Hull arts festival welcomes back people to city streets

Light projections show Hull's maritime history

A festival marking the start of spring is being held in Hull city centre.

The Awakening features light shows, a fire trail and a giant illuminated puppet parade.

Schools and community groups have made masks to be worn as part of the two-day celebration.

Highlights include Borealis, an outdoor lightshow which imitates the appearance of the Northern Lights and images of ships and the sea projected on buildings in Queen Victoria Square.

The event is organised by the Freedom Festival Arts Trust, which organises an annual arts event.

The Northern Lights were recreated with lasers and smoke

The trust's director Mikey Martins said the event was a way of welcoming people back to the city's streets

"The last couple of years have been challenging for everybody and for the arts and cultural sector of course it's very difficult," he said.

"It not only marks the seasons changing from winter into spring but I hope also acts as moment for us all to come back together after the awful couple of years we've had."

Giant illuminated puppets are parading in the city streets

Funding for The Awakening has come from a portion of £500,000 given to Hull City Council from the government's Welcome Back Fund.

Money has also come from the Global Streets Network, a national programme run by the Arts Council that encourages art in areas of the country they say are under-served.