Organizer Information
Light Up The North (LUTN) is a network of light festivals across the North of England, established in 2014, that has grown to include member festivals in cities and towns such as Barnsley, Blackpool, Bradford, Durham, Hull, Lancaster, Liverpool, Leeds, Middlesbrough, Newcastle, Oldham, Rotherham, Salford, Stoke, Wakefield, Wigan, and Worcester. The network shares expertise across its members to support artist and producer development, co-commissioning, and joint fundraising, and is supported using public funding by Arts Council England. Between 2023 and 2025, LUTN-affiliated festivals reached over 1.7 million audience members, showcased 386 artworks by 318 UK-based and 68 international artists, and generated an estimated £17.5 million in economic impact for their host regions.
Title & Description
ILLUMINE Commission Open Call (ILLUMINE 2)
In autumn 2026, Light Up The North will launch ILLUMINE 2, a light art commissioning opportunity for Black and POC artists. Described by the organizer as a positive action responding to the lack of artist diversity at festivals of light art, the programme invites an artist or collective to develop a new, striking mid/large-scale light art installation that will tour to multiple LUTN member festivals for the 2027/8 season. LUTN member festivals will work together to commission the piece, which will travel to up to six festivals in the network between October 2027 and February 2028. The opportunity is aimed at Black and POC artists with an established professional practice and a recognised, successful portfolio, giving them the chance to realise a work at scale; artists who have never worked with light before are still eligible, as LUTN will budget for technical specialists and a creative producer to help realise the work.
Theme
The creative use of light, possibly incorporating digital technology, resulting in a mid/large-scale installation suitable for outdoor winter light festivals. No further curatorial theme or topic is specified in the source.
Categories
- Residency
- Interdisciplinary Arts
- Multiple Disciplines
- Technology
- Light Art
- Public Art
- Installation
- Design
Eligibility
- Must be UK-based
- Must be aged 18 or over
- Must be Black and POC artists or collectives
- Must be able to demonstrate a portfolio of previous work
- Must have the ability and experience to realise ideas to a high quality
- Applicants who have not previously worked with light-based art forms are welcome to apply
- Unsuccessful applicants to the previous ILLUMINE programme are welcome to apply again
Program Benefits & Awards
- Artist's bursary of up to £8,000 (exclusive of VAT), paid in three instalments: £4,000 at the start of the research phase, £1,000 on presentation of the final proposal, and £3,000 on delivery of the work at the first festival (schedule can be adjusted if necessary)
- Reasonable travel, accommodation, and subsistence costs covered separately by LUTN during the research/development phase
- Production/creative budget of up to £70,000 (exclusive of VAT), covering all materials, technical, installation, and operational costs
- Reasonable travel, accommodation, and subsistence costs at the delivery stage, covered separately by LUTN
- Transport of the completed artwork, covered by the participating member LUTN festivals
- Comprehensive induction to the network's partner festivals
- Support, training, and mentoring from across the LUTN network, including guidance on marketing, finance, production, risk assessment method statements (RAMS), and fundraising, if required
- Invitations to LUTN member festivals and introductions to their teams during the 2027/28 season, with the opportunity to connect with other artists, technologists, and producers
- Support from an ILLUMINE Producer to help realise the work, if required
- Ability to apply for match funding from other sources if needed (though eligibility for additional Arts Council England schemes may be limited, since the festivals are themselves partly funded through Arts Council England)
Application Fee
None
How to Apply?
Online Application
Key Dates
- ILLUMINE Webinar: Monday, August 17 at 6 pm
- Application Deadline: 11 September 2026
- Shortlisting: Week commencing Monday, September 14
- Interviews: Week commencing September 21
- Development Phase: October 2026 – March 2027
- Concept Sign-Off: April 2027
- Prototyping and Production: May/June – September 2027
- Delivery/Installation Phase: October 2027 – February 2028, at 5/6 light art festivals in the North of England
- Evaluation: March 2028
Location
Multiple LUTN member festival locations across the North of England
Additional Details
- Applications are assessed by a panel of LUTN partners involved with curating ILLUMINE, plus independent advisors from the global majority, against five criteria: artistic quality, public experience, financial viability, project management, and environmental sustainability.
- The final artwork must be suitable for outdoor winter light festivals in the UK, artistically challenging and of high quality, structurally resilient enough to withstand winter weather and transportation across multiple festivals, and able to be seen by large crowds.
- Artists are asked to design the artwork to be suitable for repurposing, considering sustainable materials and equipment and what happens to the work after the presentations conclude.
- By applying, artists agree to: participate actively in the programme; communicate regularly with LUTN; ensure the project is ready for presentation at the 2027/28 festivals; deliver the work within the programme timescale and budget; attend an initial induction, production meetings, and site visits as reasonably required; hold or arrange Public Liability Insurance with a minimum £10 million cover; supply copy and images for marketing purposes as needed; and provide evaluation feedback on completion of the commission, in line with the framework provided.
- Each festival will provide standard infrastructure support for the arriving artwork; however, all artist fees and artwork production costs must be factored into the commission award.
- LUTN states it is committed to ensuring the opportunity is open to people who experience barriers to inclusion, and invites applicants who require additional support or adjustments (technical equipment, access support, or process adjustments) to contact illumine@lightupthenorth.com.
- Festival activities take place in the evenings during late autumn/winter months; applicants should factor in a realistic install/de-rig schedule.