Visitors planning to attend the UK’s leading light biennial are being encouraged to plan their travel arrangements ahead of time.
Lumiere will light up Durham City and Shildon from Thursday 13 November to Saturday 15 November, with tens of thousands of people expected to enjoy the spectacular three-day event.
The event, commissioned by Durham County Council and produced by Artichoke, with support from Arts Council England, Durham University, North East Combined Authority and a host of other sponsors, will feature more than 30 dazzling installations from UK and international artists.
This year’s “Spotlight on Durham” falls on Shildon, which is currently at the heart of the Stockton and Darlington Railway 200th anniversary celebrations. A trio of installations will bring the Lumiere magic to Locomotion, including community-created lantern installation, Glimmer, and two new commissions that reflect on Shildon’s railway heritage.
Cllr Tim McGuinness the council’s Cabinet member for rural, farming and transport, said:
“We would also advise anyone travelling through Durham City to view the scheduled road closures and travel changes, and consider how these, alongside increased traffic, may affect their journey.”
Tickets
Lumiere runs from 5pm to 10pm each night, with tickets required to enter the controlled zone in Durham city centre throughout the event. These should be booked in advance at www.lumiere-festival.com and are subject to a £1.50 booking fee. More than half of the installations are outside of the ticketed zone and can be visited at any time without a ticket. No tickets are required to visit Spotlight on Shildon.
Getting to Durham City
Visitors are advised to use Durham City’s park and ride services, which will be enhanced throughout the festival, including extended opening times and frequent buses to and from the city.
Regular services will run to and from each site into the city centre until 11.30pm each night, while the park and ride car parks will remain open around the clock. Return tickets cost £2.20 per person or are free for concessionary pass holders and under-16s who are accompanied by an adult.
If possible, visitors are encouraged to leave the car at home and take the bus. Adult single bus fares in the North East range from £1.60 to a maximum of £2.50. Alternatively, passengers can purchase The Durham Day Rover ticket which offers unlimited bus travel in County Durham and can be purchased for £5. People aged 21 or under can purchase a single ticket for £1 or a day ticket for £3 to use unlimited bus travel across Tyne and Wear.
The regionwide day saver ticket is also available. For £7.50, the ticket entitles holders to use unlimited bus travel across Tyne and Wear, County Durham and Northumberland and can be used on the Metro and Shields Ferry.
Visitors travelling to the festival by public transport are advised to check with bus operators in advance, as some services and routes may change. Please visit www.gonortheast.co.uk/service-updates and www.arrivabus.co.uk/service-alerts-landing
for more information.
The northbound bus stop on Church Street, immediately north of Whitechurch traffic signals, will be suspended.
Temporary bus stops will also be in place on the A690 across the closed junction with Walkergate, on the A177 South Road southbound opposite Bow School, and on the A177 South Road northbound, north of the access to the Teaching and Learning Centre.
Taxis will be available at North Road and Old Elvet.
Getting to Shildon
Free parking will be available on site at Locomotion museum in Shildon (DL4 2RE).
Visitors are also encouraged to travel by bus if possible. Please visit www.arrivabus.co.uk/find-a-service for more information.
A free shuttle bus will be provided between Shildon town centre and Locomotion to transport audience members to and from the event each night. The stops will be located at King William bus stop, located on the corner of Albert Street and Wesley Crescent (DL14 2DN), and at Locomotion Museum.
Buses will run every 15 minutes, with the first and last pick up from King William bus stop taking place at 5pm and 9.15pm respectively. The last pick up from Locomotion will be at 9.45pm.
The shuttle bus is provided by Shildon Community Bus and has wheelchair access. A member of the Lumiere team will at the Shildon bus stop to help with any questions or concerns.
Stay up to date
For live travel updates during the festival, follow @DurhamCouncil on Facebook or Twitter or use the hashtag #LumiereDurham.
A full list of park and ride sites, road and footpath closures, changes to parking bays and other information is available at www.durham.gov.uk/lumiereroadclosures.
To view the full Lumiere programme and book tickets, visit www.lumiere-festival.com. The event also has its own free app which can be downloaded in advance from the Apple Store or Google Play.
For more information about travelling to Lumiere, visit www.durham.gov.uk/traveltolumiere.
