Art, space and contemplation for York Minster Nights

30 October – 2 November 2013

Ancient will meet modern at York Minster this autumn when the Gothic cathedral is transformed by night with a beautiful, contemplative candle installation and cutting-edge modern street art.

York Minster Nights, which runs from 30 October to 2 November, is part of the city-wide Illuminating York festival and gives visitors the chance to enter the medieval cathedral after dark and enjoy colour, light and shadow at the time of the Christian festivals of All Saints and All Souls.

Visitors will be greeted by an unusual view of the Nave, as the central space of the Gothic cathedral is cleared of chairs for the first time this decade, enabling visitors to enjoy the vast space with subtle, atmospheric lighting– echoing how worshippers would have experienced services in medieval York.

In the Chapter House, visitors can light a candle of remembrance for a lost loved one and help create a stunning spiral of light - a symbol of life and love, prayer and release, remembrance and hope.

Linking to the 21stcentury, top urban artists Black Rose will be creating new street-artworks on light boxes and huge canvases across the four evenings of the festival.  Using a combination of spray paints, traditional glass paints and acrylic markers, the four artists will bring contemporary paintings into the heart of the Minster.  The works they create will contain a combination of different styles and content, some drawing inspiration from the building’s stained glass and historic graffiti, and others designed to contrast with the historic setting.

“We often think of the artworks in York Minster – from the stained glass to the statues – as being very traditionally-styled, but at the time they were created, these works of art were cutting edge, using the latest techniques and innovation to design these stunning pieces,” comments York Minster’s Events Manager, Stephanie O’Gorman.

There will be a number of other art activities taking place elsewhere within the Minster, including an exclusive opportunity for a small number of visitors each evening to create a limited edition print, designed by some of the artists involved in the event.

In addition, visitors can enjoy a range of refreshments inside the Minster at a pop-up café, run by the National Trust.

York Minster Nights runs from 6.00pm on 30 and 31 October and 7.00pm on 1 & 2 November, with last admissions at 8.30pm.  Admission is £5 for adults and £2.50 for children.  Ticketholders also receive a 50% discount off daytime admission prices. 

Tickets are available online at www.yorkminster.org, by calling the Box Office on 01904 557208 or from the York Minster admissions desks.

For more details, visit www.yorkminster.org. 

ENDS

For further media information, please contact:

Jay Commins – Pyper York Limited

Tel: 01904 500698

Mob: 07810 546567

Email: jay@pyperyork.co.uk