Alight

Architectural Projection Artwork

Alight

Architectural Projection Artwork

Client

Artichoke

Location

Shildon, County Durham, England

Client

Artichoke

Location

Shildon, County Durham, England

Project Details

A Journey of Imagination and Connection.

Alight is a large-scale architectural projection artwork that celebrates the global legacy of the North East of England’s incredible contribution to the modern railway. Presented as part of Lumiere 2025 featuring a score by Ed Carter and Roma Yagnik. Born in the North East, the railway lit a spark that raced across the world. From India’s tropics to the Arctic’s edge, railways became more than steel and steam: they became shared stories, carrying the rhythm, history, and identity of every nation they touched. Alight is inspired by how those early lines carried more than trains – they carried people, cultures, and ideas across vast distances. This site-specific projection-mapped artwork at Locomotion in Shildon, County Durham celebrates that global legacy – not just of industry, but of imagination, connection, and humanity on the move.

Project Details

A Journey of Imagination and Connection.

Alight is a large-scale architectural projection artwork that celebrates the global legacy of the North East of England’s incredible contribution to the modern railway. Presented as part of Lumiere 2025 featuring a score by Ed Carter and Roma Yagnik. Born in the North East, the railway lit a spark that raced across the world. From India’s tropics to the Arctic’s edge, railways became more than steel and steam: they became shared stories, carrying the rhythm, history, and identity of every nation they touched. Alight is inspired by how those early lines carried more than trains – they carried people, cultures, and ideas across vast distances. This site-specific projection-mapped artwork at Locomotion in Shildon, County Durham celebrates that global legacy – not just of industry, but of imagination, connection, and humanity on the move.

The Brief

Celebrate a Global Legacy

2025 was the bicentenary of the opening of The Stockton and Darlington Railway (S&DR), which gave birth to the modern railway, changing how the world traveled and communicated. Shildon was the first station on this railway line and is now home to the National Railway Museum’s Locomotion site. To celebrate this momentous occasion, NOVAK was invited by long term associates and producers of Lumiere, Artichoke, to create a new work to feature as part of the 2025 edition of the UK’s premier light festival and as a centrepiece to the ‘Spotlight on Shildon’ strand of the festival.

The Brief

Celebrate a Global Legacy

2025 was the bicentenary of the opening of The Stockton and Darlington Railway (S&DR), which gave birth to the modern railway, changing how the world traveled and communicated. Shildon was the first station on this railway line and is now home to the National Railway Museum’s Locomotion site. To celebrate this momentous occasion, NOVAK was invited by long term associates and producers of Lumiere, Artichoke, to create a new work to feature as part of the 2025 edition of the UK’s premier light festival and as a centrepiece to the ‘Spotlight on Shildon’ strand of the festival.

Our Response

Traversing the Cultural Landscape

While the modern railway first emerged in the North East of England, its influence has since spanned the globe. This revolution has connected billions across diverse cultures, transforming the way people interact and travel. Beyond enhancing accessibility, the railway inspired remarkable engineering and design. Iconic locomotives and legendary journeys became national symbols, offering a wealth of inspiration for musicians, artists, and writers while fostering unprecedented levels of engagement. Drawing on the cultural and social impact of this North East gift to the world, NOVAK developed Alight. This artwork invited audiences on a global expedition, traversing diverse landscapes via a series of legendary trains. A central element of this journey was the original score composed by renowned sound designers and musicians Ed Carter and Roma Yagnik. Their evocative sonic tapestry established a rhythmic foundation that amplified the journey's shifting momentum and highlighted cultural milestones along the route.

Our Response

Traversing the Cultural Landscape

While the modern railway first emerged in the North East of England, its influence has since spanned the globe. This revolution has connected billions across diverse cultures, transforming the way people interact and travel. Beyond enhancing accessibility, the railway inspired remarkable engineering and design. Iconic locomotives and legendary journeys became national symbols, offering a wealth of inspiration for musicians, artists, and writers while fostering unprecedented levels of engagement. Drawing on the cultural and social impact of this North East gift to the world, NOVAK developed Alight. This artwork invited audiences on a global expedition, traversing diverse landscapes via a series of legendary trains. A central element of this journey was the original score composed by renowned sound designers and musicians Ed Carter and Roma Yagnik. Their evocative sonic tapestry established a rhythmic foundation that amplified the journey's shifting momentum and highlighted cultural milestones along the route.

Credits

Alight by NOVAK 


Shown at Locomotion in Shildon, County Durham for Lumiere 2025


Concept, design, production and project management by NOVAK 
Score by Ed Carter and Roma Yagnik 
Illustration partner Daryll Ibbeston 
Animation partner Andrew Donaldson 
Character animation partner Nicholas Waterton 

Commissioned and produced by Artichoke for Durham County Council 
Co-Produced by Pinwheel 
With support from Arts Council England and North East Combined Authority 

Projection partner GrayMatter 
Technical partner Andy Coates 
Event documentation partner Meerkat Films

Credits

Alight by NOVAK 


Shown at Locomotion in Shildon, County Durham for Lumiere 2025


Concept, design, production and project management by NOVAK 
Score by Ed Carter and Roma Yagnik 
Illustration partner Daryll Ibbeston 
Animation partner Andrew Donaldson 
Character animation partner Nicholas Waterton 

Commissioned and produced by Artichoke for Durham County Council 
Co-Produced by Pinwheel 
With support from Arts Council England and North East Combined Authority 

Projection partner GrayMatter 
Technical partner Andy Coates 
Event documentation partner Meerkat Films