Mayor calls for U-turn on scrapped light festival

Kim McGuinness says Lumiere is a "phenomenal success story" for the region

The North East mayor has called for a U-turn on the decision to end a light festival.

It was announced on Thursday that next month's edition of the popular Lumiere in Durham would be its last, in what has been described as a joint decision between Durham County Council and producer Artichoke.

Organisers said the show required "investment and commitment at a level that is increasingly difficult to secure", but promised a "love letter to Durham" when it returns for a final time in November.

However, Labour mayor Kim McGuinness said that it was "not the time to cut one of the region's most successful events" and that she hoped the decision could be reversed.

Andrew Husband, the Reform UK leader of Durham County Council, said it was "not the end of light art or major events" in the county and he hoped another "world-class" event could take its place.

Lumiere has attracted about 1.3 million visitors since its introduction in 2009 and brought in more than £43 million to the local economy.

McGuinness said the "world-class" biennial event had been a "phenomenal success story for the North East".

The light festival last took place in November 2023

"I am very disappointed that this has been allowed to happen and that the event team behind Lumiere have been forced to make this announcement," she said.

"Now is not the time to cut one of the region's most successful events.

"It's a huge shame to see it ending.

"I know thousands of people want this event to continue and I want to see what is possible - I can't make promises, but I hope we can find a way to reverse the council's decision and keep it going."

The mayor's office provided just under £250,000 to support the delivery of 2025's Lumiere and confirmed it had not received requests from Artichoke or the county council for future funding.

Husband said: "We appreciate the North East Mayor's offer to join us in looking at how Lumiere or another world-class event for County Durham can be delivered.

"As a constituent local authority of NECA, it is entirely appropriate that the mayor provides constructive support for County Durham and helps us achieve our shared objectives of supporting the visitor economy in the county and region and strengthen the infrastructure here needed to support world-class events."

Artichoke told the Local Democracy Reporting Service that there were "no plans currently" for Lumiere to move to another part of the country.

The 2025 festival had already been shortened by a day amid rising costs.