Coming up in February…
Light Night returns to Nottingham tonight, with interactive and engaging light-based installations, performances and activities taking place across the city for two nights. The Castle’s dramatic history will come alive with Fire Garden produced by AndNow, and in Old Market Square see Nonsuch Studios’ Rebel Heart, a new installation commissioned for Light Night 2022.
From today Spectacle of Light returns to Haughley Park with a magical new illuminated trail and exciting installations creating a beautiful after-dark adventure. Discover the amazing Carpet of Colour and the flickering Field of Fire, walk through the Kaleidoscope, gaze at the Mirror balls, Moroccan lanterns and more, running until 27 Feb.
Look out for Medway Light Nights, a free spectacular festival of light that will transform Rochester’s iconic buildings and spaces into works of art on 11 and 12 Feb. Medway Council and Emergency Exit Arts have commissioned local, national and internationally renowned artists to work alongside young people and communities to deliver an incredible event. Featuring If Not Now by Icon Theatre, Cuckoo Clock Cinema by 51zero, CROSSROADS by Lucid Creates, Peace Poems, Recovery Poems, The Hourglass, and The Dickensian Fire Laboratory by Emergency Exit Arts, Illuminarealities by students from the University of Kent, and the Lantern Parade by Cohesion Plus and Ideas Test.
Street performers, dancers and artists are set to light up the streets of Sutton-in-Ashfield for Light Night Ashfield on 11 and 12 Feb. Look out for giant illuminated walkabout puppets, an eight-metre light-up inflatable snail, spectacular light drummers, UV doodles, a glowing silent disco, an Invisible Man, and much more. The Hebridean Dark Skies Festival’s February 2022 programme runs 11-25 Feb, including live music, film, visual art, theatre, astronomy talks, and stargazing. Including The Edge of The Sky | Oir Nan Speur, a new, bilingual theatre adaptation of Roberto Trotta’s internationally acclaimed book, created by sruth-mara.
Don’t miss Ignite: Fire & Fantasy at Tyntesfield, between 11 and 27 Feb, an enchanting trail of light, lanterns, fantasy and fire in the garden at the National Trust’s Tyntesfield. You can also see Ignite: Fire & Fantasy at Nymans in West Sussex from 11 Feb to 6 Mar, the perfect setting for this new, after-dark illuminated trail, where you wander between flickering flames and majestic trees from one amazing space to another. Love Grimsby takes place on 12 Feb, when national and regional street theatre acts on a love-theme will enliven St James’ Square and Victoria Street. The first act announced is The Lips by Puppets with Guts.
Immerse yourself in a breath-taking festival of light at Nature Illuminated in London from 16 Feb. Using technology to bring the four seasons to life, the illuminated nature trail includes immersive soundscapes, mesmerising light displays, and artistic projections. Experience Southend in a new light with LuminoCity, where nine large-scale light installations from around the world are set to transform Southend over four dazzling nights. A fabulous free event for all this February Half Term from 16-19 Feb.
In the Square Mile, City Lights brings five illuminated installations to the City of London 11 -20 Feb.
GLOW in the Park will add some sparkle to February as Grove Park in Weston-super-Mare is transformed into a wondrous winter wonderland filled with glittering light installations and activities, running 17-19 Feb in partnership with Culture Weston and Weston Town Council. Featuring Arcadia’s Flaming Lampposts, Thingumajig Theatre’s Ghost Caribou, Laser Sky, Disco Ball Bandstand, Tree of Life lit up by pedal power, Swing Tree, the UK’s largest bug hotel with willow insects installation, community lantern trail, poetry soundscape projections, choral music, unexpected theatrical encounters including Weston’s ‘From the Mud’ and more!
Also running 17-19 Feb, Love Light Norwich returns with stunning new installations, projections, and performances, for three days of exciting free experiences. Themed around love and belonging, this year’s festival includes The Bicycle Ballet Co, Pif Paf, Tim Davis, Kate Munro, Nick Azidis, Studio Vertigo, Amber Lights, Hamilton Ice Sculptors, Illuminos, Norwich Puppet Theatre, and many more.
See Club Supreme by Ramshacklicious, a performance art roadshow installation celebrating the Supreme You, presented by Theatre Orchard, at The Sovereign Centre, Weston-super-Mare on 18-20 Feb. As we enter 2022 and the traditional time of New Year resolutions, Ramshacklicious is inviting people in the local community to join them on a playful exploration to re-invent themselves and discover what being ‘Supreme’ means to them.
Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council, Solihull BID and Parrabbola present the WH Auden Festival from 18-21 Feb. The new festival will explore Solihull’s important connection with the poet, WH Auden, who spent the formative years of his life in the town, with immersive street theatre performances, live poetry readings, film screenings, talks, music performances, a vintage market and a museum style Auden installation as well as participatory activity for all.
A series of spellbinding outdoor events, blending spectacular projection, fire and music, inspired by local stories and landscapes from across Newcastle, Northumberland and North Tyneside are planned for 18 Feb-13 Mar. North of the Tyne, Under the Stars will be heading to Blyth and North Shields on 18-19 Feb, Wallsend and Byker on 25-26 Feb, Fenham and Hexham on 4-5 Mar, and Newcastle City Centre for the Festival Finale on 10-13 Mar.
Certain Blacks presents Shipbuilding Festival from 18-27 Feb, the final presentation in a year-long programme that has looked at what it means to be British in the 21st Century. The festival will feature Alleyne Dance with A Night’s Game, Richard Stamp with DICK – One Man in 100,000, Abstract Benna EP launch OUT OF DARKNESS, and Black Sheep by Livia Kojo Alour (formally MisSa Blue).
Head to the Coventry Cathedral ruins from 19-26 Feb to experience Where There Is Light, an immersive sound and light installation sharing the voices and stories of sanctuary seeking communities from across the country. It asks questions about where we find light in our lives, in ourselves, in others and in the world around us. Led by arts collectives Squidsoup and ArtReach.
The Arches Worcester Festivals are creating a playground in the streets of Worcester for Light Night Worcester 2022. Immersive and interactive artworks alongside intriguing and playful performances will bring light, joy and fun to 23 and 24 Feb. See Submergence by Squidsoup, Neon Dogs by Deepa Mann-Kler, The Lips by Puppets with Guts, Luma by Air Giants, Spin Me A Yarn by Studio Vertigo, The DJukebox, and the Silent Disco.
Coming up in 2022…
Looking ahead to the rest of the year, here’s a glance at some exciting outdoor arts events and festivals to look forward to:
30 Apr-1 May Devizes Street Festival
7 May-29 May Brighton Festival
13 May-29 May Norfolk and Norwich Festival
27 May-12 Jun Bath Fringe Festival
27 May-18 Jun Salisbury International Arts Festival
5 Jun Platinum Jubilee Pageant, London
10 Jun-26 Jun Wandsworth Arts Fringe
23 Jun-10 Jul LIFT, London
1 Jul-3 Jul Hat Fair, Winchester
1 Jul-3 Jul Timber, Feanedock, the National Forest, Leicestershire
22 Jul-24 Jul Liberty Festival, Lewisham
29 Jul-31 Jul Spraoi Festival, Waterford, Ireland
4 Aug-7 Aug Stockton International Riverside Festival
10 Aug-14 Aug Boomtown Fair, Hampshire
18 Aug-21 Aug Green Man Festival, Brecon Beacons, Wales
19 Aug-21 Aug Just So Festival, Rode Hall, Cheshire
26 Aug-11 Sep Greenwich+Docklands International Festival
26 Aug-4 Sep Freedom Festival, Hull
27 Aug-28 Aug Birmingham Mela
8 Sep-11 Sep FiraTàrrega, Spain
16 Sep-18 Sep Out There Festival, Great Yarmouth
24 Sep-26 Sep Derby Festé
If you have an outdoor festival, event, or performance planned for 2022, please do get in touch and send us the details so we can add it to our listings: info@outdoorartsuk.org
