The team behind Copenhagen Light Festival is buzzing behind the scenes for their reopening in February. After over 500,000 visitors last year, Copenhagen Light Festival received media coverage worldwide, and became Denmark’s most visited festival.
Online, VIP and press opening on Friday, 4th February at 17:00 in the Stock Exchange Hall.
Copenhagen Light Festival increases the number of works from 36 to 50 unique light works.
There are developments on the walking, running and cycling routes, as well as the opportunity to book both guided tours and experience works both in the center and in areas outside the city.
The map can be found again in the official festival app “Copenhagen Light Festival – within 10 Minutes,” where you can find everything based on where you are, hear the artists’ thoughts behind the works, find official restaurants, light treasure hunts, bathrooms, and more.
“We have not received more money, but we have succeeded in getting more works up and more life along the routes compared to last year, due to the artists, the hosts and our active sponsors.
We really envision that, with Copenhagen partners, we can create a large international festival that presents unique works that attract many more guests.” says Jesper Kongshaug, chairman of the board of Copenhagen Light Festival.
Copenhagen Light Festival extends from Friday, 4th February to Saturday, 27th February at 23.00 o’clock. Phoenix by Julien Menzel
A lighting program for people of all ages
This year, the festival program opens its embrace wider than ever before. This year includes everything from pop-up events, large-scale lighting installations, to 3D mapping works. There is a focus on everything from the small whimsical lighting experiences, to the large spectacular light works. With around 50 works by artists from both Denmark and abroad, there will be light experiences for all tastes.
“We really want to fantastically brighten up February’s three weeks of cold, darkness and winter holidays in Copenhagen, so that life and experiences are created for both locals and tourists, contributing to a sustainable experience economy for Copenhagen,” says Jesper Kongshaug.
Interactive works can be activated by the festival guests. Here at Bryghuspladsen by BLOX.
Photonic Empathy by Lumus Instruments.
Family-friendly works, artistic quality and light experiences with heartfelt messages
In the summer of 2021, the festival published an Open Call, which invited artists to submit their ideas for light works.
“We are absolutely overwhelmed by the massive interest we have encountered for our festival both nationally and internationally. We have focused on creating a tailor-made program with works of light for the whole family, works that bring important topics to the agenda, and works that show responsibility, as well as being a celebration of nature,” continues Jesper Kongshaug.
Premiere of 3D animated mapping works
For the first time in the festival’s history, the program brings 3D mapping works to Copenhagen. Here, among other things, the facade of the historic Børsen and Sydbank’s building on Kgs Nytorv will be brought to life by animated projections.
Green plants and colourful flowers grow in an animated manner on the buildin’s façade with the 3D mapping work on Havnegade 29. Trust Nature by Umage x Hackstage
Festival at child height
The festival extends over the winter holidays, so that both children and adults can explore the light program.
Several works and pop-up events invite play and movement, such as the interactive trampolines on Havnegade, and monster hunting in the ruins under Christiansborg Castle. In addition, the app invites kids of all ages to go on the light treasure hunt and look for the next light installation around the corner. If you have found 20 works, you can win a drink from the approximately 15 official light restaurants along the routes in the city center.
This interactive work appeals to play and movement, and also gives a point for the light treasure hunt.
On the Wave of Light by Those Guys Lighting, on Sydbanestien, Bavnehøj
Festival at adult height
Adults of all ages can immerse themselves in the artists’ ideas in front of each work via smartphone. A QR code at each sign leads into audio and text, as well as relevant websites, without leaving the app.
The festival also offers guided tours, where you can experience the festival’s works on water or on land. Stromma makes guided boat trips again this year, while special ‘Wine & Walk’ or ‘Friday beer’ trips, among others, can accompany one around the festival.
Tickets can be purchased via the website and Facebook events for the specific guided tours.
Pop-up works, light dancers, light weddings and light races
Focus on the history
Special temporary pop-up works and events can be experienced during the festival at selected locations in the city at specific times. Among these is a staging at the Equestrian Statue at Christiansborg Ridebane, which is a tribute to the Danish female artist Anne Marie Carl-Nielsen, who in the spirit of the times stood in the shadow of her husband, created by the art group Tokyo Blue. Another example is the audio-visual city walk, which examines material traces from the colonial era in buildings and monuments in the center of Copenhagen, called “Voices in the shadow of monuments” by Katrine Dirckinck-Holmfeld, among others.
Light wedding
Light weddings are offered by the Copenhagen Municipality during the winter holidays on the 17/02 and the 18/02. Here you can be married to the work “A Dozen Suns,” by the environmental artist Maj D, which is located at Skuespilhuset.
Light dancers
Light dancers will appear in the dark and along the routes, and special dance performances can be experienced at BLOX during the 3 weeks the festival lasts.
Light dancers are one of many pop-up events, that can be found on the festival’s website and Facebook.
Some events require registration in order to participate.
“Denmark’s Most Beautiful Light Race” on Friday, 18th February already has 1000 registered
“Denmark’s most beautiful light race” is what the Danish Architecture Center calls the race through the city centre, dressed in light chains.
There is not long to go before it can also be called “Denmark’s Largest Light Race,” for 1500 light runners. The light race tends to be a part of what is shown from the Copenhagen Light Festival on TV and online news all over the world, at the end of the winter holidays.
Registration https://www.sportstiming.dk/event/9940
Put light chains on your body and take part in the record attempt at Denmark’s Largest Light Race. DAC Architecture Race – Copenhagen Light Festival is arranged in collaboration with the Danish Architecture Center and DGI Greater Copenhagen. Registration: https://www.sportstiming.dk/event/9940
About the routes
Light works are located along walking, running and cycling routes of approx. 2, 5, and 10 km in the city center, while some works can be found on Refshaleøen, Bavnehøj, Vanløse, Tingbjerg and Sundby.
There is a premiere of a special electric car route through the city, along the canals and to Amager and back.
At the same time, fellow passengers can hear about the works via Light Festival’s mobile app, which tells the artists’ ideas behind each work. The electric car Polestar trip can be booked from 3rd February here.
Photo competition and exhibition
The festival guests have for the last few years been diligent in taking fantastic pictures of the light works. Again this year, both professional and amateur photographers can participate in the festival’s photo competition, where the most beautiful image will be awarded a Louis Poulsen lamp. In addition, this year the new initiative “People’s Vote” will be introduced, where you vote for your favorite photo. The photo with the most votes wins the brand new Samsung phone, which specializes in photography in the dark.
The winning photo of 2021 was won by an amateur photographer.
More information
Facts
Practical information
- Duration: 4th February to 27th February 2022
- The festival is non-profit
- The works are on from 5 pm to 11 pm. Some works are also lit in the morning.
- Works are located along walking, running and cycling routes of approximately 2, 7, and 10 km in the inner city, while some works can be found on Refshaleøen, Baunehøj, Vanløse, Tingbjerg and Sundby.
- A special electric car route with Polestar is offered from 3rd February here.
- The festival has a pop-up event program as well as special guided tours.
- The festival map with info can be found in the official app “Copenhagen Light Festival,” which shows where the many light installations are, based on where you are. The app is free and can be downloaded via the App store, Google Play, and QR codes at the works, as well as on the website.
- You can print a map via the website: https://copenhagenlightfestival.org/map-2022/
About Copenhagen Light Festival 2022
- In 2021, the festival received over 500,000 visitors, which made it Denmark’s currently most visited.
- In 2021 there were 36 works and in 2022 there are 50 works.
- All electricity is green and sponsored by Ørsted.
Artistic collaborations
- The festival collaborates with a number of cultural institutions, including: The National Museum, Glyptoteket, Thorvaldsens, Nikolaj Kunsthal, Overgaden Department of Contemporary Art, Charlottenborg, Den Sorte Diamant, Det Kgl Teater, and DAC.
- The festival collaborates with students from programs at AAU, NEXT, KADK, KEA.
- The full list of artists can be found on the website and in the app.
List of children/family-friendly lighting experiences:
- The oracle, Thorvaldsens Plads
- The trampolines on Havnegade (photo from last year)
- Don’t be Blue, Kalvebod Bølge (photo from last year – it was called Wauww and was in other colors)
- Photonic Empathy, Bryghuspladsen
- On the Wave of Light, Sydbanestien in Bavnehøj
- Transcendence, Refshaleøen
- 3D mapping on Umage’s facade, Havnegade 29
- Projection on the ice rink at Broens Gadekøkken
- Light roof barrel, Sundby/Filipsparken
- A Dozen Suns, the wooden deck of the Skuespilhus
- ‘Bugs’ and ‘Face to Face’ at Urbanplanen, Kbh S
- Monster – spooky creatures with great emotion, at the Ruins under Christiansborg
Info@copenhagenlightfestival.com, 25556604, secretariat of the Copenhagen Light Festival
Find the festival’s program and press pages on the website https://copenhagenlightfestival.org/lightworks-2022/
Press photos and video:
https: //copenhagenlightfestival.org/da/presse-medier/
Social Media:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cphlightfest/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cphlightfest
- YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLxM8I3HMXuXYLtcssa4pdA
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/copenhagen-light-festival/
We are looking forward to it.
See you soon
Copenhagen Light Festival
Special thanks to
The festival is supported by the Augustinus Foundation, AP Møller and Wife Chastine Mc-Kinney Møller’s Foundation for General Purposes, Spar Nord Foundation, William Demant Foundation, Consul George Jorck and Wife Emma Jorck’s Foundation, Knud Højgaard’s Foundation, Aage and Johanne Louis-Hansen’s Foundation, Max Fodgaard Foundation, Copenhagen Municipality, Ørsted, Polestar, Samsung, Gorillas and Royal Unibrew
The association’s board consists of partners from Tivoli, Stromma Denmark, D Studio, vnr.TV, and Pia Allerslev. The festival’s daily operation and planning is handled by Copenhagen Light Festival’s secretariat,
Contact us at: info@copenhagenlightfestival.org / (+45) 25 55 66 04.