All you need to know about the 2023 River of Light exhibition in Liverpool

The River of Light installation has returned to Liverpool.

The exhibition runs from 27 October to 5 November with 12 brand new installations to explore, including a giant disco ball heart.

What is the River of Light?

It is a free, outdoor illuminated gallery on Liverpool Waterfront. The 2km loop features light and sound from local, national, and international artists.

In 2022, 250,000 people attended the event.

When can you see the illuminations?

The events will run from 5pm - 9pm.

What will be on display?

12 artworks created by artists from all over the world will light up each night from 5pm - 9pm.

Labyrinth by Atelier Sisu Credit: Visit Liverpool

This year, these include:

  • Our Beating Heart - A giant disco mirror ball in the shape of a heart, made of 11,000 mirrored glass tiles. It will be on the Town Hall Balcony

  • Labyrinth - A multi-coloured maze that uses a modular design to constantly change its layout. It will be in Derby Square.

  • Emergence - A circular mirror wall accompanied by sound and light effects that attendees can walk through. It will be outside the Martin Luther King Jr building.

  • Lampshade Bouquet - A collection of giant traditional lamps surrounded by benches at their bases. They will be dotted around Salthouse Dock.

  • United by Music - A circular performance space paying tribute to the 2023 Eurovision song contest. Throughout the event, the space will be playing songs from the contest. It will be at Pier Head

  • Elysian and Elysian Arcs - A modular structure which uses cloth to reflect light and create soundscapes. It will be in Exchange Flags Square.

  • Glow - An interactive light installation inspired by the cycles of the moon, featuring lamp posts that mimic's the lunar cycle. It will be on Mann Island in the Museum of Liverpool.

  • Ukrainian Dreams - An animated projection expressing the hope and pride of a nation. It will be projected onto The Royal Albert Dock, and is only viewable once the sun has set.

  • Nova - A sculpture that uses 56,000 laser profiled apertures to recreate the moment a Star goes Nova and begins to quickly increase the strength of its light. It will be in the Courtyard of The Liverpool Parish Church.

  • Florescentia - A collection of flower-like sculptures that use motors to recreate the process of blossoming and retracting in plants. It will be in the Mann Island Atrium.

  • Night Whisper - A giant luminescent light bulb that people can climb inside of. It features multiple giant moth sculptures inside, and will be at the Pier Head.

This map shows the 2km route for this year's River of Light Credit: Visit Liverpool

How accessible will the event be?

This year plans are in place to make the 12 installations as accessible as possible for all visitors.

For the first time, the event will play host to two quiet hour sessions which will enable those with additional sensory needs to explore the twelve installations during less crowded times.

Each artwork will run with either no soundscape or at a very low volume and, where possible, lighting will be altered making it a gentler, more accessible environment for people with sensory differences.

These hour-long sessions will take place from 4-5pm on Sunday 29 October and Wednesday 1 November.

Emergence by This Is Loop will be outside the Martin Luther King Jr Building, Royal Albert Dock Credit: Visit Liverpool

Julie Simpson who runs Autism Adventures, a Liverpool-based community organisation which supports young people with autism and their family said: "I’m really pleased to hear the measures that have been taken this year to make River of Light more accessible.

"I work with people every day who would love to feel included in the amazing events that take place in our city, and introducing quiet hours and ensuring there is accessible information for everyone breaks down barriers and encourages everyone to be fully engaged.

"Of course there is always more that could be done, but these are some great first steps which show understanding and empathy and puts inclusivity at the heart of the event."

Lampshades Bouquet by TILT will be on The Strand opposite the Royal Albert Dock Credit: Visit Liverpool

Liverpool City Council’s Cabinet Member for Health, Wellbeing and Culture, Councillor Harry Doyle, said:

"Ensuring as many people as possible can experience and enjoy our events is a top priority for the City Council. "Large scale events can be challenging for those with additional needs, and for many years the team behind River of Light has ensured that they programme content that as many people as possible can access and enjoy.

"I’m really pleased that this is going one step further this year with the introduction of a Quiet Hour this year and I’m sure if it’s a success we’ll look to roll it out further in future events where appropriate."

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