Light show to celebrate rail anniversary

Durham Lumiere last took place in November 2023

The return of a city-wide light installation will include a celebration of the 200th anniversary of the railways, organisers have revealed.

Lumiere, which sees landmarks and buildings lit up in intricate artistic designs, will return to Durham for its ninth edition between 13 and 15 November, having last graced the city in 2023.

Installations will also be placed in Shildon as it celebrates the 200th anniversary of the Stockton and Darlington Railway.

Durham County Council leader Andrew Husband said the event would showcase the city on the international stage and bring Shildon into the spotlight.

The biennial has been taking place since 2009, attracting more than 1.3 million visitors over the years.

The 2025 edition will include installations from around the UK and the works of international artists.

Crook Hall will be covered in glowing butterflies

Palace Green outside Durham Cathedral will be turned into a huge forest of illuminated flowers standing two metres tall (6.5ft).

Elsewhere in the city, visitors will be able to go through an immersive 300-metre (984ft) woodland walk containing mirror balls, while Crook Hall will be covered in an illuminated swarm of butterflies.

A digital waterfall responding to human touch with movement and sound is also among the planned artworks.

Shildon's Locomotion Museum will welcome the lights with a trio of artworks, including a community-created lantern installation called Glimmer and a projection on the building.

The other has been created with students from Durham Academy, blending light, sound and original heritage objects to take visitors on journey through two centuries of railway history.

Helen Marriage, artistic director of Artichoke which produces the event, said: "The 2025 Lumiere programme is a love letter in light, a glowing tribute to the wonderful city and county of Durham."