About

Canary Wharf’s spectacular Winter Lights festival returns to London for it's ninth edition.

This year, the trail will take you on a journey through 12 spectacular temporary installations, as well as the ever-popular permanent light artworks to help beat the January blues and render the dark winter evenings aglow. 

Showcasing some of the most innovative light artists across the globe, the 2025 festival explores the transformative and otherworldly qualities of art and light, featuring portals, black holes and mirages.

On the boundary between real and surreal, the line-up will take you from a towering stack of bathtubs pulsing with light and sound, through to Westferry Circus where you can encounter a mesmerising tornado of lights orbiting a pylon, immerse yourself amongst panels of sari fabric and luminous threads on Wren Landing, be dazzled by an iridescent mirage on Montgomery Square, experience a bird in flight and be transported through a portal in Wood Wharf. Finish up the tour at our newly opened Eden Dock, where you can marvel at a 20m wide sink hole encircled by light.

As well as the stunning installations, there will be some sweet treats and hot drinks along the way. If you’re looking for something a bit more substantial or to break up the trail, book a table in one of the many cafés, bars, and restaurants at Canary Wharf and enjoy a hearty meal or refreshing cocktail. We recommend booking early as it can get very busy during the event. Why not make a day of it by visiting Canary Wharf’s magical Ice Rink in Canada Square Park, Fairgame on Fisherman’s Walk, THE CUBE in Wood Wharf, or Capital Karts in Cabot Place. If you want to stick with art, explore our fantastic, free-to-visit permanent collection of over 100 artworks.

Winter Lights is free to visit, the map will be available to download in January to help guide you around the installations or, you’ll be able to pick one up from one of the friendly event stewards when you arrive. The installations will be open 5-10pm daily.

* The exhibition is open daily and is free to explore.

Temporary Installations:
1.   Aj Vana Be by Benedikt Tolar (Czechia) @ Mackenzie Walk
2.   Circa by Limbic Cinema (UK) @ Riverside
3.   Error by Vendel & de Wolf (Netherlands) @ Westferry Circus
4.   Wave by Squidsoup (UK) @ Columbus Courtyard
5.   Evanescent Droplets by Atelier Sisu (Australia/Peru) @ Cabot Square
6.   Stitching Light by Emergency Exit Arts with Ruhul Abdin & Oitij-jo (UK/Bangladesh) @ Wren Landing
7a. Artificial Humans by Atelier Haute Cuisine (Belgium) @ Adams Plaza
7b. Artificial Humans by Atelier Haute Cuisine (Belgium) @ Crossrail Place Roof Garden
8.   Mirage by Atelier Sisu (Australia/Peru) @ Montgomery Square
9.   Bird Passing By by Luminariste – Benjamin Nesme & Marc Sicard (France) @ Water Street
10. Portal by Lucid Creates (UK) @ Union Square
11. Positive Spin by Liz Harry & Kazimier Productions (UK) @ Jubilee Place, Level -1 (indoors)
12. Illusion Hole by UxU Studio (Taiwan) @ Eden Dock

Permanent Artworks:
A.  Bit.fall by Julius Popp (Germany) @ Chancellor Passage
B.  The Clew by Ottotto (Portugal) @ Cubitt Bridge
C.  Shine your Colours by Tine Bech (Denmark) @ Riverside
D.  Captivated by Colour by Camille Walala (France) @ Adams Plaza Bridge
E.  Elantica 'The Boulder' by Tom & Lien Dekyvere (Belgium) @ Crossrail Place, Level -1 Quayside
F.   We Could Meet by Martin Richman (UK) @ Crossrail Place, Level -1 Quayside
G.  Lightbenches by LBO Lichtbank (Germany) @ Jubilee Park