Opening parade for Lumiere 2011, the UK’s largest light festival, produced by Artichoke in Durham
“The Lantern Company team are endlessly creative and very knowledgeable when it comes to overseeing the management and delivery of their projects. They are used to working in public spaces with large crowds and a wide range of community groups and immediately understood what we were trying to achieve. Their work with communities and the artistic quality of the sculptural installations they produce is outstanding and we couldn’t have been happier with the finished result” Hannah Standen Artichoke Associate Producer
The Lantern Company were commissioned to create a new collection of river themed lanterns and illuminated processional creatures and contraptions. We also ran a training residency for local artists, who then worked with young people across the region to make lanterns for the opening event.
The ‘River of Light’ lantern parade opened the 4 day festival, featuring the Giant White Heron designed by the Lantern Company’s Jo Pocock, as well as a shoal of giant tropical lantern fish and a pedal powered Fishy Carousel, which spun and swam amongst the hundreds of young people carrying their hand held lanterns.
The festival drew an audience of approximately 150,000 people and featured 35 light artworks across the city that transformed the landmarks, streets, river and bridges of the city.
