River of Light returns this October, and Liverpool City Council unveils plans to make the popular event even more accessible, inclusive, and engaging.
Building on the success of last year, the FREE event will once again offer Quiet Hour sessions to accommodate visitors with additional sensory needs. These special sessions will run from 4-5pm on Sunday 27 and Monday 28 October, and the same times on Sunday 3 and Monday 4 November. During these hours, the 12 featured installations will have reduced soundscapes or will operate entirely without sound. Where possible, lighting will also be softened, creating a calmer environment for those with sensory sensitivities.
This year’s light festival runs from Friday 25 October to Tuesday 5 November, taking place at the same time as Diwali – the Hindu festival of lights. To mark the cultural celebration, on Friday 1 November visitors can enjoy a programme curated by Indian arts organisation, MILAP, featuring performances by the popular Bombay Baja Brass Band and Piano with Bhav between 5-8pm– all taking place near the Rangoli Mirrored Cosmos installation by award-winning artist MURUGIAH.
The young people’s engagement programme, developed by the City Council’s Culture Liverpool team returns this year and connects young people with three of the event’s featured artists, offering creative, hands-on workshops that encourage artistic expression and learning.
- Families attending Granby Children’s Centre and Family Hub will have the opportunity to work with MURUGIAH, who will guide participants through the creation of Mandalas – repetitive geometric designs which represent harmony and balance.
- Students at St John Bosco Arts College will have a masterclass in sign-making from locally commissioned artist Liz Harry, learning the art of communication through visual design.
- Pupils at Holy Family Catholic Primary School will collaborate with Rachel Darnell and Jorge Fernandezfrom Australia’s Amigo & Amigo, designing and crafting their very own gnomes – inspired by their 2024 River of Light installation, No Place Like Gnome.
- Working with the City Council’s Children and Young People’s team, there will also be a guided tour for young people who are part of the Positive Pathways scheme, aimed at those who could otherwise be at risk of being involved with anti-social behaviour.
The theme for this year’s outdoor trail and the engagement programme is Play, tying into Liverpool’s ongoing pledge to become a recognised UNICEF UK Child Friendly City. The initiative highlights the importance of children’s rights to play, recreation, rest, and leisure, as outlined in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. #ChildFriendlyLpool
Liverpool City Council’s Cabinet Member for Culture, Health and Wellbeing, Councillor Harry Doyle, said:
“We’re thrilled to bring back the quiet hours this year after receiving such positive feedback from visitors in 2023. It brought in a new audience who hadn’t experienced the trail previously, and thanks to some adaptations to the light and sound, they felt part of this massively popular event.
“It’s also great to see the return of the workshops – they’re so unique, and the youngsters and the artists always get a huge amount out of the sessions. Encouraging children to express themselves through art and creativity is an incredibly powerful tool that will hopefully inspire future artists.
“Celebrating Diwali as part of the River of Light is a fantastic way to embrace cultural diversity and unity and we’re delighted to be working with Milap on this. Bringing together communities through art, music, and tradition, fostering a real sense of belonging and is certain to be a highlight of the festival.”
Alok Nayak, Milap’s CEO and Artistic Director, said:
“We are excited to be part of River of Light 2024, an event that unites art, culture, and community. At Milap, we believe in the power of the arts to inspire, educate, and bring people together.
“This is a fantastic opportunity to showcase the richness of Indian arts, while contributing to Liverpool’s dynamic cultural landscape. Diwali, the festival of light, is beautifully reflected in Liverpool’s own light festival, making our collaboration with Culture Liverpool to bring MURUGIAH’s ‘Rangoli Mirrored Cosmos’ to the city even more meaningful.
“Rangoli patterns are recreated in homes, in designs and works of art worldwide, and this concept will come to life on Liverpool’s waterfront through MURUGIAHS’s unique reimagining. We’re eager to share this experience with the public and celebrate the positive impact of creativity and diversity!”
Denise Wright, Liverpool City Council’s Family Learning Co-ordinator for Children Centre’s and Family Hubs, said:
“This is a wonderful opportunity for families with young children to work with a world-renowned artist at one of our main Family Hub sites. The River of Light’s theme of PLAY this year is great for engaging families in rich creative and cultural experiences in their own communities and for connecting families to a major interactive and cultural event in the city.”
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River of Light will be part-funded by the UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund with the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority as the lead authority. Avanti is the official travel partner for the event.
