Wear Business Wear Business Issue 1 | Page 21

" “The benefits Lumiere has brought to County Durham cannot be underestimated. We are awaiting figures for 2019, but the previous five festivals delivered a joint economic boost in excess of £28m." want to live and visit. “An awful lot of work goes into staging an event of this scale and it would not be possible without the support of local businesses. By offering sponsorship opportunities, we can expand the festival programme, whilst providing a platform for local businesses to reach an international audience.” Lumiere provides a platform to promote the wider county, encouraging visitors to stay longer and discover more of Durham as part of their visit. It also converts travelling to Durham into an actual visit, providing those who may have considered Durham as a potential destination for the future with a strong reason to make the trip now. Lumiere raises aspirations and leaves a lasting legacy through its community engagement programme. This sees hundreds of schoolchildren and residents take part in art activities and contribute to installations at the festival. The event provides volunteering opportunities, with hundreds of people of all ages signing up to be festival makers each year, learning new skills, making friends and enhancing their CVs. At the 2019 festival, there were 37 installations and projections from international and local artists working with light, including some old favourites from the previous decade, and many lighting up iconic buildings such as the cathedral. As well as attracting contributions from renowned artists from as far as Japan, Canada, New Zealand and across Europe, more than 150 local people aged from four to 85 participated in interactive artwork like the Keys Of Light by Mr Beam. Now the ten-year anniversary has been marked, Artichoke and their many partners are already looking forward to Lumiere 2021. Development director Sarah Coop said: “Since 2009, we have relied on the generous support of our partners to help us deliver what has become an unmissable highlight in the North-East cultural calendar. “This year’s tenth anniversary edition of Lumiere Durham was no different, and truly one to remember. We worked with over 70 sponsors, from local individuals to international companies, all to make Lumiere Durham 2019 a reality. “The dedication and enthusiasm of our supporters, old and new, is remarkable and we’re so proud of what we have achieved together. “Our mission to light up the streets of Durham in the darkness of Winter continues as we look ahead to Lumiere Durham 2021, and we hope you’ll join us again on the journey.” wear.business – the voice of business for the Wear region | 21