Nottingham Light Night

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Nottingham Light Night
Friday 28 February & Saturday 1 March 2025
Nottingham City Centre
From 5pm until late
FREE event

Nottingham Light Night will return for its 17th year in 2025!

The city will be illuminated after dark for this free, family-friendly event, allowing visitors to explore landmarks, streets and hidden corners. More than 35 immersive and interactive light-based installations, performances and activities will be taking place across Nottingham over the two nights, created by local, national and international artists.

Witness Primal Future at Old Market Square, featuring a mesmerising projection on the iconic Council House. This stunning work brings together dynamic dance, cutting-edge technology, and motion graphics, all set to a specially commissioned electronic soundtrack. Audiences can experience a breath-taking fusion of sound, movement, and light, transforming the historic building into a living canvas.

This collaborative piece has been created by Nottingham’s Tom Dale Company and Vent Media, in partnership with Nottingham Trent University and the University of Nottingham, funded by Arts Council England.

Both Nottingham universities have generously supported the development and creation of Primal Future. The University of Nottingham’s Department of Civil Engineering provided the staff and technology to undertake a laser scan 3D mesh model of the Council House. Technical teams from Lens Based Media and Immersive Media at Nottingham Trent University’s Department of Design and Digital Arts provided access to green screen technology, where the performances were filmed.

Nottingham Castle will also be bathed with a stunning visual projection, Orbit, created by Inspire Youth Arts, Urban Projections, and music producer Kirk Spencer. It merges the ancient and the cosmic, taking audiences from the birth of the universe to humanity’s ventures into space through spectacular visuals and dynamic soundscapes.

Outside the Castle, visitors can discover a captivating Firefly Field at the Robin Hood Statue, designed by Studio Toer from The Netherlands. Countless glimmering points mimic the graceful movements of nocturnal fireflies, bringing their enchanting dance to life.

Continuum is a mirrored, immersive artwork, which will be arranged in a geometric maze at Sneinton Market Square. Created by the company who brought the installations illumaphonium and Halo to Nottingham Light Night in 2018 and 2020 – the luminescent structures respond to the audience and create an ever-changing sensory experience, triggering rippling light and sound.

Attendees will be able to plan their itineraries and read more about all the installations using the free It’s in Nottingham app, which is available to download on iOS and Android. Printed guides will also be available from the Tourism Centre on Smithy Row, and at key locations on the day. 

Light Night is produced by Nottingham City Council and It’s in Nottingham – the city’s business improvement district. The event is funded by the National Lottery through Arts Council England, It's in Nottingham, and Nottingham City Council. Cultural organisations across the city also support the event.

How to get to Nottingham Light Night