Nine more artworks have been revealed for River of Light 2026 as Liverpool’s free light festival prepares to return to the city this autumn.
The popular event, which attracts tens of thousands of visitors to Liverpool each year, will take place from 23 October to 1 November 2026.
Delivered by Culture Liverpool, this year’s River of Light will have the theme ‘Together’, with installations exploring how light can bring people closer in a joyful and shared experience.
Three artworks have already been announced for the festival – POP! by Gentilhomme, Dream Herd by Amigo and Amigo, and Loop by Olivier Girourd and Jonathan Villeneuve.
Culture Liverpool has now revealed a further nine installations, with more artworks still to be announced.
The newly confirmed works for River of Light 2026 are:
- Invisible Cities by Atelier Sisu
- Flower Power by SPECTACULAIRES – ALLUMEURS D’IMAGES
- The Anooki by Inook
- Unity by Amigo and Amigo
- Paradigm by This is Loop
- Colour Rush by Liz West
- Today I Love You by Massimo Uberti, presented by Light Art Collection
- Coloured Peonies by TILT
- The Stars Come Out at Night by Stellar Creates
River of Light will also expand into new parts of Liverpool city centre this year.
Culture Liverpool is partnering with Liverpool Accommodation BID to bring installations beyond the waterfront and into additional locations, including Williamson Square and St Paul’s Square.
The expanded trail will give visitors the chance to experience light artworks across a wider area of the city centre throughout the ten-day festival.
Cllr Harry Doyle, Liverpool City Council’s Cabinet Member for Health, Wellbeing and Culture said:
“As summer comes to an end, we’re looking forward to the return of River of Light this autumn.
“Excitement is already building for the joy and colour it brings to the streets of Liverpool each October half term, and I am proud that Culture Liverpool continues to stage something so ambitious that is free, accessible, and enjoyable for residents and visitors of all ages.
“In line with this year’s theme of ‘Together’, I hope that friends and families are already planning their trips to come and see these amazing artworks that transform our city into a spectacular giant outdoor gallery.”
Annie Brown, General Manager at MGallery and Chair of the Accommodation BID said:
“River of Light is exactly the kind of event that makes Liverpool such a great place to visit, and it has a really important role to play in supporting our city centre economy. It brings significant footfall into the city at a time when we want to encourage people to visit, stay longer and experience everything Liverpool has to offer.
“For our accommodation businesses, events like this are a fantastic opportunity to drive overnight stays, giving visitors another reason to book a hotel, extend their trip and spend more time in the city. That increased footfall also benefits restaurants, bars, shops, and attractions, creating a positive ripple effect across the wider city centre.”
Harriet Lumby from This is Loop, artist of Paradigm said:
“We are really excited to be coming back to River of Light in 2026 debuting our brand-new sculpture, ‘Paradigm’.
“The theme of ‘Together’ for this year’s event really struck a chord with us and we hope audiences can see how our new work explores that. Working with Culture Liverpool and spending time in the city is always a highlight of our calendar – we can’t wait to discover what else the event has in store.”
Further installations and details about the 2026 programme are still to be announced.
Details of the artworks and the River of Light trail map can be found on the Visit Liverpool website.
READ MORE: Liverpool ONE reveals Christmas 2026 plans with giant tree and curling
