Luxembourgish band Them Lights performing at Nuits des Lampions 2023; Credit: Jazmin Campbell/Chronicle.lu

Luxembourg's largest lantern festival, the Nuits des Lampions in Wiltz, one of the most popular cultural events in Luxembourg, will take place at a new pace from 2026, with it now being organised as a biennial event going forward, according to its organisers, COOPERATIONS Asbl, with objectives of ecological, social and cultural responsibility being behind their decision.

Since 2007, the Nuits des Lampions in Wiltz festival has been delighting thousands of visitors every year with handmade lanterns, unique art installations and an impressive cultural programme. This flagship Luxembourg festival is based on the inclusive work of COOPERATIONS, a socio-cultural institution that gives people with and without disabilities the opportunity to pursue creative and artistic activities together.

According to a statement, the team surrounding COOPERATIONS' artistic director, Marc Scheer, has decided, after careful consideration and in consultation with the municipality of Wiltz, to organise the Nuits des Lampions every two years in the future. "This should strengthen the artistic and ecological ambition of the event and ensure the long-term sustainable development of the festival".

In 2025, the festival of light will therefore take a break and launch two new initiatives in 2026 with the biennial: On the one hand, a design and event creation workshop that will integrate people with disabilities throughout the year, promote social inclusion and enable the creation of sustainable events. The biennial will thus promote a qualitative revaluation of jobs - and set an example of sustainable event development. On the other hand, an "artist-in-residence" programme for the Nuits des Lampions will increase the artistic quality and enable the realisation of innovative artistic projects in the long term.

The transition to a biennial will also enable the organisers to better meet the growing challenges in event planning, including financially, and to preserve the magic and high quality of the Nuits des Lampions. By taking this decision, COOPERATIONS creates more space for artistic development and strengthens the position of the city of Wiltz as a cultural centre with strong influence in the long term.

For details, see https://ndl.lu/