Illuminating history with Luminiscence's immersive experience

Illuminating history with Luminiscence's immersive experience

LIVE takes a look behind the scenes at Luminiscence’s immersive celebration of Manchester

Words Oliver Webb | Images Mikhail Sytenkov

Weaving complex architecture with immersive video mapping, light and live music, Lotchi’s latest creation is Luminiscence, a 360° immersive projection concert experience that blends music and narration. The show first arrived in the UK in January 2026, with Manchester Cathedral selected as the first venue to host the experience. The show is taking place across global locations including Nice, Paris, Rennes, Brussels, Sao Paulo, Nuremberg, Delft, Münster, Barcelona and Minneapolis.

The UK edition will transform Manchester Cathedral into an immersive world of sound, story and light, with the event celebrating Manchester’s people, history and heroes. Unique to the UK show are new choral arrangements of iconic Manchester songs, including The Verve’s Bitter Sweet Symphony and Joy Division’s Love Will Tear Us Apart, both performed by Collectives Gospel Choir. The experience will also feature a specially commissioned script by Bafta award winner Tim Whitnall, as well as narration by revered Manchester actor Christopher Eccleston.

First launching in 2023, Luminiscence aims to elevate and celebrate the most iconic cathedrals and basilicas across the world. Through advanced 3D modelling and projection technology, the shows can recreate every architectural detail with incredible precision, bringing the nave, walls, columns and stained-glass windows to life in a visual spectacle.

Utilising projectors for video mapping and a spatialised sound system that synchronises sound with the visual performance throughout the entire structure, the shows create a unique multisensory experience. “Luminiscence is all about celebrating the most jaw-dropping and historically important buildings and bringing them to life in a completely new and exciting way, begins Emily Wood, producer at Luminiscence.

A spatialised sound system will be used to synchronise the sound with the visual performance

Set in stone

With that ethos in mind, Manchester Cathedral was an obvious choice as the first location for Luminiscence’s very first foray into the UK. Located right in the centre of the bustling city, and with a track record of hosting concerts and other events, the cathedral is a striking example of 15th-century Gothic architecture. Its carefully detailed interiors reflect centuries of artistry and tradition, making it one of the most significant and enduring architectural landmarks in the north of England.

So naturally, the cathedral was the perfect setting for an experience like Luminiscence. “We also felt that Manchester as a city was the ideal location, given its musical pedigree and wider cultural legacy, so the show has been specially adapted to feature classic Manchester anthems performed by a live choir in new orchestral arrangements,” adds Wood.

According to Wood, the cathedral, along with the city itself, ticks every box to host the experience. “The cathedral is in a fantastic, central location and has an incredible track record of hosting concerts, events and festivals, but most of all the architecture is crying out for the 360° projection mapping that is at the heart of Luminiscence,” says Wood.

“The Cathedral, with its incredible carved wooden choir, triple-width nave and mesmerising acoustics will make the perfect setting for this type of video projection concert format.”

Working within such an architecturally complex space was a challenge when it came to bringing the project to life. “The architectural and historical sensitivity of the venue are what make it so very interesting, but they also underpin every aspect of the event planning,” says Wood. “From the way the lights and projectors are rigged, where they obviously must in any way, to the manner in which technical equipment can be loaded in by the production team. The medieval cathedral and its sensitivities are what determine everything.”

Given the architectural layout of the space – everywhere you look there is something breathtaking – the biggest challenge was actually choosing which areas to highlight with the projection and which to light in the background to ensure there is something magical in every direction. “Equally, another challenge has been choosing which parts of the city’s character and history to include in the Christopher Eccleston narrated voiceover script – not to mention choosing from hundreds of classic Mancunian anthems which songs should make it into the show!”

Mancunian anthems and a narrated voiceover script by Christopher Eccleston will help set the scene

Mancunian anthems and a narrated voiceover script by Christopher Eccleston will help set the scene

Carving with light

Luminiscence uses a range of highend technical equipment, including high-grade laser projectors, powerful servers and incredible 360° audio to bring to life the hand-rendered visuals. “Teams of video mapping specialists start by creating a full representation of every aspect of the physical space, which is then used to create the bespoke show, so that each contour and curve of the arched ceilings and columned nave can be animated with exact precision,” details Wood.

The attention to detail and alignment between the visuals and the audio, so that the pictures move in time with the music, is what sets Luminiscence apart from other projection shows. “The result is a celebration of the cathedral through a show that transcends the physical space and becomes representative of the wider city and its people.”

As Wood explains, scores of technical suppliers and partners are engaged in a project of this scale and it requires extensive planning and collaboration. “The team at Lotchi who created Luminiscence have dedicated video mapping personnel and digital artists rendering the visuals. Then a UK based team including lighting design, musical arrangement, sound design and so on are engaged.”

The immersive projection show has already been watched by over one million people across the globe, with an aim for the popularity to increase as it reaches audiences throughout the UK. Though Manchester is just the first stop in the UK, other iconic cathedrals and historical sites are lined up to follow. “So, watch this space for the next one to be announced!” concludes Wood.

The immersive show has already been watched by over one million people across the globe

The immersive show has already been watched by over one million people across the globe

Houses of worship: A flourishing field

Over the past few years, houses of worship have increasingly adopted audio-visual shows as a means of engaging congregations, reaching wider audiences and supporting the multi-purpose use of their numerous facilities.

Modern worship spaces now rely heavily on advanced audio-visual systems to enhance in-person services through clear audio, visual lyrics and dynamic presentations, while also enabling high-quality live streaming and virtual/remote worship experiences.

Video integration has become commonplace, ranging from basic projection to immersive multi-camera productions and large-scale video wall installations. These flexible audio-visual solutions allow houses of worship to operate not only as spiritual spaces, but also as community centres, concert venues and event locations.

Several high-profile houses of worship have showcased the impact of new AV technologies,

including the reopening of the Notre-Dame de Paris in December 2024. The cathedral opened with a large-scale projection mapping show set to a soundtrack by French DJ and producer Michael Canitrot.

The production utilised 30 Panasonic PT-RQ35 projectors that were supplied by Alabama Media and powered by Modulo Pi’s Modulo Kinetic media servers. The opening ceremony, led by French president Emmanuel Macron, was attended by heads of state and dignitaries from around the world and also drew global attention to the historical building.

Projection mapping installations, which combine digital artistry with historic architecture, have proven especially popular in churches and cultural landmarks across Europe in recent years. A useful example is the Eonarium Experiences tour, organised by the Zurich-based artist collective Projektil, which features immersive 360° light and sound shows lasting between 30 and 45 minutes.

As worship practices continue to evolve, the role of AV technology in maintaining engagement has only become increasingly clear. Further to this, large-scale AV productions have demonstrated their ability to attract public interest and play an essential role in connecting with broader communities. Luminiscence is just one of the many immersive shows leading the charge in bringing more attention and attracting global audiences to houses of worship.

This feature was first published in the Spring 2026 issue of LIVE.