Light Up The Town is a new light art project that will illuminate our towns across Fenland and West Suffolk. As winter fades and spring begins to bloom, it’s the perfect time to reconnect, come together, and celebrate the beauty of our community. Light Up The Town is here to brighten our spirits and illuminate our towns with stunning light projection art!
Together with SDNA Moving Image, we’re working hand-in-hand with local community groups to co-create vibrant light shows that will light up buildings in Chatteris, March, Wisbech, Whittlesey, Brandon, Mildenhall, and Newmarket in early 2025.
Dates & locations of light shows
West Suffolk – drop in anytime between 6 – 8pm
- BRANDON: Tuesday 25th February – Brandon Town Council, Old School House, Market Hill, IP27 0AA
- MILDENHALL: Wednesday 26th February – St. Mary’s Church, High Street, IP28 7EE
- NEWMARKET: Thursday 27th February – St. Mary’s Church, Church Lane, CB8 0HP
Fenland – drop in anytime between 6 – 8pm
- WISBECH: Monday 3rd March – (location tbc)
- MARCH: Wednesday 5th March – (location tbc)
- CHATTERIS: Thursday 6th March – (location tbc)
- WHITTLESEY: Friday 7th March – Saint Mary’s Church, 6 Manor View, PE7 1TF
Key Details:
- Drop-in anytime between 6-8pm
- Cost: Free
- Family friendly
- Hot drinks available to buy
FAQ
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Do I need a ticket?
No. Light Up The Town is a FREE event with no ticket required. The light projections run constantly between 6-8pm so turn up anytime between this.
What should I wear?
This is an outdoor event and will take place in all weathers. Warm outdoor clothing, appropriate footwear and waterproofs are recommended.
Is there food and drink available?
There will be hot drinks available to buy as part of Light Up The Town. As all events take place in the town centres, we encourage people to purchase food from local businesses.
Are the locations wheelchair and pushchair accessible?
- Brandon – The Light Show will take place at the market square which is step free. Seating is available on the square.
- Mildenhall – The Light Show is viewable from the churchyard which is step free. The church itself has a ramp available at the entrance. Toilets, baby changing and accessible toilets are available in the Church Cottage Rooms, adjacent to the main Church.
- Newmarket – The Light Show is viewable from the churchyard which is step free. The church itself has a ramp available for the entrance at request. Toilets are available in the church.
- Wisbech -TBC
- March – TBC
- Chatteris The light show is viewable from the school grounds which are step free.
- Whittlesey The light show is viewable from the church grounds which are step free. The church itself has a ramp available for the entrance at request.
How do I get there?
- Brandon – The nearest bus stop is in the High Street, Brandon does not have a bus station. View bus routes here. Brandon station is ten minutes walk from the town centre and market place. View train times here. Brandon has free parking at the library and heritage centre which is located next to the market square. View car parks here.
- Mildenhall – The nearest bus stop is Mildenhall Bus Station, which is a five minute walk from St Mary’s church. View bus routes here. Free parking is available at The Jubilee Centre. View car parks here.
- Newmarket – The nearest car park is St Mary’s directly behind the church and Turner Hall. Grosvenor Yard is also within easy walking distance. A guide to the municipal car parks in Newmarket may be found here. Please note charges apply in all car parks at certain times. Some free, on-street parking may also be available close by. Newmarket station is fifteen minutes walk from St Marys Church. View train times here
- Wisbech – TBC
- March – TBC
- Chatteris The nearest car park is Church Lane. You can find free car parking options here. The nearest bus stop is the town centre, which is a ten minute walk. Bus timetables can be found here.
- Whittlesey The nearest free car park is Station Road. You can find more free car parking options here. Whittlesea station is ten minutes walk from St Mary’s church. View train times here. The nearest bus stop is Grosvenor Road Bus Interchange which is a five minute walk. Bus timetables can be found here.
Will there be photography and filming on site?
Please note that photography and filming will take place during Light Up The Town. The material may be used in social media, in promotional videos and other publicity materials, both off and online. If you do not wish to appear in promotional materials or have any other queries or concerns, please speak to a member of the MarketPlace team.
How was the artwork made?
MarketPlace has worked with SDNA Moving Image to run creative workshops with community groups in every town. Local gardening groups shared images of their favourite native plants and flowers, which inspired collages crafted in these workshops. SDNA transformed these artworks into dazzling animations, for a Light Show that celebrates the creativity and unity in our community.
How is the community involved?
SDNA is working with MarketPlace to run creative workshops with community groups in every town. We are working with local gardening groups to source images and plant names which will serve as inspiration and material for collages created by local community groups. SDNA will be using the artworks made by community members and preparing them to be projected and animated onto local buildings.
Who is SDNA?
SDNA is a creative studio founded in 2010 by Valentina Floris and Ben Foot. They specialise in producing distinctive digital artworks and interactive experiences for a range of settings, involving people of all ages, cultures, and backgrounds in the creative process. They animate galleries and public spaces with bold and imaginative displays to engage and inspire new and diverse audiences in fresh and exciting ways. You can visit their website here.
Why did MarketPlace commission SDNA?
MarketPlace ran two community panels to select an artist for this project. The community panelists represented each of the seven towns involved in the decision making process for this project. MarketPlace is proud to be part of the Creative People and Places programme, developed by Arts Council England with support from National Lottery funds. This initiative supports people in creating cultural activity right where they live.
