Light Up The North ILLUMINE 2 Light Art Open Call
Create a new, striking mid to large-scale light art installation for outdoor winter festivals across the North of England, to be exhibited and toured to multiple light festivals between October 2025 and February 2026.
Does this fit your work? 5 questions score every call to your medium, location and budget. Free.
Get matched →- Deadline
- 72 days left
- Entry fee
- Not listed - check the source
- Award
- $78,000
- Location
- Light Night Leeds, Lightpool Blackpool, Light Up Lancaster, BD is Lit Bradford, Light Night Wigan, Lightwaves Salford and other LUTN member festivals, North of England
- Exhibition window
- Oct 1, 2025 → Feb 28, 2026
About
Overview
Light Up The North (LUTN) is commissioning a Black or POC artist to create a new, striking light art installation for a tour across multiple light festivals in the North of England. This is a positive action addressing the lack of diversity in light art. The artwork will be seen by over 1 million people and travel between October 2025 and February 2026.
Who Can Apply
UK-based Black and POC artists with an established professional practice and a recognised, successful portfolio. This commission is not suitable for new or emerging artists. If you have never worked with light before, LUTN will budget for technical specialists and a creative producer to help realise the work.
What You Will Receive
- £8,000 bursary (paid in three parts: £4,000 at start of research phase, £1,000 on proposal presentation, £3,000 on first festival delivery)
- Production/creative budget up to £70,000 for materials, technical, installation and operational costs
- Comprehensive induction and support from LUTN partners
- Training and mentoring from across the network in areas such as marketing, finance, production, risk assessments, method statements and fundraising
- Potential residency at IOU Creation Centre, Halifax
- Support from the ILLUMINE Producer to help realise the work
- Invitations to LUTN member festivals and introductions to festival teams
Where Your Work Will Be Displayed
The final artwork will tour to up to 6 LUTN member festivals: Light Night Leeds, Lightpool Blackpool, Light Up Lancaster, BD is Lit Bradford, Light Night Wigan, and Lightwaves Salford. The artist may negotiate for further displays after March 2026 and will be responsible for storage after this time.
Project Timeline
- Development phase: October 2024 – March 2025
- Concept sign off: April 2025
- Prototyping and production: May–September 2025
- Installation: October 2025–February 2026
Your Proposal Requirements
The artwork must be suitable for presentation at outdoor winter light festivals, artistically challenging and of high quality, structurally resilient to withstand winter weather and transportation, and able to engage large crowds. Consider sustainable materials and design for repurposing. Proposals should be mid to large-scale and ambitious.
Submission Deadline
- Deadline: 11/09/2026
Support Available
Reasonable travel, accommodation and subsistence costs will be covered separately by LUTN. Additional support from technical specialists, creative producers and the ILLUMINE Producer is available as needed.
- Award
- £8,000 bursary plus production budget up to £70,000
- Theme
- An ambitious light art installation for outdoor winter festivals. The work should be artistically challenging, aesthetically impressive, structurally resilient to winter weather and transportation across multiple venues, and engage large crowds.
- Eligibility
- UK-based Black and POC artists with an established professional practice and recognised portfolio; not suitable for new or emerging artists.
Every listing links to the organizer's official page. Always confirm deadlines, fees, and entry rules there before you apply.