A GIANT slinky, a piano-powered projection, a monumental snowdome and a fog sculpture cascading across the River Wear are some of the highlights of this year’s Lumiere festival.

The full programme and locations of the UK’s largest light festival was unveiled by organisers today in Durham.

Artists from as far afield as Canada, Japan and New Zealand will be helping create impressive installations using familiar landmarks in the historic city as a backdrop.

The festival runs from Thursday to Sunday, November 14-17, and includes 37 artworks curated by Artichoke, a leading producer of art in the public realm.

For the most ambitious edition of Lumiere yet, a selection of favourite artworks from previous festivals, such as a whale in the River Wear, will sit alongside a host of new commissions by international artists and fresh talent from the North-East.

Artichoke director Helen Marriage said: “This year’s tenth anniversary edition offers the chance to relive some of the wonderful memories of previous festivals, sprinkled as always with an element of surprise.

“We hope visitors from across the county and beyond join us as we take to the cobbled streets of Durham for four nights of wintry magic.”

Lumiere is free to attend and promises to reimagine the city through dramatic installations, dynamic projections and reflective works, which showcase the diversity and creativity of light art.

Lumiere 2019 marks ten years since the festival first launched in Durham and the dazzling night-time spectacle has now become an unmissable fixture in the cultural calendar of the North East.

Since the first edition, Lumiere has returned to the city every other year, as well as lighting up Derry~Londonderry in 2013, during its year as UK City of Culture, and London in 2016 and 2018.

Professor Janet Stewart, from Durham University, which is sponsoring the event, said: “Lumiere is an inspiring event; it’s innovative, exciting and something that many, many people look forward to greatly.

“As Durham’s university, we’re proud to have been involved with Lumiere from the beginning and very pleased to be a major partner for Lumiere Durham 2019: sponsoring the festival, hosting new and returning installations and supporting across cultural engagement, volunteering and logistics.”

The festival is commissioned by Durham County Council, with additional support from Arts Council England and a host of further funders and supporters.

Councillor Simon Henig, leader of Durham County Council, said: “Over the decade in which it has run, Lumiere has provided a treasure chest of memories for hundreds of thousands of local residents and visitors.

“It is a world class event which has huge social and economic benefits for County Durham and the North-East.

“This year’s programme is truly awe-inspiring and will once again showcase our county as a place of light, where heritage is cherished and innovation is embraced and encouraged.”