The Lú Festival of Light has been honoured with the prestigious "Best Arts and Culture" Award at the Association of Town Centre Management (ATCM) Awards ceremony held in Glasgow. This esteemed award recognises the festival's profound impact on the community, its innovative use of heritage assets within the town, and the extraordinary animations and storytelling over the eight-day event.
The Lú Festival of Light has captivated the hearts and minds of residents and visitors alike, transforming the town into a mesmerizing canvas of light, art, sound and creative illustrations on wonderful canvasses. This recognition is a testament to the festival's unique approach to celebrating the rich cultural heritage of Louth while infusing it with contemporary artistic expressions.
When announcing the Award, Ojay McDonald Chief Executive of ATCM noted “Best Arts and Culture Scheme is always a difficult category with plenty of commendable submissions. However, the way the partnership created an audio visual experience against a backdrop of Irish Mythology meant a clear winner for 2024.The 'LU Festival of Light' captivated audiences with a fully immersive experience. Telling stories from the past by using the newest and most captivating audio-visual experience could be ground breaking in the way towns maximise their history and heritage in the future.
Special praise goes to the collaborative partnership between Louth County Council, Love Drogheda BID, Visual Spectrum, Failte Ireland underpinned by story development via Anthony Murphy of Mythical Ireland. "We are immensely proud of what the Lú Festival of Light has achieved," said Colette Moss, Senior Executive Officer of Tourism in Louth County Council. "Winning the Best Arts and Culture Award at the ATCM Awards is a true reflection of the dedication, creativity, and hard work of everyone involved".
Trevor Connolly, CEO of Love Drogheda BID noted "The teams collective efforts have turned dreams into reality, creating a magical experience that has left an indelible mark on the community of Drogheda. This partnership exemplifies the power of working together to achieve extraordinary results. Lú Festival of Light has brought further prominence and acknowledgement of stories from our past and an appreciation of our culture and heritage in a new way. I would like to acknowledge the funding received from Failte Irelands Urban Animation as a direct enabler of this festival supplemented by additional funding from Louth County Council and Love Drogheda BID to further enhance it via additional sites and street activation”.
Mark Davies, Night Time Economy Advisor for Drogheda added “Well done to the entire team who worked tirelessly behind the scenes delivering this special event for the people and visitors of Drogheda. This has proven what we are capable of in the town and it has been a privilege to be involved and to witness the spectacular light displays come to life”.
The Lu Festival of Light continues to grow in popularity, drawing visitors from far and wide and boosting the local economy. This award highlights the festival's success and sets a benchmark for future cultural events in the region. Last year, the town of Drogheda welcomed over 70,000 visitors over the festival period with a plethora of activities and activations across the streets and venues with an estimated €6.1million direct uplift.
For more information about the Lu Festival of Light and future events, please visit www.lufestivaloflight.com.
About Lu Festival of Light: The Lu Festival of Light is an annual event in Louth, Ireland, celebrating the town's heritage through innovative light displays and artistic performances. Over eight days, the festival transforms the town's historic landmarks into a vibrant spectacle, attracting thousands of visitors and fostering a sense of community pride.
