Liverpool Council will be looking to “let the light in” as it stages a major illuminations event again this year.
Subject to cabinet approval, the local authority is to invest £600,000 from Culture Liverpool’s budget to put on the River of Light festival once again this year. Over nine days, a series of 10 art works will be commissioned from artists the world over.
The full programme details and artists to be engaged will be developed once approval has been granted. Cabinet papers have revealed how last year’s event attracted around 250,000 people to the city centre with an economic impact of more than £6m.
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Liverpool Council is the primary funder of the festival, which will run on the theme of “Let the Light In.” A further £82,800 will come from the Shared Prosperity Fund (SPF) administered by the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority which has already been secured and accepted by the city council.
Further funding will be sought from Arts Council England. If a funding bid is successful, this money will be used to offset Culture Liverpool budget rather than adding to the overall 2km project budget.
The artists that Culture Liverpool commission to deliver the installations will be procured under artistic exemption approved by the city’s head of commercial procurement, due to the specialist nature of their work. Cabinet documents published ahead of Friday’s meeting said: “Culture Liverpool will develop a local commissioning brief and will do a call out to local artists as well as engaging with light artists internationally who specialise in this field.”
Among the more than quarter of a million visitors to the installation in the city centre, it was identified how many than half were from outside the Liverpool City Region and on average spent £142 during their trip, excluding any accommodation cost. Upon approval of the funding usage, consultation will take place with elected representatives and the community to ensure engagement is inclusive and effective.
The River of Light festival, which will take place between October 28 and November 5, is Liverpool Council’s alternative to staging a traditional firework display. Last year, the local authority said it had decided a longer term activity aimed at families would be more cost effective than one night of colourful display.
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