BRILLIANT ideas wanted: UK public invited to create artwork for leading light art festival

Artichoke, the producers of extraordinary large-scale events, have launched BRILLIANT, a £50,000 nationwide commissioning scheme for new works for the UK's leading light art event. Six awards will be made, with the works to be shown alongside those of internationally-renowned artists at Lumiere, which is commissioned by Durham County Council and takes place in Durham from Thursday 18 – Sunday 21 November 2021.

The BRILLIANT commissioning scheme is open to creative individuals currently living in the UK who are aged 18 or older, and have a bright idea that will transform Durham’s urban landscape using the medium of light. Successful applicants will be supported by Artichoke with the production costs and technical expertise to create and install their artwork, and receive a fee.

For the first time the scheme will be open to the whole of the UK, encouraging the nations to unleash their creative potential and bring light into people’s lives. The BRILLIANT scheme, which has run for ten years, was previously open only to residents of the North East of England. Three commissions are still reserved for people from the North East, while the extended scheme will support three more commissions from across the country.

Twenty-one BRILLIANT artworks have been shown across the previous editions of Lumiere Durham, which have attracted over 1 million visitors. Successful artists have made work using  recycled objects including glass washed up from the ocean, and supersized everyday objects including knitting needles, desk lamps and a Slinky.