In February 2026 Rotherham Town Centre was transformed with music, light and performances, at Rotherham Loves Music. Our annual winter festival took place on Saturday 14th and Sunday 15th February 2026, and was a celebration of music, Rotherham and communities. The two-night festival featured a soundtrack of 223 musicians from across Rotherham, that accompanied projections which brought Rotherham Minster to life.
The project began almost a year earlier, back in February 2025. Our winter festival in 2025 proved audiences love projections, so we wanted to bring that back, but in a new way. After consulting our community panel, it was decided that we should create a festival that combines projections and Rotherham's amazing music. The likes of The Reytons and Self Esteem were mentioned alongside celebrating the brass bands, choirs, orchestra and young musicians of the town (amongst many others). We decided to create our most ambitious winter festival yet...Rotherham Loves Music.
It began with a brief that went live in August 2025, we invited artists to apply with their ideas of how to combine music and projections. We awarded production company Illuminos, based in the North of England, with the commission. Their idea 'A Moonlit Symphony' inspired both the Flux team and the community panel.
We began reaching out to musicians, ensembles and performers to see if they'd like to feature on the soundtrack. Once we knew a group wanted to be involved, we'd arrange a time to visit and record them. Matt from Illuminos would either compose music specifically for them, or sample their sound. This was weaved into the soundtrack that appeared at the festival. Recordings took place December 2025 to January 2026.
The Rotherham Loves Music soundtrack featured 16 different ensembles, groups or soloists, recorded in Rotherham!
They were: Thorpe Hesley Brass Band, Rotherham Symphony Orchestra, Wath Morris Dancers, Harp by Alejandro Barnett, Rotherham Minster Organ by Ian Wilcock, Rotherham Minster Handbells group, Rotherham Music Senior Strings, Rotherham Music Wind Band, Rotherham Music Guitars, Music students at Thomas Rotherham College, Rotherham Minster Choir, Rotherham Sudanese Drummers, Rotherham Loves Music Scratch Choir and Wath Tap Folk Night performers.
Illuminos used all the music to create a soundtrack that accompanied the projections they'd already been busy mapping to the architecture of Rotherham Minster. The projections featured musical instruments that responded to the audio and complimented the shapes, arches, corners and geometry of the space.
The festival was free to attend, and across two nights 6192 people visited and experienced the event. Alongside the projections were workshops, performances installations and a silent disco to enjoy!
We wanted it to be as inclusive as possible, to do this we invited The Goodysphere Sensory Bus and provided access packs (featuring headphones, fidget toys and a torch), a BSL guided tour, changing places toilet, accessible toilets, easy read guides and staff were on hand to help.
View our day one social media reel here - www.facebook.com/reel/789495716955935
View our thank you social media reel here -Â www.facebook.com/share/r/14itYmHEtCS/
The event was created with production company Illuminos, alongside Rotherham Council, Grimm & Co, Rotherham Music.
