Liverpool Cathedral filled with starlight before Christmas

Starlight is filling Liverpool Cathedral with the return of the magical sensory The Light Before Christmas son et lumière.

The family-friendly attraction, created by artistic team Luxmuralis, opens at the sandstone landmark tonight and runs until December 7.

This year’s immersive experience, which features images which tell the story of the birth of Jesus along with ‘secular’ seasonal favourites like Father Christmas, reindeer and Dickens characters – accompanied by an atmospheric soundscape score by composer David Harper - invites visitors to follow the star and experience the Nativity in a new way.

It is the third year Luxmuralis has teamed up with the cathedral to bring the Light Before Christmas to Liverpool, and the seventh Luxmuralis installation staged in the Grade I listed building; four son et lumières and three physical artworks including the interactive Peace Doves.

Above: A slideshow gallery of images of Luxmuralis' The Light Before Christmas: Starlight

Luxmuralis’ creative director Peter Walker says: “It’s a privilege to be here in the cathedral. What first drew me to work with the cathedral was the vision of the Dean about bringing art and culture into the building, and the building speaking to the city.

“This cathedral feels like the heartbeat of the city to me. And when we are here and we talk to people – people in our hotel, people in the city – they know our work.

“Luxmuralis isn’t a son et lumière company. We’re two artists working with light and sound, and with a fantastic technical team, and we don’t do it for any other reason than the joy of making art. It’s rather like the stained-glass windows of our time.

“We’re telling the stories of our time, or bringing to life traditional stories that speak to people of different generations.”

The previous two Light Before Christmas events both sold out – last year 28,000 people visited the installation - and for this year organisers have added an extra Saturday to the running dates.

Above: More images of The Light Before Christmas: Starlight by Luxmuralis at Liverpool Cathedral

The Very Rev Dr Sue Jones, Dean of Liverpool, says: “The Light Before Christmas: Starlight offers visitors a different way of engaging with the Nativity story that people enjoy and love. It offers the perfect opportunity for people of all ages to come together and enjoy a festive experience.” 

The installation comes during the cathedral’s centenary celebrations marking 100 years since the building’s consecration. Other events which have taken place this year include an exhibition of work by Anish Kapoor which cathedral bosses say generated an estimated £2.146m economic impact for the city.

Peak date tickets for The Light Before Christmas are £11.55 for adults, £9.35 for children aged three to 16, and £33 for a family ticket for two adults and two children. Off peak tickets (Monday to Wednesday) are £10.45, £7.70 and £29.70 respectively. Children under three go free.

The Light Before Christmas is at Liverpool Cathedral from tonight until December 7. More details and tickets HERE