Liverpool’s one night arts festival LightNight returns for 2021 and you can help support the free festival

Liverpool’s LightNight, a one-night arts festival will return on Friday 21 May 2021 with the theme of ‘Play’. The popular annual culture crawl is being planned as a hybrid festival with a free trail of physical and online events, as the city continues on its timeline of relaxing restrictions.

Organisers, Open Culture, have launched a #LoveLightNight Crowdfunder to help support the cultural programme, allowing the team to continue to work with artists, creatives, performers and producers who make Liverpool such a vibrant city to live in.

The theme ‘Play’ allows a reflection on the role of arts and culture in escape, creativity and imagination. Working with partner venues, artists and galleries, LightNight’s broad series of commissions and works will take place both online and offline for audiences of all ages.

The Crowdfunder asks for funding that would usually be raised through the sale of the printed Festival Guides. With a target of £3,500, it plugs a gap in the budget supporting Open Culture in their continued work as new events and artist commissions are created especially for LightNight.

Contribute to the Crowdfunder and claim a reward by visiting the website here.

Charlotte Corrie, Director, Open Culture said:

“LightNight enters its second decade in an unusual and, perhaps confusing, place. We chose the theme of ‘Play’ because over the past year it has come into sharp focus how much we rely on our artistic community for both levity and reflection.

For us at Open Culture, LightNight is an important night when we emerge from winter and celebrate the start of the summer months. That feels especially poignant this year. Our creative community has been hit so hard by 2021, we want to be able to continue to support them in commissioning new works for us to celebrate at LightNight”.

Picture – Mark McNulty

Bill Addy is CEO of Liverpool BID Company and Chair of LVEN, Liverpool Visitor Economy Network:

“Public art and animation is such an important part of life in Liverpool city centre. It’s why we support LightNight every year as its focal point in the calendar for creatives and businesses alike. While LightNight might look a little different in 2021 it’s a reminder to continue to support the creatives who help to make Liverpool such a vibrant city to live in”

The full festival events programme will be released on 5 May at www.lightnightliverpool.co.uk