Pop Goes The Prism: a 90s Pop Night at The Light

Durham does not have many places where you can look at serious contemporary art with a drink in hand and a 90s pop soundtrack in the background. For one evening this week, The Light at Aykley Heads is one of them. Its monthly late opening, After Dark, returns for a second edition on Friday 6 November 2026, from 7pm to 10pm, under the title Pop Goes The Prism.

Spice Girls under the lights

The night is built around artist Liz West, whose piece Our Spectral Vision is part of The Light's current exhibition. West also holds a Guinness World Record for her collection of Spice Girls memorabilia, and part of it goes on display beneath her artwork's coloured lights, timed to the 30th anniversary of the group's debut album.

According to Durham County Council's announcement, the pieces include Mel B's Buffalo platform trainers from the 1998 Brit Awards, Geri Halliwell's rainbow-striped outfit from the 1997 Cannes Film Festival and an Emma Bunton sequin dress from the US leg of the Spiceworld Tour. West will also talk about the group's cultural impact and how pop culture has shaped artistic practice.

Around that there is a 90s pop set from DJ Annie FM, themed food and drinks, a recreated 90s bedroom to explore and after-hours access to the galleries. Tony Guillan, The Light's artistic director, told the council: "It looks set to be a fantastic night."

Tickets and getting there

Tickets are £16, or £12 for students showing valid student ID, and are booked through The Light's After Dark page. The venue is in the parkland at Aykley Heads, on the site of the former DLI Museum, a short walk from Durham railway station.

Best for: After Dark Vol. 2: Pop Goes The Prism, Friday 6 November 2026, 7pm to 10pm, at The Light, Aykley Heads, DH1 5TU. £16, students £12.

If you miss it

After Dark runs on the first Friday of each month. Volume 3, Into The Neon Firelight, follows on Friday 4 December, curated by Neon Workshops with live glassblowing, fire performance and a psychedelic folk soundtrack. The main exhibition, Victory Over the Sun: Encounters with Light, stays open until 17 January 2027, and our report on The Light's opening has more on what is inside.