Accrington to host Enlighten shows across town next month

‘Enlighten’ will welcome some of the most incredible UK artists to Accrington, with art installations and performances to savour.

The free-to-attend event will take place on Friday, October 25, and Saturday 26, from 5pm to 9pm, while on Sunday 27 there will be a free performance by solo violist David Aspin on the ground floor of the town hall.

Upstairs in the ballroom at 1pm on the Sunday there will be a live ticketed music gig organised by event partner Baby Rock Sampler for parents/carers and their children.

Children from St Andrew's CE Primary School with the council's portfolio holder for culture, heritage and arts Kimberley Whitehead (Image: Hyndburn Borough Council)

An Enlighten Trail will also be launched, which is a free augmented reality trail of historic images of Accrington, which can be accessed through mobile phones.

As well, there will be workshops running in venues across the town in the build-up to the event with more details to be announced in the coming weeks.

The light displays and performances will be located in and around five key heritage buildings in the town centre, including St James’ Church, the town hall, the library, market chambers, and the Victorian arcade.

In the market chambers, Glowing & Growing by Baker & Bliss will offer an immersive and interactive glow-in-the-dark experience.

Drop-in workshops will take place on Wednesday, October 23, and Thursday 24, between 12pm and 6pm, where members of the public can make glow-in-the-dark sculptures to add to the installation.

On the ground floor of Accrington Library, artist Gemma Wood will be showcasing one of two installations at the event.

Sensorium will allow visitors to embark on a ‘spellbinding exploration of the mind’ which will fuse sound and light.

Also inside the library at 7.30pm on Friday 25 and Saturday 26 will be the daring and innovative duo Sonic Threads. Supriya Nagarajan brings her evocative Indian vocals and merges it with Western harp played by Lucy Nolan.

The library will also play host to a performance of spoken word and poetry to be read by a special guest and schoolchildren from local primary schools.

At St James’ Church, there will be an immersive multimedia laser and sound installation by award-winning artist and composer Paul Alty. Black Hole – End of Time creates a 360-degree sensory experience set to a contemporary electro-cinematic soundtrack.

Outside the church, Gemma Wood returns with a second installation, Network, which will illuminate the church garden with a breathtaking large sculpture of light.

Lamplight is a new commission for Enlighten and will take place in the Victorian arcade, headed up by artists House of Light, offering a unique illuminated walk through the beautiful row of shops.

A dragon projection by Illuminos (Image: Hyndburn Borough Council)

Finally, at the town hall, Illuminos will exhibit a display of light and colour with a special ‘Dragon’ projection in the ballroom, headed up by brothers Matt and Rob Vale.

Visitors to Enlighten are being encouraged to shop local and to visit local eateries throughout the event while Accrington Town Hall will be open as a café, offering a variety of food and drink.

Councillor Kimberley Whitehead, portfolio holder for culture, heritage and arts, said: “We are so excited to celebrate Accrington’s rich heritage with our Enlighten event.

“Not only will we be celebrating some of the iconic heritage buildings in Accrington Town Centre, but also showcasing some of the UK’s most incredible artists and performers.

“We would like to encourage local people and those from further afield to come into the town centre, not only to see creativity inspired by Accrington but also to inspire them that they can do this too.”