Programme

An introduction to the Canon II research project and its work documenting, describing and digitising collections connected to lighting design, lighting technology and stage design.

A discussion of how theatres and live entertainment venues are responding to difficulties attracting and retaining qualified technicians. The presentation examined automated communication systems such as OSC, coordination between departments and the benefits and risks of increasingly automated show workflows.

The presentation introduced a DIY light-sound device and explored lighting design as a distributed and evolving relationship between devices, performers, architecture, sound, public space and audiences.

Through performance and installation case studies, the session considered light as an active participant rather than a unidirectional technical output.

Drawing on more than three decades in theatre, opera, dance and international touring, Emma Weil reflected on trust, burnout, recovery, organisational culture and the practices that make a creative career sustainable over time.

A presentation of Je te veux de la tendresse, an interdisciplinary research project that uses light as the starting point for collaborative performance-making rather than as a technical layer added at the end.

Caroline Mathieu presented research into the physiological and perceptual effects of coloured light. The Luminal installations combined immersive light environments, biometric measurement, questionnaires and interviews to compare bodily responses with participants’ conscious interpretations.

An examination of visible light sources in theatre, screen, entertainment and architecture, from Renaissance stages and fairgrounds to Eurovision, mirror balls and contemporary hospitality design.

The presentation considered how bright points of light attract the eye while communicating changing cultural ideas about taste, spectacle, status and value.

A presentation considering artificial intelligence technologies in relation to performance, visual production and the developing role of digital tools in the performing arts.

Drawing on work in theatre, dance, opera and television, Lotta Hammarstrand discussed how techniques and experiences can move between different lighting disciplines.

The presentation included the challenge of adapting theatrical lighting for television recording while retaining the visual character experienced by the live audience.

An introduction to the entertainment branch of Women in Lighting, its international network and its work supporting greater visibility, connection and representation within the industry.

Through examples from dance-drama productions across Asia, Tommy Wong explored lighting as a flowing spatial language developed in close dialogue with choreographers.

The session considered the factors that support effective collaboration and how visual design and choreographic thinking can strengthen theatrical storytelling.

An introduction to the SceALED research project, which studies how LED spectra affect the appearance and aesthetic perception of scenic materials and objects.

The project combines artists, engineers and researchers to connect subjective experience with measurement, modelling and practical tools for performing arts professionals.

Jesper Kongshaug explored how light can operate as an independent artistic language in performance and public space.

Drawing on Copenhagen Light Festival and international work with Hotel Pro Forma, the session considered colour, scale, spatial composition, storytelling and emotional experience.

An insight into the artistic, technical and collaborative responsibilities of working permanently as an in-house lighting designer within a theatre organisation.

A presentation of Nobel Week Lights and its use of public light art to connect audiences with scientific discoveries, culture and urban space during Nobel Week in Stockholm.

Research into barriers created by traditional lighting design tools and processes, with a focus on developing more accessible methods for a wider range of users.

The work included AI-supported image and text tools and an interface capable of analysing visual information and translating it into DMX data for physical or virtual lighting systems.

A review of the transition away from the traditional CRI or Ra measurement towards newer systems, including the CIE General Colour Fidelity Index, Rf, for describing colour quality.

Bastiaan Schoof shared experiences of teaching lighting and lighting design in Dakar, Senegal, reflecting on education, cultural exchange and the enthusiasm of young people entering the profession.

A discussion of creativity within repertory, festival, touring and house-rig conditions where designers cannot specify or install a completely new lighting system.

The session considered what makes a useful house rig and how adaptable equipment and limited stage time can still support distinctive creative work.

Through three production examples, Veli-Ville Sivén examined how video can function as an extension of scenographic space rather than as an additional visual layer.

The presentation focused on light as the element connecting physical scenery, projected environments and moving images into a unified spatial experience.

A personal reflection on building a creative career without established networks, institutional support or substantial resources.

The session considered immigration, freelancing, touring, low budgets and how adaptability, technical curiosity and resourcefulness can become creative strengths.