Celebrating european collaboration at the Bright Brussels Light Festival

Among the half-million festival-goers, approximately 250,000 were Brussels residents, with the remaining attendees equally divided between visitors from other parts of Belgium and international tourists. The festival’s success is attributed to the collective efforts of numerous artists from EU member countries. A standout example of the festival’s spirit of unity and creativity was the “Beacon of Hope” project.

This installation (initially started as an international co-creation project between LUCI, GLOW in Eindhoven (NL), City of Light in Jyväskylä (FI), and Fête des Lumières in Lyon (FR)) and co-produced by artist Craig Morrison has since travelled to Leipzig, back to Eindhoven, and now to Brussels. The project symbolises the cooperation and collaboration across the European Union. As it travelled through various EU countries, local artists and participants each contributed a piece to the installation, making it a living testament to the collective artistic spirit and shared values within the EU. 

The Bright Brussels Festival not only illuminates the city but also serves as a platform for artistic expression and cultural exchange, celebrating the unity and diversity of the European Union. This year, the organisers launched the Bright Sessions, inviting experts, artists and professionals from a wide range of sectors to share their experience on various topics related to the organisation of a light festival. Jessica Férey, Deputy Director of LUCI, moderated the panel discussion “Sparking joy and creating beauty through light in public space” featuring LUCI members Durham County Council, Radiance35 and Signify.

The session explored how cities use light beyond illumination to spark joy and bring beauty to public spaces. The discussion weaved in varied perspectives, including city-level cultural planning, lighting conceptualisation and the technical solutions to turn these designs into reality. Speakers also explored important questions like maintaining the balance between light and dark and creating just the right atmosphere to enjoy the city at night while respecting the environment.

Bright Brussels was also the occasion for LUCI to present about the Light & Art Map during a short session entitled “A light surprise around the corner : the Light & Art Map.”

©visit.brussels – Jean-Paul Remy