Lyon Light Festival Forum 2019
– Highlights
Lighting cities with poetry and humanity
Over 150 city representatives, artists and light festival professionals from 30 cities around the world participated in this year’s Lyon Light Festival Forum (LLFF) over the course of three days from 5 – 7 December 2019.
Organised by LUCI and the City of Lyon during the Fête des Lumières light festival, the LLFF 2019 included a series of panel discussions and pecha kucha presentations on creative lighting, as well as several networking opportunities.
“The LUCI network is a unifying force”
Participants were welcomed by Karine Dognin-Sauze, Deputy Mayor of Lyon, Vice President of LUCI, who emphasised that the LUCI network is a unifying force – a force that builds on complementary perspectives, skills & know-how of each city – to extend the power of light in all its dimensions.
“Light art brings new dynamism to our streets”
The LUCI President, City of Seoul, represented by Youngsu Kim, Director of Urban Light Policy Division at the Seoul Metropolitan Government, also highlighted the value of light art in the urban space, bringing new identities to our cities and new dynamism to our streets at night.
Light Festivals: Humans at the Heart
The first session of the day explored some ways in which cities can create more socially and emotionally engaging experiences at light festivals, particularly through performance art and parades.
Moderated by Jessica Ferey, Programme Manager at LUCI, the panel featured speakers from leading light festivals and artistic groups.
Jean-François Zurawik, the General Coordinator of the Fête des Lumières shared the objectives and challenges of parades and performance art installations featured in the Fête des Lumières over the years.
“Sharing the power of community”
Philip Holmes, Creative Lead at Lightpool Festival in Blackpool, UK, shared successful examples of community engagement through participatory light art initiatives — from light trams to lumi-dogs.
A complementary perspective was brought to the discussion by Fabian Seewald of DUNDU who emphasised the importance of connecting with the crowds by creating motion and emotion – and bring a little bit of magic to people’s lives.
Light and Art for Poetic Cities
A second panel discussion – introduced by Thierry Marsick, Director of the Urban Lighting Department of Lyon and moderated by Mark Burton Page, General Director of LUCI Association – addressed a different aspect of creative lighting. The discussion explored how cities can use light to create more poetic nocturnal landscapes.
“Exploit the scenic potential of our city territory”
Marjolijn van der Meijden from the Centre for Visual Art in Rotterdam shared the City of Rotterdam’s many initiatives combining light art and poetry in the urban space.
Clarisse Tavin from the City of London Corporation spoke about the new City of London urban lighting vision and strategy as well as the important role of light art in its development and cultural policies, particularly in the Culture Mile London initiative.
Award-winning lighting designer Laurent Fachard, from Les éclairagistes associés in Lyon spoke about the importance of colour in lighting design and in the city nightscape. A view that was mirrored by Christine Richier from ENSATT Lyon (the Ecole Nationale Supérieure des Arts et Techniques du Théâtre) who drew a parallel between the city and the stage as she spoke of staging the city through lighting design.
Creative lighting projects Pecha Kucha
The Pecha-kucha-style sessions of speed presentations on creative lighting returned this year.
Following an international open call for presentations, 12 artists, light festival organisers, city cultural representatives or creative professionals were selected as speakers.
Presentation topics varied from light art projects in Bethlehem; to light installations in Chicago’s Navy Pier; through to light as an instrument of cultural tourism; innovations in architectural video-mapping today; or the challenges of increasing interactivity in lighting installations for large crowds.
Insight from organisers of the Fête des Lumières
A session with the organising team of the Fête des Lumières including General Coordinator, Jean-François Zurawik, Romain Tamayo, Manager of the Major Projects of the Festival and Vannessa Escaiche, Manager of the Emergence Programme, gave participants the opportunity to obtain insight from the organisers of one of the largest and longstanding festivals in the world.
Watch or re-watch the event
LUCI members will soon be able to watch videos & presentations made during the conferences in the LUCI Hub
Event pictures
We are happy to share some photos from the conference. You can access them here.
Please be sure to use the noted ©photo credits if sharing these via social media or your communication channels.
©Michel Djaoui ; ©LUCI Association