Craig Morrison’s Beacon of Hope
in collaboration with Folk Dance Remixed
commissioned by Bolton Council for Put Big Light On Festival, Nov 2025
Beacon of Hope
The Beacon of Hope is an awe-inspiring light installation, created by internationally renowned artist Craig Morrison and brought to life in collaboration with Craig, innovative light designer Ant Dickenson, and the dynamic talents of Folk Dance Remixed.
The Beacon itself is a large 6.5m diameter wooden dome structure, with panels of laced UV reflective threads, and with a tall 6m spire with an array of 11m UV reflective ribbons, ready to be woven in a maypole plait, and with a glitterball to top it all off! The Beacon is lit by a ring of colour-changing lights, changing moods and states, making it a mesmerising spectacle in its own right.
The Beacon of Hope was first brought to life with an uplifting performance on and around it through collaboration with Folk Dance Remixed and the people of Bolton, which brought together local people, light, and sustainable materials to create something that reflects both heritage and aspiration.
We’re looking for partners
to help us develop this project and who want to bring their communities together as both performers and audiences!
It’s perfect for winter light festivals and summer nights!
Watch the 4 minute trailer HERE
Folk Dance Remixed worked with Jo Lewis at Bolton council and local communities, to create a truly unique and local performance, through music and dance. The dance work included both street dance styles and local morris and clog dance, with flavours of Bollywood and Palestinian folk dance too. We worked with local dancers from Taylor’s Theatre Academy and champion clog dancer Robynne Wood. The music track was created in collaboration with local music producer Shamschi, incorporating local sounds of folk, from the diverse communities, including dohl drums, Iranian, Pakistani and Lancashire folk dance tunes, played by local folk musicians, Mikey Kenney, Robynne Wallace and Will Allen, and woven into the track with hip hop beats and soundscapes. The event also featured local artists and groups, including up-and-coming Muslim rapper, B-Shaf, Stone the Crows morris dancers, Bolton Music’s Greater Northern Folk Ensemble and friends, who played for the Ceilidh Jam social dance finale and DJ Aggz, who alternated with the ceilidh band.
The project model works with 4 days of creation/rehearsal with the performers prior to the event, with a rehearsal on the Beacon before the first show. This can be over a period of a month or two, or more intense, depending on the participants and their needs. The Beacon can be situated on hard standing or grass provided it is flat and level and can remain in situ throughout the festival
The installation, performance and whole event links the rich local cultural tapestry of folk and Hip Hop dance and music, with modern light art to celebrate connection, a sense of place, participation and shared hope.
Unique to each community, each weave and performance will be bespoke to each location, reflecting local communities and bringing them together. With an opportunity for local groups and artists to perform too, the whole event culminates in a celebratory and joyous accessible ceilidh, a social dance experience that will get audiences up and dancing for an immersive celebratory finale!
QUOTES
‘It’s been wonderful to watch the Beacon project evolve in Bolton. Local performers of all ages have had the chance to create something special, bringing communities together and combine traditional and contemporary artforms. The public had the chance to see and hear clog dancing, beat boxing, folk music, crocheting, art, lights and a bit of atmospheric smoke transform a town centre park into a magical space! A fantastic experience for everyone!’ Joanne Lewis, Principle Project Officer – Culture and Creativity at Bolton Council
‘My name is B-Shaf and I performed at the Beacon of Hope. It was miraculous timing as I had just released this song called Hope and this was the Beacon of Hope. But what I really enjoyed was seeing the whole community come together as there’s not ever that much going on in Bolton. But when this happened there was people of all different races, religions and ages all coming together and I walked around the Beacon of Hope and performed and looked into everyone’s eyes and it wasn’t a person who didn’t have a smile on their face. So I want to thank Natasha and Kerry so much for making this happen.’ Bilal Shafiq aka Rapper B-Shaf, Bolton performer
‘Beacon of Hope at Bolton brought people together, not just to watch or look at a completed installation, but instead to be integral to it, to participate, to contribute and to be part of a shared experience. Through this reimagining of folk traditions it broke down barriers in ways that are not so prevalent in our atomised modern society.’ Ant Dickinson, Technical Co-ordinator
‘I personally loved seeing the people of Bolton interacting with the Beacon as it was a real showcase of the local dance talent. A real testament to everyone involved for showing up and getting involved (despite challenging weather at times!).’ Kitty Morrison, Assistant Stage Manager
Photos by Ant Dickinson, Joel Chester Fildes and Natasha Khamjani
For technical and costing details please email Kerry Fletcher: kerry@folkdanceremixed.com or call 07703 639 720
