---
title: "T25-192BUS Tender for Nighttime Illumination of Tall Ships at 2026 Foyle Maritime Festival"
ocid: "ocds-h6vhtk-05eba2"
canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-05eba2"
markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-05eba2.md"
json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-05eba2.json"
source: "Find A Tender Service"
current_stage: "Award"
buyer: "DERRY CITY AND STRABANE DISTRICT COUNCIL"
published: "2026-02-16"
---

# T25-192BUS Tender for Nighttime Illumination of Tall Ships at 2026 Foyle Maritime Festival

Buyer: DERRY CITY AND STRABANE DISTRICT COUNCIL  
Current stage: Award  
OCID: ocds-h6vhtk-05eba2

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## Summary

The procurement process for nighttime illumination at the 2026 Foyle Maritime Festival has concluded with Derry City and Strabane District Council as the buyer. The festival will be held in Derry, Northern Ireland, from the 25th to the 28th of June 2026. It is part of the recreational, cultural, and sporting services industry category with a focus on lighting equipment. The contract was awarded on the 22nd of January 2026 to Visual Spectrum Studios Ltd and involves the stunning light display titled 'Sails of Solas.' This process initially began with an open competition procurement method and reached the award stage, with the tender status marked as complete. The illumination project contract is valued at £35,970 GBP, running from the 17th of February to the 30th of June 2026.

This tender presents significant business opportunities particularly for companies specialising in lighting and event installations given its focus on creating a visually striking maritime showcase. Small to medium enterprises like Visual Spectrum Studios Ltd, which successfully secured the contract, are well-suited to such niche and creative presentations. It's an excellent avenue for businesses aiming to leverage their technical artistry and problem-solving capabilities in lighting and crafting ambient experiences, contributing to one of the largest maritime festivals in Ireland and the UK, thus gaining considerable exposure to local, national, and international audiences. Participants in similar projects benefit from enhanced visibility and can build credibility within the sector by delivering innovative solutions and captivating public interest.

## Notice

Derry and Strabane District Council (DCSDC) invites proposals from suitably qualified organisations to illuminate the ships and vessels procured for 3 nights of the 2026 Foyle Maritime Festival which will take place from Thursday 25th to Sunday 28th June next year. Applauded for its ambitious and dynamic programme of events both on and off the water, the award-winning festival is located alongside the River Foyle in the heart of Derry city, spanning 1.5 miles along the riverfront. A range of themed zones and performance spaces are located throughout, all set to a magical backdrop of live music, animation, markets, visiting ships and boats, fantastic food and bespoke keynote events. Renowned as one of the largest maritime events to occur in Ireland and the UK, this bi-annual event attracted approximately 135,000 attendees when it last occurred for 4 days in 2024, appealing to local, regional, national and international visitors. For 2026 Council are extending the spectacle and magic created by former festival showcases by delivering a light installation over 3 nights of the festival from 9pm until dawn. Entitled 'Sails of Solas', the illumination of the tall masts and sails of the ships procured for the festival, will create a striking display of light and reflection along the riverfront. The bespoke illumination of the boats will present them in a new light emphasising their grandeur and majesty while the timing of the display invites people to revel in a private viewing as the city and ships sleep. Your submission must be submitted via etendersNI, via this CFT. No other method of submissions will be accepted. Please refer to the CfT documents for further detail.

## Key Details

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication source | Find A Tender Service |
| Latest notice | https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/013793-2026 |
| Notice type | UK6 - Contract Award Notice |
| Procurement type | Standard |
| Procurement category | Services |
| Procurement method | Open |
| Procurement method details | Below threshold - open competition |
| Tender suitability | Not specified |
| Awardee scale | SME |
| All stages | Tender, Award |

## Dates

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication date | 16 Feb 2026 |
| Submission deadline | 9 Jan 2026 |
| Future notice date | Not specified |
| Award date | 22 Jan 2026 |
| Contract period | 17 Feb 2026 - 30 Jun 2026 |
| Recurrence | Not specified |

## Values

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender value | £30,000 |
| Lots value | £30,000 |
| Awards value | £35,970 |
| Contracts value | Not specified |

## Status

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender status | Complete |
| Lots status | Complete |
| Awards status | Active |
| Contracts status | Not specified |

## Buyer

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Main buyer | DERRY CITY AND STRABANE DISTRICT COUNCIL |
| Locality | DERRY |
| Post town | Northern Ireland |
| Postcode | BT48 7NN |
| Country | Northern Ireland |
| ITL 1 | TLN Northern Ireland |
| ITL 2 | TLN0 Northern Ireland |
| ITL 3 | TLN0A Derry City and Strabane |
| Local authority | Derry City and Strabane |
| Electoral ward | Northland |
| Westminster constituency | Foyle |
| Delivery location | TLN0A Derry City and Strabane |

## Supplier

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Number of suppliers | 1 |
| Supplier names | VISUAL SPECTRUM STUDIOS |

## CPV Codes

### Divisions

- 31 - Electrical machinery, apparatus, equipment and consumables; lighting
- 34 - Transport equipment and auxiliary products to transportation
- 92 - Recreational, cultural and sporting services

### Codes

- 31000000 - Electrical machinery, apparatus, equipment and consumables; lighting
- 31500000 - Lighting equipment and electric lamps
- 31530000 - Parts of lamps and lighting equipment
- 34994000 - Lighting for ship guidance and illumination
- 92000000 - Recreational, cultural and sporting services

## Release History

- 16 Feb 2026 at 12:06 - Award - UK6 - Contract Award Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/013793-2026
- 1 Dec 2025 at 09:54 - Tender - UK4 - Tender Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/078350-2025

## Documents

- https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/013793-2026
  16th February 2026 - Contract award notice on Find a Tender
- https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/078350-2025
  1st December 2025 - Tender notice on Find a Tender

## Notice URLs

- http://www.derrystrabane.com
- https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2023/54/contents

## Provenance

This Markdown file is an alternate public rendering of the D3 Tenders contract record. The canonical page is https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-05eba2. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-05eba2.json.