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We champion artists through our talent development programmes – SPARK, SHINE, and ILLUMINE. These nurture artists at every career stage, providing vital opportunities for development, collaboration, and visibility within our light festival network.
Our SPARK programme ignites the careers of early-stage artists venturing into the realms of light-based and digital art for light festivals. The programme offers a launch pad for artists to cultivate their skills and forge connections within the light art community.
“My participation in the 2023 SPARK programme directly led to developing my light art installation, ‘Rever,’ which has since been on display at Light Night Wigan and Light Night Leeds. It was the key to opening the door to the industry for me and becoming a full time Lighting Designer. Since then I have continued to work with the network and presented a new commission ‘Lumora’ at Light Night Leeds in 2025.” Jack Cheesebrough, Lighting and Visual Designer, Outpoint Studio
Each year, across two weekends in November, up to ten selected artists receive a bursary and travel support to participate in workshops, networking sessions, and insightful talks, timed to coincide with our festivals such as Light Up Wakefield, Light Up Lancaster, and Light Night Wigan.
ILLUMINE addresses the under representation of Global Majority artists in light art. The programme provides a support structure including a bursary, production budget, and professional development. This enables artists to research, develop, and present original light-based artworks through mentoring and networking.
Daksha Patel is our inaugural ILLUMINE artist. Her installation, ‘Molecular Clouds’, was showcased at our member festivals (Light Night Leeds, Light Up Lancaster, Lightwaves Salford and Barnsley Bright Nights) who collaborated to input and commission this interactive projection.
“ILLUMINE is a safe space for diverse artists to be seen and visible working in the light art sector and inspire other artists to think – yes I can do this too. The programme will ultimately lead to more interesting and diverse works.” Daksha Patel
‘Molecular Clouds’ transform invisible greenhouse gases into ephemeral, colourful molecular forms that audiences can touch and remove from the atmosphere. The piece fosters a sense of collective agency around climate change. It blends trees, sun and birdsong with mesmerising data-map visualisations representing climate science.
Our SHINE programme supports new UK-based artists by offering bursaries and professional development from our network partners.
SHINE artists have included Stevie Thompson who developed ‘Crystal Flowers’, a breathtaking installation of 600 handcrafted blooms from recycled plastic bottles. It has since paved the way for Stevie to develop new light artworks such as ‘Core’ and ‘Psychedelic Snails’. He then went onto internationally touring the installation – ‘Mycelium Network’ which was featured at Enlighten 2025, Australia along with other light festivals in Thailand, South Africa, Austria and Sweden.
Since its launch in 2015, SHINE has supported 31 artists to realise their 28 artworks
2023-2025 SHINE achievements
Commissioning partners: Light Up Leeds, Lightwaves Salford, Illuminate Oldham, Barnsley Bright Nights, Lightpool Blackpool, Light Up Lancaster, BD:Is LiT Bradford, Nightfall Middlesbrough
1.3M+ Estimated audience reached
Anne Bennett uses butterflies to explore themes of transformation and the natural world. Her SHINE commission, ‘Butterfly Cluster,’ featured over 1,600 unique, eco-friendly resin butterflies, inspired by a star cluster in Scorpius. The installation held a secret: its patterns, invisible in daylight, glowed brightly under UV light, creating a celestial spectacle. After touring our network it went to international light festivals, she continued the theme with ‘The Butterfly Dream’ at the Eden Project and with sculptures at the RHS Garden Rosemoor.
Emma Gasson’s ‘Reflect’ offers a serene and meditative experience. This sensory light installation, spanning a 10-metre stretch of water, utilises subtle lighting to cast fluid, shifting reflections onto adjacent surfaces. The piece beautifully responds to visitor interaction; as people move and disturb the water, the resulting ripples alter the reflected light, creating a gentle, drifting sensation.
“It’s so good to see the public interacting with Reflect, this is exactly what I needed! I want to do more and bigger things. I am super excited to keep going.” Emma Gasson
*Data represents combined results from eleven Light Up The North members and covers festivals that took place in 2023/24 and 2024/25 winter seasons.