About Light Night
Light Night is a national programme of events covering the whole of the UK supported by ATCM. In 2008 six major cities will offer their residents and visitors the opportunity to experience their city from a fresh perspective. It is a chance for everyone to come together and celebrate the city, focusing on their shared culture, history and identity.
For one night the city is stays up so that its attractions and symbols are seen in a new light. The spectators get to see the unusual in a familiar environment, to 'lose themselves' in the city, which is transformed into a stage for the night. Light Night is the best showcase for gaining wide public interest and participation causing people ‘buy into' their city in a short amount of time. A key element of the programme in each city is that all events are FREE.
Every artist or group invited to participate puts into play all of their creativity in order to devise one innovative and high quality performance for the local audience.
Light Night is created in order to include everyone; motivating people to "come to town" by putting on different events, exhibitions and shows from a wide variety of artists and local groups that will appeal to various demographics across the community.
Different areas of the city become a theatre for musical and theatrical recitals, exhibitions, concerts, shows, games and performances of all types. The space used could be traditional, like streets, museums, restaurants and bars, galleries, shops, libraries, schools, colleges, universities and other institutions or unusual, like the sky, beach, sea, lakes, rivers etc.
The purpose of the event is:
To create a feeling of community sprit; engender an awareness that the city is united and that there is a sentiment that everyone has something in common.
To bring social causes to people's attention and to encourage donations towards a charity fund with publicised beneficiaries.
To allow people to experience different forms of art and entertainment and to experience things that they would not normally.
To promote the work of voluntary organisations.
To create an awareness of what the city has to offer to residents and visitors alike
As it gives a tangible opportunity for people who come from the town and the surrounding area to have a sense of pride and belonging, civic esteem is an important product of the programme.
It also gives the general population the chance to 'take back' the city from the demographic group that normally occupies the city in the evening and at night.
Because there are different ways that local, national and international companies to get involved there are strong, varied opportunities to attract advertising, sponsorship and also media attention to the city.
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