River of Light is back in Liverpool with another year of amazing installations to explore across the waterfront.
River of Light takes place from 27 October - 5 November with 12 brand new installations across Liverpool's waterfront. Make a day out of your trip to see all the artworks and plan the ultimate cultural day out in the city with a few of our suggestions on exhibitions, galleries and attractions not to miss out on.
River of Light Installations
Labyrinth - Atelier Sisu
Emergence - This Is Loop
Lampshades Bouquet - TILT
Elysian and Elysian Arcs - Atelier Sisu
United By Music - Yellow Studio
Glow - Amigo & Amigo
Ukrainian Dreams - Tais Poda
Our Beating Heart - Studio Vertigo
Nova - Studio Vertigo
Florescentia - Atelier Sisu
Night Whisper - Amigo & Amigo
Find out more about the full River of Light programme and to download the installation map visit the website here.
10 culture activities not to miss
FACT
FACT is Liverpool’s first purpose-built arts centre and they are celebrating their 20th birthday in October by welcoming two brand new exhibitions to their galleries. Surrender (2023) invites you into Jenkin Van Zyl’s psychotropic film-world centred around an endurance dance marathon whilst Earth A.D 2 (2023) by Uma Breakdown takes us on a journey through the gothic genre and its relationship to horror, intimacy of care and technology. Both are free to visit and open from 20 October!
Open Eye Gallery
Find Open Eye Gallery right in the heart of the River of Light trail on the waterfront. The gallery focuses on photography exhibitions and is currently showing ‘A Place of Our Own’ a group exhibition that brings together the local stories of people across Walton, Prescot and Chester town centre.
Tate Liverpool x RIBA North
Tate Liverpool is temporarily closing from 15 October whilst they undergo some exciting redevelopment but you can still get your Tate fix over at RIBA North at Mann Island. The two organisations will be collaborating to bring a programme of temporary exhibitions, family activities, public talks and lots more!
John Moores Painting Prize at Walker Art Gallery
The John Moores Painting Prize is the UK’s longest-running painting competition bringing together the best contemporary painting from across the UK. On display at the Walker Art Gallery, you can see the winning piece alongside the short listed prize winners and a selection of the entrants.
Happiness! At Museum of Liverpool
Happiness! Is an exhibition filled with fun and humour, celebrating one of Liverpool’s iconic comedians, Sir Ken Dodd, at the Museum of Liverpool. The exhibition highlights Ken Dodd the entertainer, comedian, performer, actor and singer using memorabilia from his personal archive to explore his career.
150th Anniversary of Epiphone at the BME
The British Music Experience are currently celebrating 150 years of Epiphone with a temporary exhibition featuring a selection of Noel Gallagher’s Epiphone guitars. You can see the exhibition as part of your entry to the BME which explores the history of British music through the decades.
Photie Man: 50 Years of Tom Wood at The Walker Art Gallery
The Walker Art Gallery is currently home to a major new photographic exhibition ‘Photie Man: 50 Years of Tom Wood’. The exhibition celebrates the internationally-acclaimed Irish artist Tom Wood, showcasing his iconic images of Liverpool from across the decades.
The Bluecoat
Bluecoat have just welcomed their brand new exhibition ‘Tim Spooner: A New Kind of Animal’. The exhibition brings together an exciting new commission alongside a collection of Spooner’s work, including over 190 works in collage, painting, sculpture and objects from the past 15 years.
RLB360 Tour
No trip to Liverpool is complete without a tour of the Royal Liver Building on their RLB360 tour. Head inside the iconic building and up to the 15th floor to take in the stunning views across the city. There’s also a visitor centre and a special audio-visual show inside one of the clock towers.
Liverpool Cathedral
Did you know Liverpool Cathedral is the biggest cathedral in the UK and the 5th largest in Europe? Head inside to explore the incredible building and on select days join their amazing guides on a behind-the-scenes tour of the cathedral tower, the roof, external viewing areas and the bell ringing chamber on the Above and Beyond Tour!
Places to eat and drink
Waterfront
There’s lots of places to enjoy something to eat and drink on Liverpool’s waterfront whilst exploring the light installations. Head over to Moose Coffee before you head on the trail for tasty pancakes, Bean Coffee for a warm drink or Dockside at Liverpool Waters for street food, drinks and live entertainment!
Castle Street
Castle street is a foodie hub in Liverpool and right in the middle of the River of Light trail so it’s the perfect spot to grab a bite to eat. Enjoy traditional pizzas at Rudy’s Pizza, small plates at Bacaro, Indian Street food at Mowgli or Vietnamese dishes at Pho alongside so many more places to try.
The Baltic Triangle
Whether you’re looking for something to eat before or after exploring the lights, there’s lots on offer at The Baltic Triangle. Tuck into tasty street food at The Baltic Market, enjoy some Luban Street food dishes at Cains Brewery or a drink in one of the many bars in the area.
