Illuminate returned to Plymouth in November and stunned Plymouth audiences with a re-imagined two-week programme of spectacular light artworks, immersive experiences, interactive activities, workshops, and discussions. New for 2021, the much-loved annual light festival took place across Ocean Studios in the Royal William Yard and the recently opened state-of-the-art immersive technology centre the Market Hall and reflected on and responded to the COP26 climate summit with a focus on the climate crisis, exploring what it means to each of us and how we can all contribute to making change happen. Additionally, it saw a greater focus on commissioning work from UK creatives and local artists to support the cultural sector, which was so hard hit during the pandemic. Illuminate 2021 worked with 66 artists with a total commission value of £238,972. Commissions explored climate topics such as urban re-wilding, bioluminescence, pedal power, solar energy and biodiversity.
A further £25,143 was spent with local supply chains as part of the festival on infrastructure, security, transport etc.
Despite the uncertainty of the past 2 years, Illuminate 2021 proved incredibly popular, welcoming a staggering 26,625 visitors across the event. The free visitor tickets sold out across the two-weeks despite multiple additional releases of tickets and provided valuable visitor data on geographical and demographic spread of visitors to the event, such as 3,935 visitors coming from a PL1 postcode which encompasses some of the most deprived areas of the city.
Once again, Real Ideas delivered Quiet Openings at Illuminate 2021 for those with additional needs, as well as immersive schools workshops, climate focused discussions in the dome, interactive immersive experiences and lots more.
Moths To A Flame Interactive Dome Experience
A stand out activity within the Illuminate 2021 programme was the Moths To A Flame Interactive Dome Experience, engaged with by over 1,000 people. Real Ideas commissioned the Plymouth based start-up Team 3, graduates of the University of Plymouth, to design an interactive dome experience using AI where participants could colour in a specie of moth and see it come to life in the immersive dome. A truly interactive activity set against a virtual Plymouth environment.
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.
.png)