River of Light to illuminate Liverpool waterfront once again

River of Light returns next month for a third illuminated night-time spectacle on the Liverpool waterfront.

The now annual event will take place from Friday, 21 October to Sunday, 6 November.

Ten artworks, which are likely to include a number of new commissions, will be on show along a 1.2mile (2km) route with artists and exact locations yet to be revealed.

Among this year’s attractions however will be a return for Lucid Creates, this time with BEAM, a new commission which will see a beam of light and accompanying soundscape evoking a hot summer’s day in the British countryside before becoming something more troubling. It will be installed at Canning Half Dock.

Meanwhile a series of giant bubbles will take over Exchange Flags in Evanescent, an immersive light and sound structure from Australian artists Atelier Sisu. The work has previously been shown in the US, Taiwan, Greece and Australia.

The River of Light trail is delivered by Liverpool City Council’s Culture Liverpool team and is supported by Arts Council England.

The outdoor art gallery event was first held in spring 2021 to allow people to enjoy a cultural spectacle during the midst of the pandemic. It returned last autumn when it attracted around 150,000 visitors to the waterfront and business district during its run.

Artist Helen Swan from Lucid Creates said: “Every time we bring one of our projects to River of Light, Liverpool and its people unite with us in creating spectacular experiences that are entirely unique in energy and style.

“BEAM’s theme is balance. All of Earth’s energy is fuelled from the sun. Our relationship with, and dependency on, the sun hangs in a delicate balance. BEAM invites us to consider this balance by taking audiences on a journey of flux through joy, tension and release.”

This year’s event is also being inspired by the World Gymnastics Championships which are being staged at the M&S Bank Arena at the same time, and by the Turner Prize which returns to Tate Liverpool next month for the first time since 2007.

River of Light runs from October 21 to November 6.

Photo: Evanescent which is coming to River of Light this autumn. ©HQ Images