Doncaster Festival of Light takes place from 14-23 November at the Minster Church of St George and is a free event. It will open daily and operate in half-hour slots. 

Organised by Right Up Our Street and their Community Festival Steering Group, they strive to push boundaries and deliver a unique high quality event that all of Doncaster can all be proud of. The Festival is about audiences connecting to joy, embracing experiences and participatory moments. Culture belongs to everyone.

This year’s artwork, Machine Hallucinations: Large Nature Model Series, is a unique addition to an expanding collection of works crafted using The Large Nature Model, the first open-source generative AI model focused on nature, pioneered by Refik Anadol Studio. 

For this ongoing research, Refik Anadol and his team have harnessed open-source data from prominent organisations such as the Smithsonian Institution, National Geographic, and London’s Natural History Museum. This collaborative effort has enabled the collection of a vast archive of images showcasing the diversity of fauna, flora, fungi, corals, and landscapes. 

At this year’s Doncaster Festival of Light, the series will be presented, featuring Coral, Flora and Fauna. The artwork will be presented on an 11-metre-high LED screen in the bell tower of the Minster.

The Director of Right Up Our Street Sally Lockey said: “Welcoming an artist of Refik Anadol’s calibre to Doncaster is a truly significant moment for our city. His pioneering work at the intersection of art, data, and technology challenges how we experience creativity, and we’re proud to offer our community the chance to engage with such an inspiring, world-renowned artist.”

Pete Massey, Director Yorkshire and the Humber, Arts Council England added: “Doncaster Festival of Light is always a highlight in the autumn cultural calendar and this year it’s really exciting to have internationally-renowned artist Refik Anadol taking part. I’m sure that both the community and visitors to the city will enjoy experiencing his work in the unique setting of the Minster. We’re proud to support Right Up Our Street as one of our Creative People and Places organisations and bringing acclaimed artists to Doncaster is indicative of their aspirations for local people to see fantastic creative work where they live.”

Right Up Our Street are proud to announce the Lead Education and Engagement Sponsor for this event this year is Doncaster’s Automated Analytics – providing equipment and facilitation for educational activities, directed at schools and families during the exhibition.

Right Up Our Street are also grateful to Willmot Dixon and Centara LTD who have donated their company’s professional expertise and services to help ensure Right Up Our Street can deliver the very best, free event for the community.

The Doncaster Festival of Light is a free ticketed event. Tickets can be booked in half-hour slots to ensure a comfortable experience for all attendees. To reserve your free tickets, click here.