Light Night Wigan & Leigh 2021 — Things That Go On Things

Light Night Wigan & Leigh, November, 2021

We were invited to programme and produce Light Night Wigan & Leigh - to highlight the waterways linking the two towns via a pilot festival of light installations. We worked with local, national and international artists to create a trail along the canal at Wigan Pier, and co-commissioned a brand new artwork by acclaimed artist, Luke Jerram, Floating Earth, which we premiered at Pennington Flash Nature Reserve in Leigh.

‘Floating Earth’ was a 10m diameter replica of planet Earth, projected with imagery taken directly from NASA, seemingly impossibly fallen from the sky into the lake. Luke Jerram aimed to evoke the ‘overview effect’ - a feeling of awe for the planet, a profound understanding of the interconnection of all life, and a renewed sense of responsibility for taking care of the environment. During the seven days Floating Earth was in-situ over 30,000 people visited - both during the day and night.

Pupils from Westleigh Methodist Primary worked with community artist Vicky Tyrrell to join in with the nationwide ‘Moths to a Flame’ project, initiated by The Art and Energy Collective in Plymouth, aimed at world leaders attending COP26. The piece sat alongside Floating Earth at Pennington Flash.

Our light trail featured artists Jack Wimperis, who created his works on site utilising re-found and recycled objects, Chris Plant aka Colour Burst who displayed his Harmonic Portals, Studio Vertigo and their installation Ursula Lassos The Moon, and Kathy Hinde with her River Traces as well as including co-commissioned new work by Karl Wilby. We also created a bespoke travelling light installation, From Wigan to Leigh and Back Again, that linked the two towns during the weekend. Around 5,000 visitors attended the light trail across two nights.