LET there be light! October 29 is the evening when York will erupt in an explosion of illumination as the city's historic buildings are brought into the centre of the night-time sky.

That is the date of the launch of the Renaissance: Illuminating York project - a scheme which will dramatically light up the city's heritage sites.

The organisation says the lighting and subsequent art projects will mean that, from dusk: "York will be seen in a whole new light, as people will be able to enjoy ancient and modern York from the Merchant Adventurers' Hall to Bootham Bar, beautifully enhanced with light in the evenings, as never before".

Part of a ten-year strategy by City of York Council and supported by York Tourism Bureau, the project, which will see £1.8 million invested in the first three years, aims to encourage greater use of the city in the evenings.

It will also help to combat resident and tourist fears about safety and security at night. The initiative is designed to:

Support the development of York's evening economy

Boost employment in tourism and hospitality

Showcase and inspire cultural and creative industries in York.

October 29 has been chosen as the date partly because it is the last evening of British Summer Time and marks the onset of longer hours of darkness. A temporary installation at York Minster will be the project's opening centrepiece with the western faade lit up in "breathtaking colours".

New art installations will back up the light spectacular with seven new projects showing "the dramatic effects of the latest contemporary talent in one of the most historic settings in Europe".

Rory McCarthy, City of York Council's tourism development officer, said: "We are in this for the long term and plan to breathe new life into the city centre in ways that are both sympathetic to our treasured heritage and reflective of leading edge contemporary talent."

The historic buildings which will be illuminated include Bootham Bar, York Art Gallery, The Gate Lodge at Museum Gardens, Merchant Adventurers' Hall, Lendal Bridge, Castlegate House, Fairfax House, St Mary's Church, Castlegate, The King's Manor, The Guildhall, Clifford's Tower, Micklegate Bar, York Minster, and All Saints' Church.

Updated: 10:27 Thursday, September 01, 2005