River of Light Returns with Scientific Glow Up

THE River of Light; the much loved, free light festival which every year transforms Liverpool's iconic waterfront into an outdoor art gallery; has announced its 2025 line up with a brand new theme!  This year, 10 large scale artworks will be showcased from:- Friday, 24 October to Sunday, 2 November 2024, the 8th Edition of the event celebrating the theme The Science of Light; with each of the installations inspired by an area of science, technology or nature.

Working alongside the City's incredible science and innovation community; each of the artworks aim to capture the imagination of visitors in new ways as they explore the 3km trail along the waterfront, including:- the Royal Albert Dock, as well as around the Pier Head, Exchange Flags and Liverpool ONE.

Highlights from the programme include:-

• Face Value by scientist Emma Brass, artist Venya Krutikov and the Invisible Wind Factory. This is a brand-new commission using AI and robotics to create an interactive light art game experience that foregrounds the capabilities of these technologies in a playful way.
   

• Dandelion by Australian artists Amigo and Amigo which is inspired by the Dandelion flower and its wind blown petals which some cultures revere for their medicinal qualities.
   

• Within Water by New York design firm Yellow Studios; another new commission which explores the incredible natural phenomenon of marine bioluminescence.

The full list of artworks, their locations, opening times and handy FAQs can be found on the new look River of Light website and latest information can be found at:- @visitliverpool on:- X, Facebook and TikTok, or follow:- @visitliverpool_  on Instagram.

Due to the success of quiet hours at previous River of Light festivals which make the event even more accessible to visitors with additional needs, there will be 2 sessions taking place this year on:- Sunday, 26 and Wednesday, 29 October from:- 4-5pm. This will allow those with additional sensory needs to enjoy the artworks in a calmer environment.

This latest instalment follows on from the huge success of 2024, when River of Light welcomed record-breaking visitor numbers and brought in a massive £18.9 million to the local economy.

This year's event has been organised by Liverpool City Council's Culture Liverpool team, and supported by the UK Shared Prosperity Fund, Global Streets, the Royal Albert Dock Liverpool, the AI for Chemistry Hub (AIchemy), the Leverhulme Research Centre for Functional Materials Design at the University of Liverpool and Liverpool ONE.

Liverpool City Council's Cabinet Member for Health, Wellbeing and Culture, Councillor Harry Doyle, said:- "River of Light is 1 of the stand-out moments every year in the City and is an event that has a real, positive impact on the local economy. It has become a real, staple festival in people's diaries and its reputation for high-quality, free art that is accessible and enjoyable for all ages has really spread, and last year we found that it attracted more visitors than ever from outside the City Region. For us to handover the streets of Liverpool to artists; and this year scientists as well; is such a joyful experience and I can't wait to see locals and visitors enjoying this extraordinary art show again!"

Emma Brass, the scientist/artist behind Face Value, said:- "It's a real pleasure to have the chance to bring the robotics research I've been developing over the past 3 years at the University of Liverpool to a public event of this scale. This idea has been evolving for over 12 months. The piece has really grown through the combination of my robotics work with Venya Krutikov's creative technology skills, alongside input from the Invisible Wind Factory team. Together we've created an interactive installation that brings art and science into conversation in an engaging way."

Royal Albert Dock Estate Manager, Sean Morrison, said:- "River of Light has become a true highlight of Liverpool's autumn calendar, and we're delighted to be part of its continued success. The festival not only showcases world-class art, but also brings together communities to celebrate our shared heritage in a truly special way. We're excited to see the 2025 theme of The Science of Light come to life, and play our part in hopefully making this another record-breaking year for the City."

Colin Sinclair, CEO of Sciontec and Knowledge Quarter Liverpool said:- "I am thrilled that science is the theme for River of Light this year. Culture and innovation are 2 of the most important exports Liverpool and the wider Region have to offer, and so being able to; literally; shine a spotlight on them is a great way of helping the wider public appreciate just how important our science community here in the City is on a global scale."

Parking payments to be modernised in machine update

AN upgrade in Liverpool's parking meters will see savings in maintenance costs, reduce risks and free up staff to focus on enforcement; and even boost the uptake of electric vehicles throughout the City.

An approval is being sought from the Council's Cabinet (next Tuesday) to approve the installation of up to 80 new machines in key locations. All of the new machines would be contactless-enabled units that support card and mobile transactions only.

The City currently operates around 230 parking payment machines, of which approximately 85% have exceeded their 15-year design life.

While all machines accept cash and a portion process card payments, nearly a third of parking income still arrives in coins and notes, even as digital transactions continue to grow.

The Council's recent rollout of the National Parking Platform enables pay by phone convenience at every on street and off-street location, but physical payment points remain vital in key areas. An analysis has identified sites where cash usage persists and pinpointed obsolete machines that can be removed without disrupting motorists.

This means that 150 machines will remain accepting cash payments; the equivalent of two-thirds of all parking meters in the City.

The new machines are being specified with future emission based charging and DVLA integration in mind, to align with the City's commitment to cleaner air and net zero.

Liverpool City Council will launch a competitive tender for the new parking machines followed by phased installation and staff training.

During this time, essential business as usual parking services will continue uninterrupted.

Councillor Dan Barrington, Cabinet Member for Transport and Connectivity, said:- "Modernising our parking infrastructure is about delivering greater convenience and safety for everyone. Going fully cashless in targeted locations will cut maintenance costs, reduce the risks of handling cash, and free up our skilled teams to focus on enforcement and resident support. It's important to note that there will still be options to pay by cash where people need to do so. 150 machines will still be able to take cash payments. But clearly this is something that is significantly declining, and switching to contact less or app payment has huge benefits in cost savings for the Council."

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