Boston Lights Up to Show its Brilliance!

Published on 29 July 2024

A press release from Boston College UK

Boston Brilliance is a two-day architectural projection festival of light taking place on Friday 14th and Saturday 15th February 2025 between 5:30pm and 9:30pm. The Festival of Light will transform the town into a vibrant canvas, transforming eight iconic landmarks with breathtaking projections that portray the town's long and rich history. Visitors to the free-to-attend festival will be able to make their way through the town on foot taking in each outstanding light feature as they go. The locations, which have been selected as part of the festival, include Cammacks, Waterstones, Pescod Hall, St Botolph's Church, St Botolph's Bridge, The Assembly Rooms, Sam Newsom Centre and Fydell House.

The town's first of its kind festival is a joint project between Boston College, South & East Lincolnshire Councils Partnership and The Projection Studio. The festival has been made possible due to the College being awarded a £100,000 grant from the Arts Council's National Lottery Project Grants, as well as contributions from the South & East Lincolnshire Councils Partnership and local businesses. The South & East Lincolnshire Councils Partnership contributed funding to this project through its Arts Council England NPO project, which looks to support arts, culture, heritage and creativity across the whole of South and East Lincolnshire, providing meaningful opportunity and programming for residents, developing the sector and helping to build our arts, culture and heritage offer.

Speaking of the Festival, Boston College Principal and CEO, Claire Foster said, "I am absolutely delighted that our students have the opportunity to create and collaborate with internationally acclaimed artists on Boston Brilliance supported by Arts Council England and local businesses. This event will breathe new life into our town's incredible architecture, lighting up our heritage assets, providing vital work placements for our learners and bringing pride to our place."

Internationally acclaimed projection mapping specialists, The Projection Studio, will illuminate the upcoming festival with their signature artistry. Responsible for breathtaking spectacles such as the late Queen's Golden Jubilee, the Qatar World Cup, and renowned festivals across France and America, The Projection Studio, offers unparalleled expertise in transforming landmarks into captivating canvases of light. Leading artists from the studio, Ross Ashton and Karen Monid visited the town in early January 2024 and offered a preview on the Assembly Rooms. This teaser displayed the awe-inspiring potential of the upcoming festival, leaving residents intrigued, impressed, and eagerly anticipating more.

Councillor Sarah Sharpe, Boston Borough Council's representative on the NPO culture board, said: "It's so exciting to see that such prestigious artists are contributing to this fantastic project, that will light up Boston with a stunning array of colours and arts in celebration of the rich history of the town. I encourage everyone to save the date and support what should be an amazing, unique event, and hopefully see Boston in a completely new light."

The unique festival also presents an unprecedented opportunity for Boston College's Creative Arts learners to gain fantastic experience by collaborating with world-renowned artists and industry specialists working on a live brief. The learners will co-create three of the seven captivating projections, which will involve them delving into specific themes, crafting 10 minutes of footage each. Their visions will illuminate Cammacks (Brillance), the College's Sam Newsom Centre (By Sea and By Land), and Waterstones (Boston Life). The remaining four installations will be the produced by internationally acclaimed artists.

Beyond the artistic collaboration, the festival also provides valuable work experience for the College's Uniformed Public Services, Travel and Tourism and Catering and Hospitality learners. These learners will gain practical skills through roles such as event marshalling, guided tours of the festival's installations, and catering services.

Boston Brilliance is more than just a festival; it's a celebration of creativity, community, and the town's vibrant spirit. Don't miss this unique opportunity to witness history dazzle in a symphony of light on Friday 14th and Saturday 15th February 2025.