OutdoorArtsUK are pleased to see Durham’s Lumiere Festival being included in the recent Arts Council report: Spillover impacts in the publicly funded arts and culture sector. Written by Centre for Economics and Business Research, Lumiere has been used as a case study for boosting economic impact.
“Lumiere’s visibility has raised Durham’s international profile, demonstrating how consistent investment in cultural infrastructure can yield long-term economic regeneration and sustainable regional development.”
Since its inception in 2009, investment from Durham County Council and Arts Council England into Lumiere has brought:
- Over 1.3 million visitors
- Generated more than £43 million in local economic impact
- Even in years affected by poor weather (2019), the event achieved a net impact of £11.5 million from a £1 million in combined public investment
Although not mentioned in the report directly, Quays Culture has also played a role in the success The Lowry has brought to the Salford Area. They work in partnership to programme outdoor events at MediaCity, such as We Invented The Weekend and Lightwaves.
There are many other success stories of outdoor arts festivals of varying scales, which are valuable advocacy pieces for continued support of the Outdoor Arts sector.
