People playing Star Light, Star Bright

Image: Shamphat Photography

Star Light Star Bright now launched in Oxford

Posted on Tue 9 Jan 2018

Imagine if the stars shone just for you...

Watershed and Smart Oxford presents the first Smart Oxford Playable City Commission, Star Light, Star Bright from winners Hellion Trace (formerly Guerilla Dance Project).

Watershed and Smart Oxford present the first Smart Oxford Playable City Commission, Star Light, Star Bright from winners Hellion Trace (formerly Guerilla Dance Project).  The Smart Oxford Playable City Commission called for applications for new and distinctive ideas to respond to the theme Shared City and the winner Star Light, Star Bright, invites citizens to activate beams of light to map star constellations from the night sky onto the streets of Oxford.

Star Light, Star Bright maps seven star constellations that are visible in the night sky above Oxford during January and February. With each star represented as individual, step-activated lights, people work together to turn on a whole constellation. The constellations will be in seven locations across Oxford, bringing life to dark winter streets, connecting strangers for a shared moment of discovery and wonder by creating colourful star maps for Oxford’s night sky.

Creator Laura Kriefman says:

“The stars that we see in the night sky are so specific to each location. They are part of a city’s uniqueness that hides in plain sight, just above our heads. Star Light Star Bright draws attention to the connections between us as individuals achieving something together: strangers meeting in the winter darkness to create light and connection. I designed Star Light Star Bright to be democratic and citywide, demonstrating a shared city. City lighting masks the night sky; but we all seek those moments when we suddenly see the starlight, shining bright.”

You can discover Star Light, Star Bright across the seven locations in Oxford, every evening from Fri 19 Jan until Wed 28 Feb.

About Playable City

Playable City puts people and play at the heart of the future city, re-using city infrastructure and re-appropriating smart city technologies to create connections – person to person, person to city.

Star Light, Star Bright by Hellion Trace (formerly Guerilla Dance Project) is the winner of the Smart Oxford Playable City Commission 2017

The Smart Oxford Playable City Commission is produced by Watershed and supported by Oxford City CouncilOxfordshire County CouncilLucy, Nominet, BoschScience OxfordOxford Brookes UniversityUniversity of OxfordOxlepOxford Bus Company and RACE.


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