City of Bradford Metropolitan District Council in partnership with Bradford 2025, The Leap and The National Science and Media Museum to fund the creation of innovative new light art projects and installations to take place across the District as part of BD:is LiT 2023.
The Festival returns for its second iteration in 2023 with the ambition to light up places and explore unusual spaces and uncovering the beauty of the district after dark. BD:is LiT launched in 2021, celebrating the Bradford District in all its glory. In 2021, BD:is LiT reached over 30,000 people and commissioned over 25 new installations animating the district and bringing extraordinary light art to Bradford.
As part of BD:is LiT we are looking to work with a range of artists to respond to the theme of light up places/unusual spaces to develop projects that are uniquely Bradford and nationally relevant. Installations will receive commissions between £5k and £15k each, however we are open to proposals for a larger commission in the City Centre that could be a piece at scale or a piece that could reach a significant amount of people.
We want to create a district wide programme of light and surprise with activity featuring anywhere from front gardens, shopping centres, roof tops, or bringing to life our extraordinary mills and hills. We hope that applications will feature a range of projects that include other partners, local communities and unique ways of celebrating the rich arts, culture, architecture, and heritage of the Bradford District.
It is anticipated that the projects will take place across the district in October and November 2023, with the ambition of commissioning a number of projects to be part of the BD:is LiT festival programme on Friday, 3 and Saturday, 4 November 2023. Projects and ideas that take place across the district wishing to also feature in the festival programme, must make this clear in their application and provide details of the installation transfers as part of the budget.
Proposals can be for:
- a single installation
- a series of smaller installations in multiple sites
- a touring / moving project
- a performative work that uses light, taking place in public spaces or site specific locations
We hope to support a range of projects that are interactive, fun, playful or something beautiful that can be viewed by a range of audiences.