Festival lights up more parts of ancient city

The spectacular Illuminating York, a major art event for the county, is set to return to the historic city again this autumn. Nick Ahad reports on an event that just keeps on growing.
York Museum Gardens transformed into a ten acre magical wonderlandYork Museum Gardens transformed into a ten acre magical wonderland
York Museum Gardens transformed into a ten acre magical wonderland

MAYBE it makes sense to start with the money.

Or perhaps the visitor numbers?

Either way, since it began in 2005, Illuminating York has proved to be one of the major and most successful arts events begun in the county in recent years.

How successful? Here are those figures – since 2005 Illuminating York has attracted 300,000 residents and visitors to the event, who in turn have brought £16m into the local economy. Who says the arts aren’t worth paying for?

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The festival, which has become truly established in the city’s autumn culture calendar, will be adding to those already impressive figures when it returns on October 30.

This year the festival has spread its wings and has taken over larger parts of the city than have been used during the autumn event in previous years.

There are two main projection sites in Clifford’s Tower and the Yorkshire Museum, but this year it will feel like massive swathes of the city have been taken over and lit up by the festival. Down by the river there will be a fire display by renowned artists Walk the Plank and a variety of other sites around the city which will be given over to artists who are both established and emerging.

City of York Council portfolio holder for Leisure, Culture and Tourism, Councillor Sonja Crisp, says: “We have been working towards extending the scale of the festival this year and I am delighted that visitors and residents can now make a full evening of it with artworks across the city.

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“We have also listened to public opinion and while we do still need to make a small charge for the main projection sites, there is also the opportunity to see nine illuminating artworks free of charge.”

Those main sites are set to be seriously impressive.

Many remember the combination of York’s most famous monument, the city’s Minster, with an interactive light show for the festival in 2006 – well the organisers appear to be aiming to reach those heights once again.

At Clifford’s Tower artists Ross Ashton and Karen Monid are using projections and a soundscape to light up the monument. The artists, whose installation is called Triquetra, will project their work onto Clifford’s Tower in the Eye of York, and the hill on which it stands. Far from just a light show, their installation will tell the tale of the three Viking Kings of Denmark who had a great influence on York and England. In particular Sweyn Forkbeard who was briefly buried at York, and Cnut the Great his son.

Artist Ross Ashton says: “York is one of the most beautiful cities in the world – you are literally stumbling over history on every street corner.

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“It is full of stories waiting to be told and this year Karen and I are excited to be working for the first time with such an iconic location, both the building and the landscape on which it stands.”

The calibre of artists brought to York for the festival continues to be a feather in the city’s cap. A major coup this year for the festival is in bringing design team Immersive to the city – a team that previously worked on light installations inside the Olympic stadium during last year’s Games. The team will work with Gaia Nova, which has worked on the festival previously, to create what sounds like an incredible piece of work that is much more than just a light show.

“We’re using 3D mapping so it will make use of the Yorkshire Museum to its full extent,” says John Munro, one of the masterminds behind Immersive.

“But we’re also telling a story, using actors, light and the building to tell a full narrative to the audience. I hope it will look spectacular.”

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Using actors and film, as well as digital 3D mapping, Immersive and Gaia Nova will be narrating a tale, The Storyteller, loosely based on the legend of Eric Bloodaxe, a Viking king whose only goal was to enter Valhalla, but who unfortunately was just too good at fighting.

Illuminating highlights

In the Memorial Gardens off Leeman Road by the river, Walk the Plank will be creating a fire, while in Parliament Street Same Sky will be creating Thor’s Oak, a tree of light.

Jorvik Viking Centre will be the backdrop for Fiske and Croft’s projection inspired by the Viking sagas, and at the Treasurer’s House five emerging artists will create artworks in and around trees.

Oct 30-Nov 2, from 6pm to10pm. Tickets for the two main projections cost £6 per adult and £5 for under 16s. The events will be free for under fives.

Tickets on 01904 623568 or www.yorktheatreroyal.co.uk. For more information, visit www.illuminatingyork.org

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