The reopening of Spellow Library, which was destroyed in the riots this summer, is a powerful example of how outdoor arts strengthens communities and brings people together. With beautiful lanterns from Handmade Productions, A Bird in the Hand Theatre, Global Grooves, The Lantern Company, Stealing Sheep and others – and a meaningful way for Liverpool to close out the year.
Watch the video of the parade on BBC News here.
Fun Fact! Did you know that there were no lantern processions in the UK until the 1980s? Artists from Welfare State International went to Japan, discovered the art of making lanterns from tissue paper and willow, and brought it back to the UK where they started the iconic Ulverston Lantern Festival.
From this tiny acorn grew a whole new tradition of working with communities to create lanterns, building an architecture of light that forever changed community arts in Britain. Of course, red lanterns have been part of Chinese, Hong Kong, and other communities’ New Year celebrations for centuries—but these were typically bought, not handmade.
