Mansfield is set to welcome a world-renowned art installation at Easter which will mesmerise visitors in a multi-sensory experience.
The giant Architects of Air inflatable Luminarium sculpture will land in Chesterfield Road Park for the school Easter holidays from Thursday 4 April to Saturday 13 April.
The art installation is a Mansfield District Council event made possible through funding by the government and Arts Council England as part of the council’s National Portfolio Organisation (NPO) status and the Destination Mansfield programme.
Visitors are advised to pre-book their entry on the Palace Theatre website to avoid having to queue.
Entry is £3 per person, paid on arrival. Children under two and carers can get in free. The luminarium is fully accessible and is suitable for all ages, abilities, cultures and communities. It will be open from 10am, with the last entry at 4pm. Book your slot inn the Mansfield Palace Theatre website (link opens in new window).
Alan Parkinson, of Architects of Air, said: “The Luminarium in various formats has been presented all over the world for the past 32 years and been visited by more than 3 million people in that time. It is a paradox that such a stimulating environment can simultaneously be so calming, comforting and exciting.
“Through labyrinthine tunnels and cavernous domes, visitors move in a medium of saturated and subtle hues. Vivid reflections of liquid colour spill across the curved walls creating a world apart from the normal and every day.
“The radiance of the daylight transmitted by the coloured parts of the luminarium is surprising in its luminosity and makes a direct impact on the senses.”
Cllr Stuart Richardson, Portfolio Holder for Regeneration and Growth, said: “We are delighted to be able to bring world class cultural experiences of this kind to Mansfield to help raise the profile of the district both regionally and nationally and develop the visitor economy here.
“Primarily we want to promote Mansfield as a great place to visit and explore. Events of this kind draw visitors from beyond the district and this kind of footfall then feeds into the wider local economy.
“Locally, this strategy also improves the cultural quality of life for our residents, strengthening a sense of community spirit and can create opportunities for people to gain new skills.”
The installation aligns with the mutual objectives of Arts Council England’s Let’s Create strategy and the council’s Towns Fund award from the government.
Part of the council £12.2m Towns Fund pot is being used to create the Destination Mansfield project to help raise the profile of the district and the number of visitors to the area.
The project also aims to improve the perception of Mansfield among residents and local businesses and to increase the number of people participating in cultural activities.
The cultural aspect of the project overlaps with Let’s Create the area’s NPO status with the Art Council which has a ten-year strategy to bring ambitious, dynamic cultural activities to a wider part of the country, with a strong emphasis on the health and wellbeing benefits of creative opportunities.
Additional Destination Mansfield and NPO funded events are planned later in the year including Party on the Market in on Sunday 2 June; Mansfield Carnival on Saturday 22 June; Mansfield Film Festival in July and Walk the Plank Breathe, a major art installation about the human body in October.
For more details see the Events pages on the council website (link opens in new window) or sign up to the mailing list for news about events (link opens in new window) or follow the council’s Facebook page (link opens in new window).