Long Night – Light Night

One of the main objectives of the Liverpool Thrive programme is to help create a more audience and people friendly city centre. As part of this objective, a series of events have taken place that provide an alternative to the pubs and bars, and help to create a sense of greater ownership and enjoyment of the city centre at night amongst people who might otherwise be put off coming into the city centre at that time.

The Long Night / Light Night are the first in this series. The vision is for a range of visual arts venues to be open from the Tate Albert Dock up to Fact on Bold Street, and to provide some animation on the walking routes between venues, including light projections and street performance. It is also hoped to include live performance within the visual arts venues.

The Long Night proposal is inspired by Long Night of the Museums events that take place in Europe, e.g. in Berlin, Cologne and Amsterdam and also the national Museums at Night events that take place every spring in Britain.

A Long Night of the Museums event involves visual arts venues only, but the Long Nights/Light Nights go further, with shops, restaurants and a range of cultural venues all opening late.

A key aspect of creating a more people friendly city centre is to address the negative impacts of the heavy drinking culture. An event such as the Long Night can make a contribution, by providing an alternative activity that might encourage some people to “slow down” the night, and reduce the amount of alcohol consumed.

The first Long Night took place in 2008 as “The Long Night of the Biennial” and in 2009 was known as the “Long Night of the AND festival”. In 2010 we will have the 14th May as the “Light Night” and the 18th November sees “The Long Night” return for a third year.

More information on the Long and Light Nights can be found in the News section.

Liverpool Light Night