Barnsley Bright Nights returns to the town centre for its ninth year, with two evenings of light, art and live performances on Friday 20 and Saturday 21 November 2026, from 5pm to 8.30pm. Familiar spaces will be transformed into colourful, immersive experiences for visitors of all ages, with installations, large-scale projections, interactive activities and illuminated performances taking place across multiple venues.
At Experience Barnsley and Barnsley Town Hall, visitors can explore Echoes: Our Queens, Their Stories by Ant Dickinson, an immersive light and sound experience inspired by Cleopatra and the Queens of Egypt, partially funded by Barnsley Museums & Heritage Trust. Celebrating the strength, leadership and influence of women throughout history, the installation draws connections between the queens of ancient Egypt and Barnsley's own remarkable women, sharing stories of suffragettes, women in mining, pit closure campaigners, educators, activists and community leaders.
A large-scale projection will transform the outside of Barnsley Town Hall, celebrating local women and their stories, while inside a complementary immersive installation will lead visitors into the Cleopatra and the Queens of Egypt exhibition, curated by Barnsley-born Egyptologist Professor Joann Fletcher. Created in collaboration with communities across Barnsley, Echoes features original hieroglyphic artwork, recordings from local groups and schools, contributions from Barnsley Singers, local voices and material from Barnsley Archives.
There's plenty more to see across the town centre, including the seven-metre Museum of the Moon at Barnsley College, the Space Dome at the Alhambra Shopping Centre, the projected light installation Noctilucent at St Mary's Church and interactive activities at the Library at the Lightbox. Visitors can also discover Firefly Field, the Waves artwork at the Digital Media Centre and a range of other illuminated performances and installations.
Whether you're visiting for a particular installation or simply fancy a wander around town to see what's happening, Barnsley Bright Nights is a great opportunity to experience the town in a different light and enjoy the creativity of its local communities.
Barnsley Bright Nights is presented by Barnsley Arts & Events and supported using public funding by the National Lottery through Arts Council England and donations from the supporters of Barnsley Museums and Heritage Trust.