Creative projection company Illuminos who are local to Chesterfield but work on a national and  international level were commissioned to create a projection mapping piece on the historic Market Hall in March 2026. Illuminos created an animation that captured the spirit of the market exploring its heritage. This was showcased during a free 2 day afternoon and evening event called ‘Glow-up Chesterfield’ to encourage visitors and support businesses and traders.  

Illuminos’s winning proposal ‘Twist and Shout’ played on Chesterfield’s famous twisted spire and the much-loved call of the market traders selling their wares. This created a unique projection and atmospheric sound piece that formed part of an inaugural light event celebrating the reopening of the market 

To create the projection, Illuminos worked with Chesterfield College students to create stills and animations that were then used in the final piece – inspiring and upskilling the next generation. They also engaged with local market traders to film and record them and their market calls, bringing in the important heritage story of trade to the projection. 

Chesterfield college quotes:

“I found the Illuminous experience extremely interesting, and it was a good opportunity to research the history of Chesterfield market and be part of its rejuvenation. It was amazing to see how everyone’s contribution was incorporated into the final projection!”

Sarah; Level 4 Art & Design

Jo Inns (Tutor):

“I got to see the projection on both evenings and saw quite a number of our students there – they were all very excited to be involved. It was excellent and great for the town to celebrate the renovation of the Market in this way … .thank you again for enabling us to be involved to support the student Work Experience requirement of the L4 course.”

An estimated 6,500 people attended the event and the feedback was really positive, as well as the projection piece there were market stalls, food traders, free family craft activities, facepainting and fairground rides. 

About Illuminos: 

Illuminos are brothers Matt and Rob Vale, who for over 10 years have been creating visually inventive, memorable projection artworks and experiences. Their works range from very large scale illumination to small scale imagery, but always working to create something unique and specific to location and viewer. Formed around a principle of People, Site, Animation, and often combining elements of installation, dance, theatre, pyrotechnics and music, each project develops from an exploration of the emotions of an environment, aiming to capture the essence of a place, space or feeling as a shared moment of time. 

Illuminos work internationally on high profile events, from Les Troyens for Lyric Opera, Chicago, US, to the 2017 Capital of Culture closing ceremony with Walk The Plank in Paphos, Cyprus, and creating a vast chocolate factory for City of the Unexpected – the city wide centenary celebrations of Roald Dahl in Cardiff.

Previous works also include the massive Ar Waith ar Daith, transforming the Wales Millennium Centre, the five-building spectacular Light Fantastic, marking 100 years since the formation of Plymouth City, the transformation of the Rotunda into an interactive bookcase for Liverpool Library, or the spectacular 100 metre projection of hundreds of participants and their front doors on the Le Mans Crescent in Bolton (door to door). Add in Illuminos web link.

About Animate:

Animate Chesterfield is being delivered by Beam, a leading cultural development organisation in collaboration with Chesterfield Borough Council, the programme has also included the appointment of an artist in residence to engage residents and visitors with Chesterfield town centre, a Christmas window trail, the creation of a Heritage Arts Trail and a new sculpture for Staveley town centre.

Communities are at the heart of the programme and will shape, influence and participate throughout, ensuring that it is an authentic celebration of the place.

Funding for the public art project was secured through planning agreements as part of the council’s percent for art scheme, which was part of the previous Local Plan (and now continues on a voluntary basis), and the funding must be used for the delivery of public art.

To find out more about the Animate programme visit the Animate Chesterfield page.