The mesmerising 90-minute journey of light, sound and wonder, entitled Castle of Light, will treat guests to an evening of dazzling animations, never seen before at the castle in its 900 year history. Running over six weeks throughout the festive season, from Thursday 14 November to Sunday 22 December, the castle will be transformed using state-of-the-art projections and enchanting storytelling.
9-year-old Erin Kempton took to the castle to enjoy a sneak preview of what’s in store as Castle of Light was officially launched, with early bird tickets on sale from 9.30am tomorrow morning (Tuesday 3 September).
The countdown is now on to the event which will be the biggest light experience to hit the city centre, bringing together a consortium of the finest digital and visual talent in Scotland to create a truly immersive experience which will captivate locals and visitors alike every Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
Gillian Macdonald, Head of Business Development at Historic Environment Scotland (HES), which operates Edinburgh Castle, said: “Castle of Light invites visitors to watch the history of this iconic landmark come to life as it illuminates the very walls that saw it unfold.
Guests will have the chance to follow in the footsteps of Scotland’s heroes as they’re welcomed by stunning visuals and impressive lighting installations within the Castle’s walls.
“Using state-of-the-art projections to create a truly wonderful, immersive lighting adventure, this is sure to be a magical experience for all the family and we can’t wait for everyone to enjoy it."
Double Take Projections, NL Productions, Andy McGregor Design and War Productions Ltd are working together, in partnership with HES, to create an innovative illuminated walking tour, with timed entries between 5.30pm and 8.30pm.
Among them, the group have provided projection lightshows around the globe from The Enchanted Forest in Pitlochry to Sydney Opera House via the Forth Bridges and Blackpool Tower. The creation of this world class event, hosted in their home city, within such an iconic building, will be a truly unique experience.
Andy McGregor, Creative Director of Castle of Light, said:
This is an amazing opportunity to create a major lighting projection event for the truly iconic site that is Edinburgh Castle – a place recognised throughout the world and one which embodies so much Scottish history.
“I grew up by the Meadows in the shadow of this rock but I'm now seeing the Castle with fresh eyes. As a team, we will be drawing on the history, geology, mythology and the sheer drama of the site to conjure a spectacle that we hope will excite, entertain and enlighten audiences of all ages and backgrounds. To a certain extent, it is like being given a set of (very big) keys to a (a very big) toy shop – but with rather more responsibility! - and we are thrilled to be involved in such an exciting project for this national treasure.”
Tickets for the Capital’s first light spectacular, set within the historic walls of Edinburgh Castle, go on sale tomorrow, Tuesday 3 September, from 9.30am with special early bird rates available for September. Tickets will also be available for an ‘Access’ night taking place on Monday 2 December for people with additional support needs.
Standard tickets cost £20 (concessions, family tickets and discounts for Historic Scotland members available). F
About Castle of Light
Dates: Castle of Light will run every Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday from Thursday 14 November to Sunday 22 December, excluding Thursday 28 November. In addition to these dates, a special ‘access’ night will be held on Monday 2 December, for guests with additional support needs.
Time: Timed entry from 5.30pm to 8.30pm. Event closes at 10pm. HES suggest that you allow around 90 minutes to fully experience the show.
Cost:
Early bird rates (for September only)
Adult (16-59yrs) £18; Concessions (60yrs+) £14.40; Child (5-5yrs - must be accompanied by an adult) £10.80.
Standard
Adult (16-59yrs) £20; Concessions (60yrs+) £16; Child (5-5yrs - must be accompanied by an adult) £12.
Castle of Light Consortium Partners
War Productions Limited
War Productions Limited have been trading since 1989 and has a strong focus towards the artistic use of digital video. Beginning as a lighting company, WarPro’s creative bent shifted towards the use of live projection in the very early days of the technology as production company for Orbital, Aphex Twin, Shamen and more. WarPro have specialized more and more in the creative use of projection for an ever growing commercial and artistic client base
Double Take Productions
Double Take Projections Ltd is an innovative Scottish design consultancy specialising in creating immersive visual experiences using a technique called Projection Mapping. They are a bespoke company, creating unique one-off spectacles, and able to radically alter the character of an environment or object by projecting from different angles onto a variety of surfaces.
Double Take have years of experience of producing and designing some of Scotland’s biggest Light shows. Double Take are a one stop shop for projection activity, designing content, designing social content and marketing material.
NL Productions
NL Productions is a creative event production company based in Leith with more than forty years’ experience in the industry.
Over the years, NLP has built up a large number of professional relationships across a wide variety of industries based on trust, reliability and a high standard of communication and project management.
Andy McGregor
Andy McGregor has over 25 years’ experience as a multimedia artist, designer and creative director. He was a founder member of the art / dance music & performance group Fini Tribe and pursued this alongside a degree at Glasgow School of Art. In the late 80’s he began working in digital media and enrolled in the post graduate electronic imaging course in Dundee. He has consistently worked at the boundaries of design, art, technology and performance. He has produced work for high profile organisations such as The National Galleries of Scotland, Historic Scotland, Glasgow Life, Venice Theatre Biennale, Edinburgh International Science Festival, Harper Collins Publishing UK, The Queen’s Gallery at Holyrood House and Drambuie Distillers.
About Historic Environment Scotland (HES)
- We are the lead public body charged with caring for, protecting and promoting the historic environment. We will lead on delivering Scotland’s first strategy for the historic environment, Our Place in Time.
- Historic Scotland, Scran, Canmore, The National Collection of Aerial Photography (NCAP), The Engine Shed, Stirling Castle and Edinburgh Castle are sub-brands of HES.
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For press information, please contact:
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Tel: 0131 225 7700
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