Involve your city in the Art of Darkness project
Open call for Follower and Replicator cities
The Art of Darkness project is developing and testing five artistic pilot trials at cultural heritage sites across five European countries. These pilots explore how darkness-sensitive design can create meaningful, beautiful, inclusive and sustainable experiences in public space after dark.
The Horizon Europe EU-funded research project has just launched an open call for cities (and private developers supported by a municipality) to join in and become Follower and Replicator cities, to help adapt and expand the Art of Darkness approach across Europe.
Join the movement and spread the impact
By joining the initiative, your city will contribute to broader change and become a pioneer in incorporating a thoughtful balance of light and darkness into cultural heritage and urban design.
The project is looking for cities that want to:
- Create sustainable, well-balanced nightscapes
- Enhance the value of cultural heritage through darkness-sensitive lighting design and light art
- Learn from artistic pilots and co-design processes
- Exchange knowledge with experts and peers across Europe
As a follower or replicator city, you’ll gain access to project results, design strategies, and expert knowledge — while contributing to a growing European movement shaping the future of night-time urban and cultural environments.
Deadline for application: 15 December 2025 (midnight CET)
The Art of Darkness project seeks to preserve and enhance cultural heritage sites across Europe with a better understanding of the cultural, aesthetic, and sustainability values of darkness.
By raising awareness of the importance of well-designed darkness, the project highlights its potential as a resource for human and ecological well-being, cultural innovation, and strategic investment in cultural heritage and the Cultural and Creative Industries (CCI).
Image credits
©LUCI Association
