Bristol Light Festival will return to the city for ten unmissable nights from 19 – 28 February 2026, with British visual artist Liz West announced today as a headline name in the festival’s most ambitious edition to date.
Renowned for her immersive light sculptures and chromatic environments, West will bring two large-scale installations to Cabot Circus, transforming its multi-storey car park into a vast, reflective, colour-saturated spectacle.
In a bold reimagining of public space, the artist’s acclaimed installation Our Colour Reflection will take over Level 7of the Cabot Circus car park. Over 765 mirrored acrylic discs, in 15 vivid hues and arranged at different heights, will form a reflective landscape that bathes visitors in shifting light, echoing colour across concrete and steel.
Originally commissioned by 20-21 Visual Arts Centre, this is the first time the piece has been installed in a space like Cabot Circus car park – turning a place of passage into a shimmering spectacle of movement, light and unexpected beauty.
Laura Reynolds, Destination Director at Cabot Circus, said:
“We're redefining urban spaces by transforming the Level 7 car park into an iconic space, creating an engaging experience visitors will want to explore, share and remember. Liz West's vibrant artworks celebrate the diverse richness of Bristol's creative culture, inviting visitors to pause, immerse themselves and experience Cabot Circus in a whole new light.”
Alongside her Bristol debut of Our Colour Reflection, West’s second installation, Our Colour, returns to the city for the first time since its 2016 premiere at Bristol Biennial – this time twice the size.
Using coloured theatre gels, the installation saturates the space in a radiant spectrum of shifting hues, inviting audiences to walk through colour as if it were tangible. It offers an intimate moment of stillness and awe amid the festival’s energy – a chromatic experience that speaks to perception, emotion and sensory delight.
Liz West said:
“These works invite people to experience colour not just visually, but physically and emotionally. By playing with light, material and space, I want to transform the everyday into something vivid, reflective and full of discovery.”
Returning for its sixth year, Bristol Light Festival 2026 will once again shine a spotlight on the city’s creativity, community and culture. Backed by the newly unified Bristol Business Improvement District (BID), this year’s festival features its largest footprint yet, drawing audiences further into the heart of the city and its hidden corners.
Katherine Jewkes, Creative Director of Bristol Light Festival, said:
“This year, we set out to reimagine familiar spaces in bold and surprising ways and Liz West’s work does exactly that. Her installations transform architecture into artwork and create moments of wonder that feel unmistakably Bristol.”
Anna Farthing, Interim Head of Place at Bristol BID, said:
“Bristol Light Festival is a powerful example of how culture can support placemaking and drive economic vitality. By extending footfall across a wider area of the city centre, the festival benefits hundreds of local businesses while creating a welcoming, vibrant environment for residents and visitors alike. As Bristol BID, we are committed to creating and supporting events that deliver both cultural value and meaningful impact for our business community.”
Festivalgoers are encouraged to begin and end their journey at Cabot Circus, which offers onsite parking and a wide choice of restaurants and retailers open late throughout the festival.
The full 2026 programme will be announced in early 2026, with installations curated to appeal to all ages – from family-friendly fun to ambient, reflective experiences. As always, admission is free and open to all.
Bristol Light Festival 2026 will run nightly from 5pm – 9.30pm* between Thursday 19th – Saturday 28 February 2026*. Admission is free and open to all. Accessibility information, travel advice and hotel packages will be available at www.bristollightfestival.org. Follow @bristollightfestival on Instagram and Facebook for sneak peeks, artist stories and behind-the-scenes content.
*Dates subject to final permissions