Join us under the lights
Illuminate will be a two week long experience this year – meaning we can reach more people across Plymouth, the south west, and beyond.
Each night’s experiences start from 5:30pm – at Ocean Studios in Royal William Yard and at various start times at the newly refurbished Market Hall in Devonport.
During the two weeks of Illuminate Light Festival, each venue will offer a variety of work for everyone to enjoy, this programme page is here to help you plan your visit and find out more about the incredible array of artwork waiting for you at this year’s festival.
Visit our official event page for more information about your visit.
Artworks at Illuminate
Explore Ocean Studios – from Illumaphonium a dynamic and interactive, multi-sensory music making installation that is the first-of-its-kind to Squidsoup’s SOLA, a monumental wall of artificial sunlight to brighten your day, through to Re-wilding a visual rendering of an alternative future if we returned buildings to nature by Florian Guibert. There’s also
Meanwhile at the centre of the stunningly renovated Market Hall, those visiting any events or showings at the immersive dome can also experience Submergence by Squidsoup, a large, immersive experience via many thousands of individual points of suspended light to create feelings of presence and movement within physical space, why not also take a night dive into an immersive seagrass meadow with Seagrass by Chloe Georgakis and Will Harvey.
Plus so much more…
Wednesday 24th November
General admission to Market Hall and Moths to a Flame | Daily from 16:00-18:00 | Market Hall
This event entitles the ticket holder to general admission to enjoy the light artworks at Market Hall.
Create and design your very own moth and set it free to fly around you inside the Immersive Dome at Market Hall. Open to everyone, colouring sheets and pencils provided; come experience something incredible and learn about the vital role moths play in our eco-system.
This activity is a collaboration between Art and Energy and Real Ideas, extending the brilliant Moths to a Flame project which is at COP26 in Glasgow.
Illuminate Light Festival at Ocean Studios | Free event | Daily from 17:30 | Ocean Studios
Bioluminescent algae, projected realities, and immersive environments like no other.
Gather with us at Ocean Studios to explore pieces by over 10 different creatives as they take over our courtyard, café and events space with unusual and illuminating artworks to change your perspective and delight guests of all ages.
General admission to Market Hall and Northern Lights dome screening + short films | 18:30 | Market Hall
This event entitles the ticket holder to general admission to enjoy the light artworks at Market Hall.
Join to experience the Northern Lights in the dome as well as a selection of climate focused immersive films, screened as part of Illuminate 2021.
Thursday 25th November
Illuminate Quiet session at Ocean Studios
As part of this year’s Illuminate, we are hosting two quiet evenings specifically for people with additional sensory needs and those that find crowded places challenging.
Our quiet nights will enable you to enjoy Illuminate at your own pace and away from the noise, immerse yourself in beautiful projection mapping, light art installations and sensory play in a stress-free and much less crowded environment.
Illuminate quiet session at Market Hall
As part of this year’s Illuminate, we are hosting two quiet sessions at Market Hall specifically for people with additional sensory needs who don’t respond well to loud noises and who find crowded places challenging.
At the newly refurbished Market Hall in Devonport we will show a selection of dome screenings in a quieter environment on Thursday 18th and Thursday 25th November.
Illuminate presents: Light Organ – UTOPIA | 18:30 | Ocean Studios (Event Space)
This event entitles the ticket holder to general admission to enjoy the light artworks at Ocean Studios.
Light Organ is an interactive live performance piece that turns soundwaves into colourful beams of light! The sound created by performers will be presented on a giant Audio Spectrum Analyser, showing the audience how the acoustic energy is distributed across the audio frequency spectrum. The multi-channel loudspeaker will enable you to hear live music in a totally immersive way.
The line up:
18:30 – Jim Cozens
19:30 – Joanna Cooke
20:30 – Banned From The Moor
Book now
Friday 26th November
General admission to Market Hall and Moths to a Flame | Daily from 16:00-18:00 | Market Hall
This event entitles the ticket holder to general admission to enjoy the light artworks at Market Hall.
Create and design your very own moth and set it free to fly around you inside the Immersive Dome at Market Hall. Open to everyone, colouring sheets and pencils provided; come experience something incredible and learn about the vital role moths play in our eco-system.
This activity is a collaboration between Art and Energy and Real Ideas, extending the brilliant Moths to a Flame project which is at COP26 in Glasgow.
Illuminate Light Festival at Ocean Studios | Free event | Daily from 17:30 | Ocean Studios
Bioluminescent algae, projected realities, and immersive environments like no other.
Gather with us at Ocean Studios to explore pieces by over 10 different creatives as they take over our courtyard, café and events space with unusual and illuminating artworks to change your perspective and delight guests of all ages.
Illuminate asks – What new approaches can we take to manage the impact of changing weather patterns? | 18:00 | Market Hall
This event entitles the ticket holder to general admission to enjoy the light artworks at Market Hall.
Join the discussion as we ask panellists how we can manage the impact of changing weather patterns? The discussion will be followed by a screening of the Northern Lights dome experiences as well as other climate focussed immersive shows.
Illuminate presents: Light Organ – POPTASTICA | 18:30 | Ocean Studios (Event Space)
This event entitles the ticket holder to general admission to enjoy the light artworks at Ocean Studios.
Light Organ is an interactive live performance piece that turns soundwaves into colourful beams of light! The sound created by performers will be presented on a giant Audio Spectrum Analyser, showing the audience how the acoustic energy is distributed across the audio frequency spectrum. The multi-channel loudspeaker will enable you to hear live music in a totally immersive way.
The line up:
18:30 – Daniel Steer
19:30 – Sam Fearon
20:30 – Pattern Pusher
Book now
Saturday 27th November
Mini Makers | 10:00-12:00 | Ocean Studios
Bring your family and little ones along for a creative session with oodles of fun! This November, Mini Makers is linking up with Illuminate Light Festival to bring creativity sessions themed around the climate crisis. Learn what we can do to create change for our environment whilst getting creative and having fun at the same time!
Fluorescent plastics workshop led by Precious Plastics | Various start times from 16:00 | Ocean Studios (Jewellery Studio)
This event entitles the ticket holder to general admission to enjoy the light artworks at Ocean Studios.
Made from the offcuts of lorry wheel nut indicators, you will learn how to shred waste plastic and use a low-tech injection moulder to make your very own designer soap dish or pot, plus some beautiful buttons to take home. Environmentally friendly, made in Plymouth, bright and beautiful! Sessions are an hour long and can be enjoyed by a maximum group of 4 people per session.
Bioluminescent print workshop led by Beth Munro | Various start times from 16:00 | Ocean Studios (Print Studio)
This event entitles the ticket holder to general admission to enjoy the light artworks at Ocean Studios.
Learn the art of printing and marbling with fluorescent inks, cyanotype prints and other techniques in this hands-on 30 minute workshop.
Led by expert print maker Beth Munro, explore and respond to satellite images of bioluminescent activity in the earth’s oceans throughout your creation.
General admission to Market Hall and Moths to a Flame |11:00 – 14:00 and 16:00-18:00 | Market Hall
This event entitles the ticket holder to general admission to enjoy the light artworks at Market Hall.
Create and design your very own moth and set it free to fly around you inside the Immersive Dome at Market Hall. Open to everyone, colouring sheets and pencils provided; come experience something incredible and learn about the vital role moths play in our eco-system.
This activity is a collaboration between Art and Energy and Real Ideas, extending the brilliant Moths to a Flame project which is at COP26 in Glasgow.
General admission to Market Hall and immersive screening of Legend of the Enchanted Reef | 16:00 and 18:00 | Market Hall
This event entitles the ticket holder to general admission to enjoy the light artworks at Market Hall.
Meet Shorty the reef fish and his crew of energetic friends! After a trawl devastates their reef, the three friends have no choice but to set out on an adventurous journey to find a new home. This humorous film for the whole family raises awareness for the acute need for marine conservation. Running time: 32 minutes
Illuminate Light Festival at Ocean Studios | Free event | Daily from 17:30 | Ocean Studios
Bioluminescent algae, projected realities, and immersive environments like no other.
Gather with us at Ocean Studios to explore pieces by over 10 different creatives as they take over our courtyard, café and events space with unusual and illuminating artworks to change your perspective and delight guests of all ages.
Illuminate presents: Light Organ – MUSICANA | 18:30 | Ocean Studios (Event Space)
This event entitles the ticket holder to general admission to enjoy the light artworks at Ocean Studios.
Light Organ is an interactive live performance piece that turns soundwaves into colourful beams of light! The sound created by performers will be presented on a giant Audio Spectrum Analyser, showing the audience how the acoustic energy is distributed across the audio frequency spectrum. The multi-channel loudspeaker will enable you to hear live music in a totally immersive way.
The line up:
18:30 – 3’s Company
19:30 – GraceLightman
20:30 – The Spindle Ensemble
Book now
General admission to Market Hall and Northern Lights dome screening + short films | 20:30 | Market Hall
This event entitles the ticket holder to general admission to enjoy the light artworks at Market Hall.
Join to experience the Northern Lights in the dome as well as a selection of climate focused immersive films, screened as part of Illuminate 2021.
Sunday 28th November
Illuminate Immersive Worlds: Climate Crisis Workshop | 10am | Market Hall
Come and explore the potential of simple light, sound and projection and create your very own family immersive world!
Enjoy a dome screening and then play with light and sound sources: shadows, single and multiple light sources, three-dimensional objects and translucency.
Work together to create your very own ‘immersive world’ in one of our mini geodesic domes in our brand-new learning space at Market Hall!
Mini Makers | 10:00-12:00 | Ocean Studios
Bring your family and little ones along for a creative session with oodles of fun! This November, Mini Makers is linking up with Illuminate Light Festival to bring creativity sessions themed around the climate crisis. Learn what we can do to create change for our environment whilst getting creative and having fun at the same time!
General admission to Market Hall and Moths to a Flame | 11:00 – 14:00 and 16:00-18:00 | Market Hall
This event entitles the ticket holder to general admission to enjoy the light artworks at Market Hall.
Create and design your very own moth and set it free to fly around you inside the Immersive Dome at Market Hall. Open to everyone, colouring sheets and pencils provided; come experience something incredible and learn about the vital role moths play in our eco-system.
This activity is a collaboration between Art and Energy and Real Ideas, extending the brilliant Moths to a Flame project which is at COP26 in Glasgow.
Moths to a Flame presented by Art & Energy | 16:00 | Market Hall
This event entitles the ticket holder to general admission to enjoy the light artworks at Market Hall.
As part of the Illuminate programme, the team behind Months to a flame are hosting a discussion about the project; what happened at COP26 and the challenge of engaging diverse communities with vital creatures, such as moths.
Join us to experience the installation and discuss the project with its developers.
Fluorescent plastics workshop led by Precious Plastics | various start times from 16:00 | Ocean Studios (Jewellery Studio)
This event entitles the ticket holder to general admission to enjoy the light artworks at Ocean Studios.
Made from the offcuts of lorry wheel nut indicators, you will learn how to shred waste plastic and use a low-tech injection moulder to make your very own designer soap dish or pot, plus some beautiful buttons to take home. Environmentally friendly, made in Plymouth, bright and beautiful! Sessions are an hour long and can be enjoyed by a maximum group of 4 people per session.
Bioluminescent print workshop led by Beth Munro | Various start times from 16:00 | Ocean Studios (Print Studio)
This event entitles the ticket holder to general admission to enjoy the light artworks at Ocean Studios.
Learn the art of printing and marbling with fluorescent inks, cyanotype prints and other techniques in this hands-on 30 minute workshop.
Led by expert print maker Beth Munro, explore and respond to satellite images of bioluminescent activity in the earth’s oceans throughout your creation.
General admission to Market Hall and immersive screening of Legend of the Enchanted Reef | 17:30 | Market Hall
This event entitles the ticket holder to general admission to enjoy the light artworks at Market Hall.
Meet Shorty the reef fish and his crew of energetic friends! After a trawl devastates their reef, the three friends have no choice but to set out on an adventurous journey to find a new home. This humorous film for the whole family raises awareness for the acute need for marine conservation. Running time: 32 minutes
Illuminate Light Festival at Ocean Studios | Free event | Daily from 17:30 | Ocean Studios
Bioluminescent algae, projected realities, and immersive environments like no other.
Gather with us at Ocean Studios to explore pieces by over 10 different creatives as they take over our courtyard, café and events space with unusual and illuminating artworks to change your perspective and delight guests of all ages.
General admission to Market Hall and Northern Lights dome screening + short films | 18:30 | Market Hall
This event entitles the ticket holder to general admission to enjoy the light artworks at Market Hall.
Join to experience the Northern Lights in the dome as well as a selection of climate focused immersive films, screened as part of Illuminate 2021.
This activity is part of the iMayflower project and has been supported by The Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, who fund the Cultural Development Fund, which is administered by Arts Council England