The simple intervention replaces two streetlights with theatre spotlights and instantly transforms the street into a stage and passers-by into performers, somewhere between spectacle and surveillance. This intentionally subtle alteration to street lighting suggests on one hand the latent potential of public realm as places of interaction and celebration and on the other hand offers an alternative approach to city's lighting as more than securitarian.

Since 2010 Limelight Saturday night travelled to 17 cities across the world: London (UK), Liverpool (UK), Glasgow (UK), Calgary (Canada), Gaborone (Botswana), Frankfurt am Main (Germany), Toronto (Canada), Vancouver (Canada), Newcastle (UK), Inverness (UK), Arlington (USA), Kansas City (USA), Miami (USA).

Limelight: Saturday night was originally chosen to form part of a series of works commissioned to mark the launch of ARTISPHERE, a new visual and performing arts centre in Arlington Virginia, USA.

You can view the latest iteration of Limelight Saturday night in Liverpool, 2021 for Culture Liverpool. Film by Tommy Husband.

This project was initially developed for Radiance , Glasgow Light Festival, in 2005 as Limelight.

You can follow the project and see previous cities in the Limelight blog.