audiences of over 8 million in the past two years. The extension of support through to 2025 will help light art festivals in the north continue to deliver higher quality programmes and tour ambitious new commissions to audiences in towns and cities across the region, whilst nurturing the talent of under-represented northern artists to create work at a national and international level.”
Collaboration is at the heart of the network and LUTN strives to share their knowledge across the cultural sector. In the coming year this funding will see the network develop a new Light Artist Directory, launch a series of webinars and talent development initiatives to support artists to explore new technologies and create compelling experiences for audiences.
An example of this is the recently announced SPARK programme which aims to nurture emerging artists working with light, through a bespoke package of opportunities provided by LUTN members and focused on increasing inclusivity and diversity in the sector.
This opportunity follows on from SHINE – which in 2023 sees the festivals joining together to award up to £10k funding to emerging artists working with light, to produce and exhibit new commissions at their 2023 light festivals.
Phil Hargreaves, Co-Chair of Light Up The North and Head of Creative Programmes at City of Bradford Metropolitan District Council said, “Over the next few years LUTN aims to cement itself as a recognisable festival brand with a reputation for best practice in the North of England. Success will depend on our collective expertise and creative leadership to face challenges together and forms new partnerships to ensure a sustainable future for our network’’.
This year LUTN North welcomes two new members Wakefield Light Up and The Awakening in Hull to the network alongside Love Night Norwich as an associate member.