Lighting artist to bring brightness back to city's premier shopping street

Nottingham-based artist Raphael Daden's light installations will be switched on in five empty shops on Whitefriargate on Friday, as part of a series of artistic "interventions" intended to help revitalise what used to be the city's premier shopping street.

The organisers say projections on the street, and onto the buildings and trees, and light cubes on the insides of the empty shops, should compliment the festive lighting scheme.

The temporary artworks are the third in a series that has been funded by the Arts Council – at 12,000 each time.

Two of the four shops used by the last artist Andrew Kearney have been now let.

Daden said: "It's good for me as an artist when I totally transform a space. I feel that I have made a real contribution towards regenerating a public area that people will enjoy as both light and colour have the power to transform mood, atmosphere and meaning of space."

Daden's installation will stay in place until February 4 when the final commission by Hsiao-Chi Tsai and Kimiya Yoshikawa will be installed.

Meanwhile from tonight every Thursday until Christmas live music, mulled wine, mince pies and more is being put on to entice late-night shoppers into the city centre. "Festive Thursdays", which will see musicians performing in Jameson Street outside Shine Bar and Princes Dock Street outside Leonardo's, are inspired by the success of the recent "Half Past the Weekend" and "Ferensway Thursday" campaigns.