Lightpool Festival unveils the French Connection

Blackpool is preparing to unveil an array of spectacular international artworks as its award-winning Lightpool Festival moves towards a dazzling finale.

Two light-based installations created in French studios – Flux by Collectif Scale and Crystallized by Theoriz - will get their UK premieres on Wednesday 26 October in the new Blackpool Conference & Exhibition Centre at the Winter Gardens. A third, entitled Drop of Light, created by Dutch artist Gijs Van Bon, will also be revealed.

The installations, which will be open for free viewing between 6pm and 10pm each night until Saturday 29 October, are part of an extensive art trail which takes in some of Blackpool’s iconic venues and outdoor spaces.

Crystallized is an interactive audio-visual sculpture inspired by the bismuth crystal. It has been created by Theoriz, an award-winning team of engineers, visual artists and creative developers based in France.

Flux is a kinetic light installation set to music with 48 dynamic lines of light, motorised and controlled in real time. It has been created by Collectif Scale.

Drop Of Light is a magical installation that combines sculpture, animation, art and technology using extraordinary displays of fluorescent liquid and ultra-violet laser light.

The festival Art Trail is part of a 16-night programme which also includes live performance, family-friendly activities and 3D projection shows. The festival has been made possible thanks to £135,000 of funding from Arts Council England.

For the first time, the Art Trail has been split into five easy-to-find zones: The Tower Festival Headland; Victoria Street; the Winter Gardens; St John’s Square; and Bickerstaffe Square (opposite Blackpool North Railway Station).  

For the full Art Trail details, please visit: www.visitblackpool.com/lightarttrail 

On the Tower Festival Headland, visitors will also be able to preview Odyssey, the biggest installation ever created by the Blackpool Illuminations team and take in a specially-commissioned light show when The Blackpool Tower is brought to life with a sound and light spectacular created by Greg McLenahan. It runs every night during Lightpool Festival at 7pm, 8pm, 9pm and 10pm.

On Thursday 27 October, as part of the festival events programme, an Illuminated Tram Parade will celebrate Blackpool’s unique tramway history. Three illuminated tramcars – a battleship, trawler and Great Western Train - will travel in convoy along the seafront led by the Spark! drummers and a host of carnival characters.

That will be followed later on Thursday night by the third in a series of four free fireworks events when the Fireworks Factory from Finland will compete in the final heat of the World Fireworks Championships Blackpool. And then, on Friday night, Titanium Fireworks will light up the seafront with a special showcase event sponsored by Coral Island, the family entertainment centre.

Philip Holmes, Artistic Director said “We are thrilled to be bringing international light installations into this year’s festival programme some of which have never been seen in the UK before.

“The next few days promises to be a feast of visual entertainment for people of all ages. It is all adding up to our best ever festival.”

For the full festival line-up, please head to www.visitblackpool.com/lightpoolfestival