Nothing lights up London in a figurative sense quite like the thrilling roster at the West End all year round, but later this year, the nights really are going to be glowing as Art After Dark makes its return to the centre of the city.
This year, the draw is going to be a beautiful art and space trail, with the main attraction being a glimmering set of asteroid-sized moon rocks in Piccadilly Circus to shine on during the evenings of March 6-8.
Art After Dark 2025
Described as an ‘intergalactic cosmic playground’, the Piccadilly Un:Plugged trail has been created by Eco-feminist artist and designer Nelly Ben Hayoun-Stépanian, and is entirely free for Londoners to lose themselves in across the cascading three-day period. Art After Dark this year coincides with International Women’s Day on March 8, and the programme celebrates female and non-binary artists, musicians, and scientists with a spotlight on creativity with art and space science.
At the centrepiece is the asteroid-sized moon rocks in Piccadilly Circus, which is sure to glow through the night and sit by glowing cat sculptures that take inspiration from the Schrödinger’s cat experiment. Telescopes are also being set up in the trail for the public to use and search the sky with professional astronomers.
Passers-by will be able to look through this and much more across the Art After Dark programme that also features gallery hops and workshops during its run time.
Speaking on the news, Nelly Ben Hayoun-Stépanian said: “I am so thrilled to be able to develop this creative and participative work in my beloved open city of London and in the vibrant West End. Advocating for further support and attention on nightlife and nighttime workers and powered by an electric team with incredible scientists with a roster of avant-garde female and non-binary artists, Piccadilly Un:Plugged is a visual, experiential, and sonic experience with a good dose of alien aesthetics.
“I cannot wait to share the audio bounced off the moon, featuring the heartbeats of my Armenian family, and further recordings made in the West End, together with mind-blowing soundtracks by incredible artists. Piccadilly Un:Plugged is a message of love, compassion, healing and peace, urging a reconsideration of our futures on Earth and in space through a lens that values inclusivity, sustainability, plurality, and transnational thinking.”
Art After Dark returns to the West End on March 6-8, and you’ll be able to catch the glowing asteroid-sized moon rocks in Piccadilly Circus. You can find out more via the Art Of London website.