Thousands of visitors have poured through the Chesterfield Road park gates over the last two weeks to experience Mansfield’s first ever Luminarium.
The 10-day art installation event put on by Mansfield District Council opened on Thursday 4 April until Saturday 13 April and attracted almost 8,500 people, including visitors from as far as Cornwall and Pontefract.
The world-renowned Architects of Air sculpture was open for a total of 45 hours across six days and enjoyed by all age groups, including a two-week-old baby and an 87-year-old local care home resident.
The Luminarium has been presented all over the world and throughout April alone they have been presented in South Korea, New York, Auckland and now Chesterfield Road Park in Mansfield. The sculptures have been presented in various formats for the past 32 years and visited by more than three million people in that time.
David Evans, Head of Health and Communities at Mansfield District Council, said: “It has been fantastic to see that despite some blustery weather and April showers, the community has come out in force to enjoy the immersive Luminarium in Mansfield.
“The Architects of Air tour these art installations all around the world! It is encouraging to see that this global cultural experience has also been available in our town for residents of all ages and abilities to enjoy, raising the profile of the district regionally and nationally.
“Thank you to every visitor who came to the park to enjoy the experience; we hope you enjoyed it and now have a taste of what is shaping up to be a fantastic summer programme of events in Mansfield.”
The multi-sensory experience inside the Luminarium is described as both calming and exciting, with visitors able to explore a colourful labyrinth of tunnels and cavernous domes accompanied by a gentle sensory soundscape. Daylight penetrates the inflatable, creating saturated and subtle hues and vivid reflections of colour.
As well as thousands of visitors attending the event, the council also recruited 11 stewards, supported by existing event and cultural services staff. They were on hand throughout to guide visitors through the domes, help with queries, and be a friendly face upon arriving at the event.
Feedback from people who have visited has been overwhelmingly positive, with many reporting that they found the experience engaging, relaxing, and mesmerising.
Comments included:
“We had loads of fun!”
“We thoroughly enjoyed it, and it was wonderful to see so many families there.”
“Great art installation; best exhibition I have seen in years.”
“We had a great time, a great sensory experience for the babies!”
The installation was made possible thanks to funding by the government and Arts Council England as part of the council’s National Portfolio Organisation (NPO) status and the Destination Mansfield programme.
These programmes are bringing world-class cultural experiences to Mansfield to help raise the profile of the district both regionally and nationally.
Destination Mansfield and NPO-funded events later in the year include Party on the Market on Sunday 2 June; Mansfield Carnival on Saturday 22 June and Mansfield Film Festival from 26 July to28 July.
For more information about upcoming events in Mansfield this year, visit www.mansfield.gov.uk/whatson or sign up to our mailing list.