Birmingham is set to be transformed into a radiant open-air gallery this February as the Birmingham Light Festival announces its full 2026 programme. The event will run from 12 to 15 February, illuminating the city's streets, squares, and public spaces with spectacular temporary artworks and a series of special events.
A Dazzling Array of Light Installations
The festival's second year promises a host of brand-new creations. In the Bullring, a high-energy live experience titled FORGED, produced by Birmingham Hippodrome, will feature fire performances set to a live soundtrack from local metal band Insurgent. Visitors can even interact with a spectacular fire-breathing organ.
Neon hearts will glow on Lower Temple Street in an artwork called My Heart Belongs in Birmingham by NeonCow, while Studio Vertigo's popular Our Beating Heart returns to the Mailbox's canalside, inviting people to immerse themselves in disco music beside a giant, rotating heart-shaped mirror ball.
Other highlights include Reunion by Kumquat Lab, with luminous arches at New Street Station, and the return of the festival's favourite silent disco, which this year becomes The Silly Statues x Silent Disco in Victoria Square, hosted by Madame Freeze.
Thought-Provoking Art and Lasting Legacies
The festival also features more contemplative works. At Birmingham Botanical Gardens, international artist Luke Jerram will present Tipping Point, a thought-provoking simulated forest fire with an immersive soundtrack, highlighting deforestation. The Gardens will also host Climate Conversations.
A poignant installation, The Heartbeat of Brindleyplace by idontloveyouanymore, will connect softly glowing light boxes to the real-time heartbeats of Birmingham residents, sharing their stories.
Alongside the temporary pieces, four legacy installations will remain, including a new work for 2026. Where the Trees Begin by local artist Richard O'Gorman will illuminate Edgbaston Village, inspired by the ancient forests that once shaped Birmingham's landscape.
City-Wide Events and Celebrations
Over 50 special events will run alongside the light trail. These include a Run the Lights group run, a Paws of Light dog walk, and the return of the Bringing the Light Lantern Procession with the CBSO and Canal & River Trust.
Edgbaston Village will host a night market, while bars and restaurants across the city, including Hotel du Vin, The Alchemist, and Harvey Nichols' Bazar, will serve light-themed cocktails and special menus. Candlelit dinners, whisky tastings, and exclusive menus will add to the romantic Valentine's weekend atmosphere.
City Curator Alex Nicholson-Evans said: "We have some truly remarkable artworks lined up... to make sure that Birmingham has something really wonderful to look forward to in this particularly dark and cold winter." The festival is produced by Outdoor Places Unusual Spaces (OPUS) and supported by founding partners including Colmore BID and Birmingham City Council.
