Here comes the Sun! Luke Jerram’s ‘Helios’ will rise at Grimsby Minster this April

Casting a different light on Grimsby, The Culture House is thrilled to announce it is bringing Luke Jerram’s Helios (the Sun) installation to Grimsby Minster, for a 4-week stay, beginning on 9 April.

Originally commissioned by The National Trust and displayed at Cork Midsummer Festival, Liverpool Cathedral, Old Royal Naval College, and University College London, the appearance of this major, large-scale touring artwork at the Minster marks the first time it has been exhibited in the North East of England.

An immersive experience, funded by the National Lottery Community Fund and sponsored by Ørsted, the artwork is internally lit and features detailed imagery of the Sun’s surface. 

It is accompanied by a specially created surround sound composition by Duncan Speakman and Sarah Anderson.

Charlotte Bowen, Chief Executive and Artistic Director of The Culture House, an Arts Council England National Portfolio arts charity based in Grimsby, said: “We are so excited to be hosting Helios in Grimsby – it’s the first time this impressive installation will have been presented in the wider Lincolnshire and Humber region.

“Following the previous success of both the Moon and Earth at the Minster, we know the arrival of the Sun will be a major attraction. One that will help to uplift our place and our sense of pride in it, giving us reasons to connect and also to reflect on our relationship with our local environment, including nature.

“We’ll soon be announcing a wide range of events that people can get involved with and experience around the focal point that is Helios – including other light installations, theatre, music and family activities.”

Lauren Little, Senior Stakeholder Advisor at Ørsted, the headline sponsor of the installation, added: “We’re delighted to be Helios’ headline sponsor, following our previous sponsorship of Gaia and The Museum of the Moon. 

“We want our support to demonstrate our ongoing commitment to jobs, innovation, and a cleaner tomorrow for North East Lincolnshire and reinforcing but also igniting the belief that a renewable future is already, very much, taking shape here and what people can do to help. Helios shines a spotlight on Grimsby’s position as a leader in the energy transition and its bright, resilient future, which cannot be achieved without the amazing support of our Grimbarians.”

Bookings are now open to see the exhibition, which opens during the Easter holidays and into May, including Bank Holiday Monday 4 May.

An experience that encourages a sense of unity, as we all live under the same sun, Helios allows us to consider its importance to human life and our planet, from providing light, warmth and energy to being a daily symbol of hope and renewal. The installation also invites us to reflect on and recognise our role in serving and protecting the natural world.

The arrival of Helios, which will be free to access, offers The Culture House and its partners the opportunity to shine a light on Grimsby, as well as representing the launch of the next five years of creative, ‘environment-conscious’ programming. 

Thanks to £1.4m in funding from the National Lottery Community Fund, Helios is just the beginning of the next five years of ‘Our Future Starts Here’, a programme dedicated to ‘inspire change through creativity’ in North East Lincolnshire.

Bringing together The Culture House, Voluntary Action North East Lincolnshire, Franklin Sixth Form College, University of Hull and Hammond House, this future-facing partnership programme is rooted in community and aims to uplift and champion the area, raise pride in place, and ultimately inspire appreciation for the world around us the need for environmental protection. At every opportunity, Our Future Starts Here also aims to grow skills and connect young people to the region’s world-leading ‘green industries. 

“The overall objective of this project is to activate and celebrate North East Lincolnshire as a place of vision, innovation, leadership and creativity,” Charlotte added. “With a joint aim to support, educate and inspire on what is often complex subject matter - using arts and culture to raise awareness, have fun, grow skills and to create a sense of a shared journey for the better.”

The project promises to bring some really exciting and accessible artwork to North East Lincolnshire this April and May and over the coming years, as well as offer local artists the chance to shine while offering a wider range of events and workshops for people of all ages to get involved with.

Find out more and stay up to date at www.ourfuturestartshere.co.uk