Accrington's heritage buildings to be transformed by light show

Heritage buildings in Accrington Town Centre are set to be transformed this October, as a magnificent light show takes centre stage in the town.

‘Enlighten’ will welcome some of the most incredible artists in the UK to East Lancashire, with art installations and performances to savour.

Free-to-attend and organised by Hyndburn Borough Council, the event will take place on Friday 25th October and Saturday 26th October between 5pm and 9pm. On Sunday 27th October, at lunchtime, there will be a free performance by local-born solo violist David Aspin, from Opera North, on the ground floor of the Town Hall.

Upstairs in the ballroom on Sunday 27th October at 1pm, and there will be a ticketed live music gig, organised by event partner Baby Rock Sampler, for parents/carers and their children.

An Enlighten Trail will also be launched at the event, a free Augmented Reality (AR) trail of historic images of Accrington, which can be easily accessed through mobile phones. There will also be workshops running in venues across the town in the build up to the event, with more details to be announced in the coming weeks.

The wonderful displays of light-art and performance will be located in and around five key heritage buildings in Accrington Town Centre, including St James’ Church, Accrington Town Hall, Accrington Library, Market Chambers and the Victorian Arcade.

Inspired by Accrington and running as a light trail around the town centre, visitors are encouraged to immerse themselves in the creativity on offer, with the chance to see many well-known heritage buildings in a very different light, with contemporary art experiences to explore.

The Artworks & performances

In the Market Chambers, Glowing & Growing by Baker & Bliss, will offer an immersive and interactive glow-in-the-dark experience. Drop-in workshops are taking place on Wednesday 23rd October and Thursday 24th October between 12pm and 6pm, where members of the public can make a glow-in-the-dark sculpture to add to the installation, add their glowing handprint, become a living sculpture or add a message on a label, before returning to Market Chambers during Enlighten to see how the space has been transformed.

On the ground floor of Accrington Library and talented artist Gemma Wood will be showcasing one of two installations at the event. Sensorium will allow visitors to embark on a spellbinding exploration inside the mind, in the shape of specially made structures. A fusion of sound and light will offer a unique glimpse into the wondrous interplay of our minds. 

Also performing inside Accrington Library, at 7:30pm on both Friday 25th and Saturday 26th October will be daring and innovative duo, Sonic Threads. Supriya Nagarajan brings her evocative Indian vocals and merges it with exhilarating western harp played by Lucy Nolan and together they take listeners on a journey from India to Europe. The duo will be joined by sound artist Duncan Chapman for this performance.

Accrington Library will also play host to an extremely special performance of spoken word and poetry, to be read by a special guest and schoolchildren from local Primary Schools. More details to be announced in the coming weeks.

Over at St James’ Church and there will be an immersive and multimedia laser and sound installation by award-winning artist and composer Paul Alty, Black Hole – End of Time. Watch as a black hole floats, as the air fizzes with lasers and projections, creating a 360-degree sensory experience, set to a contemporary electro-cinematic soundtrack. 

Outside St James’ Church and Gemma Wood returns with another fascinating installation. NETWORK will illuminate the church garden with a breath-taking large sculpture of light. As the sun sets, this spectacle will light up your senses, as the beauty of the mind meets the magic of the night.

Lamplight is a new commission for Enlighten. The light installation will take place in the Victorian Arcade, headed up by artists House of Light, offering a unique illuminated walk through this beautiful and historic Victorian Arcade.

The AR Enlighten Trail, a visual history AR Walking Trail in the town centre, will provide a historical journey, where visitors can explore historic images of Accrington through their mobile phones. The Enlighten Trail has been created in partnership with 'Keeping East Lancs in the Picture', a Lancashire County Council Project funded by Heritage Lottery Fund and Friends of Lancashire Archives, where local people have gathered and digitised images of the town, comparing Accrington today with Accrington of old. The interactive experience can be easily accessed through the public’s own mobile phones. 

The newly transformed Accrington Pals Memorial Garden will also feature on the trail, with visitors able to check out the memorial garden on Church Street, featuring a brand new sculpture.

The final building involved in the event is Accrington Town Hall, where Illuminos, headed up by brothers Matt and Rob Vale, will exhibit a remarkable display of light and colour, with a special ‘Dragon’ projection in the ballroom. From Chicago to Cyprus, Illuminos is revered around the world for their visually inventive, memorable projection artworks and experiences.

The final part of Enlighten will come in the shape of Baby Rock Sampler, an afternoon ticketed music gig for grownups and kids, on Sunday 27th October. Acclaimed electronic pop group Stealing Sheep will perform a captivating live set featuring costume, movement and special effects. More information on ticket sales can be found on the Hyndburn Borough Council website, and here: https://skiddle.com/e/40059094

A free performance by local-born solo violist David Aspin from Opera North will also be taking place as audiences arrive into the Town Hall.

For those that want to know a bit more about the history of Accrington’s heritage buildings, there will be a free guided tour during Enlighten, with more details to be announced in the coming weeks.

Visitors to Enlighten are being encouraged to #ShopLocal and to visit local eateries throughout the event, while Accrington Town Hall will be open as a café, offering a variety of food and drink.

Coun Kimberley Whitehead, portfolio holder for culture, heritage and arts, said: “We are so excited to celebrate Accrington’s rich heritage with our Enlighten event.

“Not only will we be celebrating some of the iconic heritage buildings in Accrington Town Centre, but also showcasing some of the UK’s most incredible artists and performers.

“We would like to encourage local people and those from further afield to come into the town centre, not only to see creativity inspired by Accrington, but also to inspire them that they can do this too.”

For full event information and timetable of activity visit: https://www.hyndburnbc.gov.uk/enlighten/

Enlighten is part of an exciting events programme delivered by Hyndburn Borough Council and funded by UK Government.