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The SPARK Programme is a professional development opportunity for early-career creatives interested in light festivals. Designed for emerging artists and producers, the programme offers hands-on insight into festival planning and delivery through mentoring, workshops, networking, and behind-the-scenes experiences. Participants will attend Light Up Lancaster and Light Night Wigan in November 2026, gaining practical knowledge in areas such as curating, commissioning, budgeting,partnership development, and audience engagement, while building valuable industry connections within a supportive peer network.
Holly Langford is a designer and digital artist whose work explores play, movement
and shared experiences. Combining interactive art, generative visuals, motion
capture and light, she creates participatory projects that invite people to become
active contributors rather than spectators. Inspired by dance floors, festivals and
collective rituals, her practice focuses on collaboration, experimentation and
accessible design. Alongside her artistic work, Holly designs inclusive services and
experiences that help people feel connected and confident to participate. Her recent
project, No One’s Watching, developed through the PROTO programme, uses dance
and movement to generate digital beings and foster collective expression.
“I’m most looking forward to connecting with artists on the programme and talking to
exhibiting artists. I’m excited to learn about their work, process, and what drives them
as artists. I’m excited to go behind the scenes at the festival and learn from the curators what they look for in artwork and how light events come together to create a
great lightshow.”
Lizzy Thomson is an emerging producer with experience delivering large-scale
outdoor events, performance projects and creative programmes for young people.
Her practice is guided by clarity, kindness and connection, with a focus on creating
meaningful audience experiences. Since taking part in Culture Warrington’s Young
Producers programme in 2024, she has worked with organisations including the
National Trust and Storyhouse, Chester. Producer and Assistant Producer credits
include Warrington Arts Festival, Culture Warrington’s Scratch Nights, and Pop Up
Cinema Lache. Lizzy aims to inspire audiences and foster lasting connections with
arts and culture.
“I’m really excited by the operational side of light festivals and seeing how creative
teams work with artists to bring ambitious ideas to life. Watching concepts move from
early sketches to fully realised installations is something I find genuinely inspiring, so
I’m looking forward to meeting the producers, technicians and artists involved to
learn more about how that process unfolds. I’m also thrilled to see two places I know
transformed and lit up in all their glory.”
Emma Mitchison is a glass artist and material researcher working across sculpture, sound and moving image. Her practice explores how natural phenomena can be translated into physical form, using materials to reveal forces that are often invisible or intangible. Describing herself as a material facilitator, she embraces elements
such as gravity and time as collaborators in her work. A recent graduate of Manchester School of Art’s Craft course, Emma specialised in glassblowing before discovering neon at the Neon Workshops in Wakefield. This experience expanded
her interest in light, transforming her approach to glass and audience engagement.
“I’m excited to deepen my understanding of how artists use digital technology to design and control large scale light installations. I’m particularly interested in how these approaches can be combined with craft practices such as neon making and glassblowing. Light and neon-based artwork has a unique ability to bring diverse audiences together, and I’m keen to learn about the work that happens behind the scenes which shapes a great experience for visitors.”
Saba Siddiqui is a multimedia artist, activist, curator and facilitator whose socially engaged practice explores social, political and environmental issues. Through immersive, multisensory installations, she investigates themes of decolonisation, resistance, climate justice, community and belonging. Working across textiles, printmaking, ceramics, sound, food and participation, Saba creates accessible experiences that encourage reflection and solidarity. Her work has been exhibited widely, including at Bradford 2025 UK City of Culture, and is held in the collections of Leeds Art Gallery and Sunny Bank Mills. She is a recipient of multiple awards, residencies and artist development opportunities.
“I am so excited to learn about how to make works suitable for outdoor and public spaces. I feel like my work would lend itself well to these settings and I am particularly drawn towards making work for light festivals as from my experiences, they are accessible to the public and draw in visitors who may not engage with art in galleries. As someone who grew up not going to galleries or to see artworks, public art is really important to me and I want to move my practice to this area. The chance to visit other light festivals alongside fellow artists and producers would mean that I would be able to engage in conversations about artworks in a way to examine, appreciate and learn more from. One of my main forms of inspiration comes from conversations, so having the chance to connect with 5 other creatives and the networking opportunities is much welcomed and I enjoy exchanging ideas, practices and ways of working.”
Frankie is a theatre maker and producer and Salford University first-class graduate with a degree in Theatre and Performance Practice as well as an associate artist at The New Adelphi Theatre. She devises experimental, multimedia live works exploring human nature through movement, sound, and digital media. Frankie is currently developing a new live work that explores themes of healing from grief and loss through dance and rave culture. She is particularly interested in immersive experiences and how movement, sound and light can communicate beyond words.
Through the SPARK Programme, they are excited to develop producing skills, gain insight into light festivals, and explore how light art can expand their creative practice.
“I am often inspired by experimental and immersive approaches to storytelling and can’t wait to learn how I can build worlds and experiences that are accessible to wider audiences. I am intrigued by how these installations come to life, from concept to realisation. Gaining insight into the curation of these incredible events will be truly inspiring. I am also thrilled to have the opportunity to meet other artists, organisers and producers and look forward to building new creative connections!”
Caitlin is an early-career producer whose passion for arts and community engagement began at Rotherham’s Typeset CIC, where she helped organise and deliver creative workshops and events. She later joined Site Gallery, supporting the delivery of digital arts workshops for participants of all ages. During her time there, she also assisted in producing the Society of Explorers: Cyber Café exhibition.
Through these experiences, Caitlin discovered a love for being part of the creative process, from developing ideas with participants to helping bring finished work to audiences through exhibition.
“I am most looking forward to meeting other people as excited about art and creative practice as myself. I think that being around the other artists and producers at SPARK and LUTN will be an incredible atmosphere. I believe the atmosphere of the SPARK programme and Light Festivals will help me learn and grow as someone relatively new to the world of creative production.”